Green Strategies for Flood Resilient Cities: The Benevento Case Study

Abstract

Over the past 50 years, cities experienced a rapid and uncontrolled growth that caused the loss of numerous permeable soils. Soil-sealing reduced soils’ ability to absorb rainwater, compromising cities’ capability to manage the impacts of rainstorms triggered by climate change, and consequently increasing floods’ risk.

The research work focuses on the key role of green infrastructures for urban adaptation to climate-related events. The analysis of the flood that hit Benevento in October 2015 led to the definition of a nature-based strategy designed to achieve three main goals: to reduce impervious surfaces in the compact city; to prevent further soil sealing; to recover the fluvial ecosystem.