EcoScapes: LLM-Powered Advice for Crafting Sustainable Cities

The weather conditions of the summer of 2022 were very unusual, particularly in Eastern Asia, Europe, and North America. The devasting impact of climate change has come to our attention, with much hotter and drier conditions, and with more frequent and intense flooding events. Some extreme events have reached a dangerous level, increasingly threatening human lives. The interconnected risks caused by these extreme disaster events are triggering a chain effect, forcing us to respond to these crises through changes in our living environment, which affect the atmosphere, the biosphere, the economy including the availability of energy, our cities, and our global society. Moreover, we have to confront the abnormal consequences of untypical, rapid changes of extreme events and fast switches between extreme states, such as from severe drought to devastating flooding. Recognizing this new situation, it is crucial to improve the adaptation capacity of our societies in order to reduce the risks associated with climate change, and to develop smarter strategies for climate governance. High-quality development must be science-based, balanced, safe, sustainable, and climate-resilient, supported by the collaborative governance of climate mitigation and adaptation. This article provides some recommendations and suggestions for resilience building and collaborative governance with respect to climate adaptation in response to a new planetary state that is characterized by more frequent and severe extreme weather events.

Introduction: Urban centers are the sites where the fight against climate change can be won or lost. To suceed, carbon footprint arresters like vegetation are essential in attaining sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11). Objective: The objective of this study is to determine practices of the seleted sites in relation to green and open spaces to include vegetative covers. Theoretical Framework: The study is anchored in Sustainable Development Theory with emphasis on evironmental conservation. Method: Conducted 311 virtual and 50 actual observation to determine green space practices. Observation checklist with picture-based score sheet to guide enumerators. Results and Discussion: The vegetative cover in the Philippines is significantly lower when compared to New York and Singapore. Vegetative covers of observation sites for residential and non-residential areas differences are not significant. Research Implications: There is a need to explore why towns and cities in the Philippines have poor green spaces despite the fact that it specifically that Distare Risk and Reduction (DRR) and the Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) are mainstreamed in the Comprehesnive Land Use Planning (CLUP) Process. Originality/Value: The comparison of green spaces in the Philippines, New York and Singapore.

Background: Rapid urbanization has significantly increased industrial activity, transportation, and energy use in cities, increasing air pollution. In addition to having a detrimental effect on the ecosystem, air pollution raises the risk of heart disease, respiratory conditions, and early mortality. Green open space is seen as a natural way to lower air pollution because of the vegetation's capacity to absorb pollutants like PM2.5 and PM10. Method: This SLR analysis combines quantitative bibliometry and descriptive research methods. Findings: The study results show that GOS plays an important role in reducing air pollutant concentrations, improving air quality, and providing health benefits to the community. However, the effectiveness of GOS is influenced by factors such as vegetation type, green area area, and urban spatial planning. Limited land, lack of integration in urban planning, and low public awareness are major problems in GOS development. In addition, this study found the potential to optimize GOS through innovations such as vertical green spaces and green roofs. Conclusion: This study also found that GOS should be included in sustainable urban spatial planning policies to improve air quality, reduce pollution impacts on health, and create a healthier and more comfortable urban environment for people by optimizing the GOS. To ensure the GOS development can go smoothly and sustainably in the future, it is required to have scientifically based policy recommendations. Novelty/Originality: This study assesses GOS's capacity to absorb air pollution by contrasting case studies from Indonesia and Singapore.

Residents of urban areas experience a variety of difficulties as a result of intensive urbanization, including clogged infrastructure, air pollution, and waste management. Preservation of green spaces provides a vital role in maintaining at least a minimum natural balance for residents of urban area. Maintaining and preserving the sustainable development of infrastructure is an important element of urban planning. City planners thus face a difficulty in providing urban dwellers with efficient and sustainable green spaces. Growing problems in the field of land use and landscaping of urban areas require an operational assessment of the existing situation. GIS technology offers a powerful tool for assessing these issues and developing solutions for sustainable urban development. GIS-based land use assessment can provide valuable information on the distribution of urban land use types, which can help identify areas of high land use intensity and potential for urban green space development. The use of satellite imagery and other methods can help track changes in land-use patterns over time, which can inform urban planning and decision-making processes. Based on GIS analysis and remote sensing, an assessment was made of changes in territories and the distribution of green spaces in 4 urban districts of Bishkek. These changes were assessed using LANDSAT 4-5, LANDSAT-7, LANDSAT-8 and Sentinel-2 imagery. The evaluation category included such areas as: parks, squares and street trees. Areas with a level of green space coverage for different parts of the city were identified by utilizing GIS technology to analyze the spatial structures of green spaces. The spatial analysis also made it possible to identify priority areas for the development of new green spaces. For this study, we selected all green areas of the city of Bishkek. The southern region of the city is the most interesting from the perspective of how the area of the city has altered as a result of the elimination of green spaces. This territory was originally designed taking into account the zone of influence of the Issyk-Ata fault and developed to achieve and comply with certain seismological standards. Our study thus informs the characteristics of the growth of the city of Bishkek over the previous few decades by providing information on the distribution of land use types and green areas.

This study investigates the impact of urban green spaces on human thermal perception during heatwaves in Szeged, Hungary. Utilizing the MUKLIMO_3 micro-scale climate model and perceived temperature (PT), calculated via the Klima-Michel model, as a metric for thermal load, we analyze the effects of varying vegetation types, densities, and placement, including the influence of surrounding protective forests. PT, an energy balance stress index, integrates air temperature, humidity, radiation, and wind, providing a comprehensive measure of human thermal sensation. Our results demonstrate the potential of targeted green space development to significantly reduce PT, particularly during daytime, with dense tree cover exhibiting the most substantial cooling effect, reaching reductions of 2-3°C in certain areas. However, we also highlight the importance of considering the airflow-blocking effect of dense vegetation, which can lead to localized warming in downwind areas. This underscores the complex relationship between green infrastructure and urban microclimates. Furthermore, the influence of green spaces on nighttime temperatures is nuanced, with some configurations potentially trapping heat. This study pioneers city-wide human comfort simulations, utilizing the model based on the Local Climate Zone (LCZ) system to elucidate the interplay between urban vegetation and thermal comfort. The model's capability to incorporate regional climate model outputs provides a foundation for future human comfort assessments. This research offers valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers seeking to enhance city resilience to climate change. By understanding the complex interactions between green spaces, urban morphology, and thermal comfort, cities can optimize green infrastructure development for maximum cooling benefits. The study emphasizes strategic urban planning incorporating microclimatic considerations and equitable access to green spaces. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of urban greenery's microclimatic benefits, particularly in medium-sized cities, and offer a framework for future urban climate modeling using the LCZ system for effective heat management.

Green spaces or green infrastructure or urban green spaces are defined as outdoor spaces “partially or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs or other types of vegetation and include, among others, parks, forests and municipal gardens”. The design and use of urban green spaces has become increasingly important in recent years as a form of contrast to the deleterious effects of urbanization. The presence of such spaces on the territory and access to the latter therefore represents a significant form of health promotion, as well as an important factor that determines it: it is therefore necessary to consider the main benefits provided by the presence of green spaces. These benefits can be of multiple nature: they go from environmental benefits (such as the management of clean water, the reduction of air and water pollution and protection against soil erosion) to social benefits (improvement of health and well-being, creation of new jobs, increase in tourism), up to consider benefits inherent in the adaptation and mitigation of climate change and biodiversity. It is therefore essential to have adequate design of green space: for these benefits to be effective, it is necessary to plan services to the person and adequate accessibility interventions, in line with the virtuous logic that green spaces can help to promote.

In the next twenty years, urban populations in Africa are expected to double, while urban land cover could triple. An often-overlooked dimension of this urban transformation is the growth of small towns and medium-sized cities. In this paper, we explore the ways in which small towns are straddling rural and urban life, and consider how insights into this in-betweenness can contribute to our understanding of Africa’s urban transformation. In particular, we examine the ways in which urbanism is produced and expressed in places where urban living is emerging but the administrative label for such locations is still ‘village’. For this purpose, we draw on case-study material from two small towns in Tanzania, comprising both qualitative and quantitative data, including analyses of photographs and maps collected in 2010–2018. First, we explore the dwindling role of agriculture and the importance of farming, businesses and services for the diversification of livelihoods. However, income diversification varies substantially among population groups, depending on economic and migrant status, gender, and age. Second, we show the ways in which institutions, buildings, and transport infrastructure display the material dimensions of urbanism, and how urbanism is planned and aspired to. Third, we describe how well-established middle-aged households, independent women (some of whom are mothers), and young people, mostly living in single-person households, explain their visions and values of the ways in which urbanism is expressed in small towns. In conclusion, we discuss the implications of this urban life-in-becoming of small towns for urban planning, emphasizing the importance of the development of inclusive local governance. Ultimately, we argue that our study establishes an important starting point for further explorations of the role of the simultaneous production and expression of urbanism in small town urbanization.

With the continuous development of space borne synthetic aperture radar imaging technology, massive volumes of high-resolution earth observation images have been used in marine ship monitoring. Aiming at the ship target with large aspect ratio, arbitrary direction and dense arrangement in high-resolution image, an improved oriented ship detection method based onYOLOv5 is proposed in this paper. First, considering the accuracy and effectiveness of model training, we recalibrated the SAR Ship Detection Dataset (SSDD) based on the oriented bounding box, which effectively improved the detection performance of deep learning-based detectors. Secondly, the mosaic method is used to enhance the data set and the loss function is modified to improve the model performance. In addition, the rotation detection algorithm with Circular Smooth Label (CSL) is applied to the YOLOv5 detection network, achieving precise positioning of ship target. Experiments on the recalibrated SSDD show that, compared with the classic deep learning-based detection method, the method proposed in this paper has obvious advantages in detection accuracy and detection efficiency.

In the context of significant changes in commerce and consumer practices, such as the e-commerce boom, discount development, increased household mobility, and consumption relocation, small and medium-sized towns are experiencing similar market structure evolutions to those of large conurbations. These changes include the shrinkage of shopping centres and the growth of peripheries and transit trade, which are accompanied by urban structure evolutions, such as peri-urbanization. This article aims to examine the reciprocal effects of urban development and commercial changes in small and medium-sized cities. It is based on French literature in the geography of commerce, as well as related disciplines such as sociology and urbanism. The objective of this article is to present the epistemological evolution of studies on the subject and current key research issues.

Idea miast partnerskich jest koncepcją rozwijaną od czasu zakończenia II wojny światowej. W jej ramach miasta realizują wspólne cele gospodarcze, społeczne czy kulturowe. Do tej pory współpraca partnerska między miastami opisywana była głównie w kontekście miast dużych i średnich. W niniejszym artykule wypełniono lukę w badaniach współpracy międzynarodowej miast małych. Celem opracowania jest określenie ilościowego i przestrzennego wymiaru partnerstw zawartych przez wybrane małe miasta (od 10 000 do 15 000 mieszkańców) w Polsce. Ponadto dokonano oceny znaczenia współpracy partnerskiej oraz zakresu oddziaływania idei miast partnerskich na funkcjonowanie i rozwój małego miasta na przykładzie Nowego Miasta Lubawskiego. Wykazano, że analizowane małe miasta różnicują się pod względem liczby zawartych umów partnerskich, a najczęstszymi partnerami są miasta z najbliższej przestrzeni geograficznej – Niemiec, Czech i Ukrainy. Analiza treści umów partnerskich wskazuje, że cele nawiązywanej współpracy świadczą o bardzo dużym znaczeniu partnerstw dla małych miast w Polsce.

As the world becomes increasingly urbanized, cities play a crucial role in addressing global challenges, including environmental sustainability and human well-being. The presence of natural green spaces in urban areas is essential for mediating the interaction between the built environment and humans, providing ecosystem services, and promoting population health and wellbeing. However, the demand for urban green spaces is often at odds with urbanization, densification, and sprawl, leading to the loss and fragmentation of urban natural areas. In response to these challenges, the European Union has introduced a range of policies and legislations, such as the New Urban Agenda, the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Nature Restoration Law. Along with such initiatives Konijnendijk (2022) launched a new rule of thumb for urban forestry and urban greening: the 3-30-300 rule. The 3-30-300 rule aims to ensure that everyone should be able to see at least 3 well-established trees from their home, workplace, or place of learning; have at least 30 % tree canopy cover in their neighborhood; and live within 300-m of a high-quality public green space (at least 0.5 ha in size).This study presents the first comprehensive evaluation of the 3-30-300 rule across 894 European cities, using recent data on urban green space distribution, tree cover density, and human settlement. The analysis reveals significant disparities in the distribution and access to urban green areas, with only 1.7% of the total population in European cities living in accordance with the 3-30-300 rule. There are no EU cities where more than 15% of the population satisfy the rule, and just 10 cities where this percentage is larger than 5%. Our results show that there is a clear gap in the distribution and access to urban green areas across European cities. Thus, the projected urban population growth in European regions underscores the need for a paradigm shift in urban planning. The recent decade (2010-2020) has witnessed a significant increase in urban population (+16% on average) and urban area expansion (+2.3% on average) within city boundaries. However, this urban growth has not been accompanied by a commensurate increase in green urban areas and tree cover density with both indicators exhibiting stable or declining trends.Such results highlight the need for a paradigm shift in urban planning, integrating green spaces and trees within city planning to provide ecological and social benefits, including climate change mitigation and adaptation. To address this gap, targeted financial support and coordinated strategies are necessary to ensure that vulnerable cities can secure adequate quantities of green spaces and provide equitable access to these areas, ultimately promoting more resilient and sustainable urban environments.

While cities are considered pivotal sources of global greenhouse gas emissions, they are also essential in urban climate governance. The role of NGOs in different contexts is increasing in terms of the mode of governance, but the empirical evidence of how they contribute to urban climate action in small and medium-sized cities, especially in developing countries is limited. Drawing evidence from Ghana, a case study research design was adopted and this facilitated an in-depth understanding of how NGOs contribute to urban climate governance in small and medium-sized cities in Ghana. The primary data collection methods included key informant interviews with two purposively selected NGOs: the Center for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD) and the Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO), which is located in the Wa Municipality and the Cape Coast Metropolis respectively. Randomly selected residents made up of chiefs and assembly members, who are the representatives of the people in the municipality, were interviewed. All interviews were transcribed and analysed in generated themes. The study revealed that climate change adaptation actions included local empowerment through capacity building, climate advocacy, and waste management. As a result of the adaptation focus, the paper concludes that collaborations and partnerships among state and non-state actors will help generate greater resilience benefits for local communities. Climate change adaptation programmes, which are often initiated by NGOs, are also steered by local residents outside of administrative systems.

P.1.a.011 Nature and nurture predispose to violent behaviour: on serotonergic genes and adverse childhood environment

Identifying urban vegetation stress factors based on open access remote sensing imagery and field observations

This paper attempts to provide an understanding of the potential application of Sentinel-2 imagery for the monitoring and detection of disease symptoms caused by Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) in olive trees. A time series data of 188 Sentinel-2a images collected over the last two years was used to analyse the temporal trends in areas with Xf infected olive trees in Puglia, Southern Italy. The robustness of different physiological and structural hyperspectral indices was evaluated as an early indicator of Xf symptoms. Three validation sites for Sentinel-2a products were hence established over olive orchards in the Xf-infected zone in two different years (2016 and 2017) and overflown with a hyperspectral sensor to acquire high spatial resolution images (50 cm). Disease incidence and severity levels were recorded for more than 3300 olive trees in 18 orchards. Results demonstrate the capability of temporal Sentinel-2a was able to detect and discriminate between high and medium Xf incidence, reaching the maximum differences during the summer season. Among all the vegetation indices evaluated from Sentinel-2 imagery, OSAVI showed superior performance for detecting Xfincidence trends and OSA VI 1510 for detecting changes in Xf severity levels.