Explore the application of green infrastructure in enhancing climate resilience in China: A comparative analysis in Suzhou Industrial Park and Gusu District, Suzhou

Traditional urban construction often prioritizes grey infrastructure while
neglecting the natural functions of ecosystems, exacerbating climate change issues.
In response, green infrastructure (GI) has been developed and adapted as a naturebased solution (NBS) and has been proven to provide various ecosystem services
including reducing flood risk and mitigating the climate change, which contributes
to urban resilience. Currently, most Chinese cities still rely on grey infrastructure, and
relevant studies remain limited and usually substitute the term ‘sponge city’, which
can lead to a conceptual deviation from the concept of GI. Additionally, there is a lack
of comparative research on the application of GI in areas with different development
conditions within cities, such as newly developed districts versus historic urban areas.
To fill in this gap, this study employs a combined qualitative and quantitative method
that covers literature review, ArcGIS analysis, and survey questionnaires to examine
the adaptability and effectiveness of GI in terms of stormwater management in newly
developed district (Suzhou Industrial Park) and old district (Gusu District) in Suzhou.
The expected outcomes could be the identification of GI distribution, categories, and
effects in terms of stormwater management in the two districts. Finally, this paper
proposes potential optimization strategies based on Suzhou’s experience to other
cities within the Yangtze River Delta.