Knowledge of Urban Ecosystem Services in Central and Eastern Europe and Their Implications for Urban Planning: A Review

Abstract

Overcoming conceptual and institutional barriers demands interdisciplinary collaboration, improved governance, and stronger stakeholder engagement to promote sustainable urban planning and enhance ecosystem resilience. In the transition toward resilient cities, the concept of ecosystem services serves as a critical interface between science, planning, and governance, fostering stakeholder engagement and translating the complex ecosystem functions into indicators for urban planning. This study aims to assess existing knowledge on Urban Ecosystem Services (UESs) and their implications for urban green infrastructure planning across Central and Eastern Europe. A comprehensive, qualitative and quantitative review of the peer-reviewed literature retrieved from Web of Science and SCOPUS, was conducted for 11 former socialist countries that joined the European Union after 2004. The results reveal major barriers to UES integration, including inconsistent terminology, institutional inertia, fragmented governance, and limited stakeholder participation. Although research interest in UESs is increasing, research remains geographically concentrated in a few cities, mainly capitals, thereby constraining the understanding of spatial patterns and drivers of UES supply and demand across the region. Moreover, production services and ecological processes sustaining urban systems are largely underexplored. The study concludes that advancing UES research and practice requires a holistic, multi-scale, and standardized approach that identifies key stressors and context-specific impacts. Overcoming conceptual and institutional barriers demands interdisciplinary collaboration, improved governance, and enhanced stakeholder engagement to promote sustainable urban planning and enhance ecosystem resilience.