Assessing and mapping urban ecological resilience using the loss-gain approach: A case study of Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In the face of growing urban populations and their increasing demand for land and natural resources, the assessment of urban ecological resilience has emerged as an imperative aspect of sustainable urban governance. This study introduces an assessment framework with the potential to substantially augment urban management practices. It is focused on the formulation of a comprehensive framework for assessing ecological resilience, which is applied to Tehran, the capital of Iran. Our proposed Urban Ecological Resilience Mapping (UERM) framework adopts the Loss-Gain approach, encompassing both environmental risks and capacities related to Tehran's urban landscape. this framework incorporates an array of seven distinct indicators and twenty-five variables meticulously designed to gage the mettle of ecological resilience. The findings underscore that Tehran's central districts exhibit notably low ecological resilience, owing to high population density and the concentration of deteriorated and unstable areas. The localized nature of our assessment framework and its inherent ability to discern spatial dynamics and contributing factors to ecological resilience position it as an indispensable tool for informed urban planning and management decisions. the UERM framework not only facilitates the identification of areas requiring targeted interventions but also empowers urban stakeholders to foster a more resilient and sustainable urban landscape.