Extreme Heat: Bringing Nature Back to Our Cities

In the latest issue of L’Espresso, Andreas Kipar reflects on how extreme heat is reshaping the way we design and inhabit our cities. Moving beyond emergency responses, the article argues for a fundamental shift towards Nature-Positive urban planning, where landscape is recognised as essential infrastructure capable of improving climate resilience, biodiversity, public health and quality of life.

Drawing on the new Italian Guidelines for Urban Nature Plans and practical examples from across the country, Kipar outlines why bringing Nature back into our cities is no longer an environmental ambition, but a strategic necessity for the future of urban development.