Eco-Spatial Indices as an Effective Tool for Climate Change Adaptation in Residential Neighbourhoods—Comparative Study

Autor: Renata Giedych, Gabriela Maksymiuk, Agata Cieszewska
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2024
Předmět:
Zdroj: Land, Vol 13, Iss 9, p 1492 (2024)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 13091492
2073-445X
DOI: 10.3390/land13091492
Popis: Eco-spatial indices are commonly used tools to improve the quality of the environment in cities. Initially modelled on the Berlin BAF, indices have evolved to address current challenges, particularly climate change adaptation. The Ratio of Biologically Vital Areas (RBVA), introduced in Poland in the mid-1990s, is an early planning tool for implementing Nature-based Solutions (NbSs) at the site level. This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of the RBVA in Poland compared to its counterparts in Oslo and Malmö. The study employed a serious simulation game developed under the Norwegian-funded CoAdapt project, testing six development scenarios, varied in terms of applied NbSs, for a typical multi-family housing estate. The adaptive potential of the tested scenarios was assessed based on the values of five environmental parameters calculated in the game; that is, air temperature, oxygen production, CO2 sequestration, rainwater harvesting, and biodiversity. The findings revealed that the RBVA, in its current form, has limited effectiveness in supporting climate adaptation. Its two-dimensional nature makes it less effective than the more comprehensive Green Factors used in Oslo and Malmö. The research presented in the article proves that better-constructed indices result in the efficiency of applied NbSs and consequently better adaptation to climate change.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals