Sustainable Urban Development

Title

Urban and tourist land use patterns and water consumption: Evidence from Mallorca, Balearic Islands

Reference

Land Use Policy
Volume 28, Issue 4, October 2011, Pages 792-804

Author(s)

Angela Hof and Thomas Schmitt

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

The island of Mallorca is the main Balearic resort and sustainable water management is a key challenge for the economic and ecological sustainability of tourism as the main economic activity. The critical water supply situation on the island is being exacerbated by the extension of the tourist base to so-called 'quality tourism'. Since the mid 1990s, low-density residential tourist land uses associated with second homes and more affluent urban dwellers have spread around existing mass tourist urban centres. Increasing water consumption for outdoor uses (gardens, swimming pools) is a direct consequence of this development. Available water consumption data mask the impact of residential tourism on water consumption levels. The objective of the present paper is to compare per capita water consumption in quality tourist, mass tourist and residential urban areas, and to provide quantitative information on the magnitude of water consumption by gardens and swimming pools as water-related leisure structures. The analysis combines water consumption data with a land use geodatabase at the sub-parcel scale, a detailed population inventory, and an estimate of pool water use. The results show that quality tourism produces higher water consumption levels per capita than mass tourism. Garden irrigation is the single main cause of the high water consumption in quality tourist areas and accounts for more than 70% of these areas' total consumption in summer. But even in mass tourist and residential areas, garden irrigation accounts for up to 30% and 20%, respectively, of total water consumption in summer. Individually owned swimming pools cause an additional average water consumption of 22 litres/person/day. The proliferation of swimming pools and lavish 'Atlantic' gardens may turn out as one of the biggest threats to sustainable water management on the island of Mallorca and in other tourist destinations adapting the quality tourist model.

Policy theme(s)

Sustainable consumption and production >> Sustainable production >>  Sustainable business and industry
Sustainable development and policy assessment >> Sustainable economic development >> Sustainable  urban development
Water >> Water consumption >> Water scarcity

Keywords

Per capita water consumption, Tourism, Mallorca, Second homes, Garden irrigation, Swimming pools

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264837711000172
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Contact the study author at:

angela.hof@ruhr-uni-bochum.de

Title

Financing the resilient city. A demand driven approach to development, disaster risk reduction, and climate adaptation

Reference

An ICLEI White Paper

Author(s)

Jeb Brugmann

Study type

Report

Abstract

ICLEI's latest Global Report, 'Financing the Resilient City', offers answers on how climate financing for adaptation can be mobilized, leveraged and innovated for the local level.
Authored by Jeb Brugmann, Managing Partner of The Next Practice Ltd. and ICLEI's Founding Secretary General, the report argues that we need a bottom-up approach to funding resilience and adaptation to climate change. It also supports the idea of resilience as a coherent approach to future urban planning.
The report answers questions such as: How can local governments finance resilience sustainably? Where does the money come from? How can the money be spent effectively?

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy >> Climate change adaptation >> Social and health impacts
Sustainable development and policy assessment >> Sustainable economic development >> Sustainable urban development

Keywords

N/A

Entry Source:

Shortlisted for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://iclei.org/fileadmin/user_upload/documents/Global/Publications/Report-Financing_Resilient_City-Final.pdf
This study is free to view

Contact the study author at:

iclei@iclei.org

Title

Reference

Journal of Applied Ecology doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.02021.x

Author(s)

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

1.Despite urbanization being a major driver of land-use change globally, there have been few attempts to quantify and map ecosystem service provision at a city-wide scale. One service that is an increasingly important feature of climate change mitigation policies, and with other potential benefits, is biological carbon storage.
2.We examine the quantities and spatial patterns of above-ground carbon stored in a typical British city, Leicester, by surveying vegetation across the entire urban area. We also consider how carbon density differs in domestic gardens, indicative of bottom-up management of private green spaces by householders, and public land, representing top-down landscape policies by local authorities. Finally, we compare a national ecosystem service map with the estimated quantity and distribution of above-ground carbon within our study city.
3.An estimated 231-521 tonnes of carbon is stored within the above-ground vegetation of Leicester, equating to 3•16 kg C m-2 of urban area, with 97•3% of this carbon pool being associated with trees rather than herbaceous and woody vegetation.
4.Domestic gardens store just 0•76 kg C m-2, which is not significantly different from herbaceous vegetation landcover (0•14 kg C m-2). The greatest above-ground carbon density is 28•86 kg C m-2, which is associated with areas of tree cover on publicly owned/managed sites.
5.Current national estimates of this ecosystem service undervalue Leicester's contribution by an order of magnitude.
6.Synthesis and applications. The UK government has recently set a target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, from 1990 levels, by 2050. Local authorities are central to national efforts to cut carbon emissions, although the reductions required at city-wide scales are yet to be set. This has led to a need for reliable data to help establish and underpin realistic carbon emission targets and reduction trajectories, along with acceptable and robust policies for meeting these goals. Here, we illustrate the potential benefits of accounting for, mapping and appropriately managing above-ground vegetation carbon stores, even within a typical densely urbanized European city.

Policy theme(s)

Sustainable development and policy assessment >> Sustainable economic development >> Sustainable urban development
Urban environment >> Urban biodiversity

Keywords

Backyard, carbon pool, domestic gardens, land-use change, urban ecology, urban forestry, urban vegetation, urbanization

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.02021.x/pdf
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Contact the study author at:

z.g.davies@kent.ac.uk

Title

Reference

Journal of Applied Ecology doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.02021.x

Author(s)

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

1.Despite urbanization being a major driver of land-use change globally, there have been few attempts to quantify and map ecosystem service provision at a city-wide scale. One service that is an increasingly important feature of climate change mitigation policies, and with other potential benefits, is biological carbon storage.
2.We examine the quantities and spatial patterns of above-ground carbon stored in a typical British city, Leicester, by surveying vegetation across the entire urban area. We also consider how carbon density differs in domestic gardens, indicative of bottom-up management of private green spaces by householders, and public land, representing top-down landscape policies by local authorities. Finally, we compare a national ecosystem service map with the estimated quantity and distribution of above-ground carbon within our study city.
3.An estimated 231-521 tonnes of carbon is stored within the above-ground vegetation of Leicester, equating to 3·16 kg C m-2 of urban area, with 97·3% of this carbon pool being associated with trees rather than herbaceous and woody vegetation.
4.Domestic gardens store just 0·76 kg C m-2, which is not significantly different from herbaceous vegetation landcover (0·14 kg C m-2). The greatest above-ground carbon density is 28·86 kg C m-2, which is associated with areas of tree cover on publicly owned/managed sites.
5.Current national estimates of this ecosystem service undervalue Leicester's contribution by an order of magnitude.
6.Synthesis and applications. The UK government has recently set a target of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, from 1990 levels, by 2050. Local authorities are central to national efforts to cut carbon emissions, although the reductions required at city-wide scales are yet to be set. This has led to a need for reliable data to help establish and underpin realistic carbon emission targets and reduction trajectories, along with acceptable and robust policies for meeting these goals. Here, we illustrate the potential benefits of accounting for, mapping and appropriately managing above-ground vegetation carbon stores, even within a typical densely urbanized European city.

Policy theme(s)

Sustainable development and policy assessment  >>      Sustainable economic development  >>  Sustainable  urban development
Urban environment  >>  Urban biodiversity              

Keywords

Backyard, carbon pool, domestic gardens, land-use change, urban ecology, urban forestry, urban vegetation, urbanization

Entry Source:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

Referred to in EC doc:

N/A

View this study at:

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.02021.x/pdf
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Contact the study author at:

z.g.davies@kent.ac.uk

Title

Cities and greenhouse gas emissions: moving forward

Reference

Environment and Urbanization January 10, 2011 0956247810392270
doi: 10.1177/0956247810392270

Author(s)

Daniel Hoornweg, dhoornweg@worldbank.org, Lorraine Sugar, Claudia Lorena Trejos Gomez

Study type

Peer Review Journal

Abstract

Cities are blamed for the majority of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. So too are more affluent, highly urbanized countries. If all production- and consumption-based emissions that result from lifestyle and purchasing habits are included, urban residents and their associated affluence likely account for more than 80 per cent of the world's GHG emissions. Attribution of GHG emissions should be refined. Apportioning responsibility can be misguided, as recent literature demonstrates that residents of denser city centres can emit half the GHG emissions of their suburban neighbours. It also fails to capture the enormous disparities within and across cities as emissions are lowest for poor cities and particularly low for the urban poor.
This paper presents a detailed analysis of per capita GHG emissions for several large cities and a review of per capita emissions for 100 cities for which peer-reviewed studies are available. This highlights how average per capita GHG emissions for cities vary from more than 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e) (Sydney, Calgary, Stuttgart and several major US cities) to less than half a tonne (various cities in Nepal, India and Bangladesh). The paper discusses where GHG emissions arise and where mitigation efforts may be most effective. It illustrates the need to obtain comparable estimates at city level and the importance of defining the scope of the analysis. Emissions for Toronto are presented at a neighbourhood level, city core level and metropolitan area level, and these are compared with provincial and national per capita totals. This shows that GHG emissions can vary noticeably for the same resident of a city or country depending on whether these are production- or consumption-based values. The methodologies and results presented form important inputs for policy development across urban sectors. The paper highlights the benefits and drawbacks of apportioning GHG emissions (and solid waste generation) per person. A strong correlation between high rates of GHG emissions and solid waste generation is presented. Policies that address both in concert may be more effective as they are both largely by-products of lifestyles.

Policy theme(s)

Climate change and energy>>Greenhouse gas emissions>>Transport emissions
Sustainable development and policy assessment>>Sustainable economic development>>Sustainable urban development

Keywords

Cities, climate change, scope of emissions, urban GHG emissions, urban policy complementarities

Entry Source:

N/A

Referred to in EC doc:

Selected for Science for Environment Policy News Alert

View this study at:

http://eau.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/01/08/0956247810392270.full.pdf+html
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Contact the study author at:

dhoornweg@worldbank.org