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Mapping geosystem services potential for urban climate resilience : A case study from Malmö, Sweden

Lundin-Frisk, Emrik ; Lindgren, Paula LU ; Sandström, Olof Taromi LU ; Toft, Emanuel ; Melgaço, Lorena LU orcid ; Mossmark, Fredrik ; Söderqvist, Tore ; Volchko, Yevheniya ; Melo Zurita, Maria de Lourdes and Norrman, Jenny (2026) In Sustainable Cities and Society 139.
Abstract

Urban climate resilience planning often overlooks the subsurface, despite its potential to mitigate flooding, heat stress, and drought. To demonstrate these potentials, we developed thematic Geosystem Service (GS) maps for Malmö, Sweden, to support the integration of the subsurface into climate adaptation strategies. This study identifies GS relevant to the local context, proposes indicators for mapping these services, suggests a methodology for developing GS potential maps and tests the usability of these maps with municipal planners. Six GS related to the subsurface were identified: 1) regulation of coastal erosion, 2) extraction of heat and cold from the subsurface, 3) infiltration and retention of stormwater, 4) provision of... (More)

Urban climate resilience planning often overlooks the subsurface, despite its potential to mitigate flooding, heat stress, and drought. To demonstrate these potentials, we developed thematic Geosystem Service (GS) maps for Malmö, Sweden, to support the integration of the subsurface into climate adaptation strategies. This study identifies GS relevant to the local context, proposes indicators for mapping these services, suggests a methodology for developing GS potential maps and tests the usability of these maps with municipal planners. Six GS related to the subsurface were identified: 1) regulation of coastal erosion, 2) extraction of heat and cold from the subsurface, 3) infiltration and retention of stormwater, 4) provision of subsurface space, 5) provision of groundwater, and 6) provision of construction materials. The findings indicate that GS potential mapping can reveal opportunities to utilise subsurface functions important for climate adaptation, but also show that this capacity is highly uneven across space and often constrained by land use, contamination risks, and technical or legal limitations. Usability testing with planners suggests that the developed GS potential maps may serve more effectively as communicative instruments than as direct planning tools. By illustrating how subsurface services can be systematically incorporated into planning, this research provides a foundation for enhancing the operability of GS in future climate adaptation practices.

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; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Climate change adaptation, Ecosystem Service, Physical planning, Underground, Urban underground space (UUS)
in
Sustainable Cities and Society
volume
139
article number
107221
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:105029911413
ISSN
2210-6707
DOI
10.1016/j.scs.2026.107221
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
79c79c14-1878-412d-845f-57eca3bb617c
date added to LUP
2026-03-04 15:21:52
date last changed
2026-03-04 15:22:17
@article{79c79c14-1878-412d-845f-57eca3bb617c,
  abstract     = {{<p>Urban climate resilience planning often overlooks the subsurface, despite its potential to mitigate flooding, heat stress, and drought. To demonstrate these potentials, we developed thematic Geosystem Service (GS) maps for Malmö, Sweden, to support the integration of the subsurface into climate adaptation strategies. This study identifies GS relevant to the local context, proposes indicators for mapping these services, suggests a methodology for developing GS potential maps and tests the usability of these maps with municipal planners. Six GS related to the subsurface were identified: 1) regulation of coastal erosion, 2) extraction of heat and cold from the subsurface, 3) infiltration and retention of stormwater, 4) provision of subsurface space, 5) provision of groundwater, and 6) provision of construction materials. The findings indicate that GS potential mapping can reveal opportunities to utilise subsurface functions important for climate adaptation, but also show that this capacity is highly uneven across space and often constrained by land use, contamination risks, and technical or legal limitations. Usability testing with planners suggests that the developed GS potential maps may serve more effectively as communicative instruments than as direct planning tools. By illustrating how subsurface services can be systematically incorporated into planning, this research provides a foundation for enhancing the operability of GS in future climate adaptation practices.</p>}},
  author       = {{Lundin-Frisk, Emrik and Lindgren, Paula and Sandström, Olof Taromi and Toft, Emanuel and Melgaço, Lorena and Mossmark, Fredrik and Söderqvist, Tore and Volchko, Yevheniya and Melo Zurita, Maria de Lourdes and Norrman, Jenny}},
  issn         = {{2210-6707}},
  keywords     = {{Climate change adaptation; Ecosystem Service; Physical planning; Underground; Urban underground space (UUS)}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Sustainable Cities and Society}},
  title        = {{Mapping geosystem services potential for urban climate resilience : A case study from Malmö, Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scs.2026.107221}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.scs.2026.107221}},
  volume       = {{139}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}