Conscious walk: integrating soundscape, biodiversity, and air quality metrics for holistic urban environmental assessment

Abstract

The impact of environmental noise, poor biodiversity, and air pollution on urban populations poses a significant challenge to public health. Addressing these concerns requires a comprehensive approach that considers the perceptual experiences of citizens and objective environmental data. The Conscious Walks introduce a hybrid methodology designed to address the perceptive impact of citizens on their environment. Conscious Walks are citizen-science participative projects that combine the active involvement of citizens with scientific data collection. Implemented and tested in Barcelona, Conscious Walks provide a unique opportunity to assess urban soundscapes, and this contribution specifically evaluates the soundscapes of the Ciutadella Park in Barcelona for three consecutive years. The gathered data is carefully cross-referenced with information on air quality and biodiversity obtained during the walks. The novelty of this research lies in the development of integrated indicators that comprehensively capture the interplay between biodiversity, noise pollution, and air pollution. These indicators provide an understanding of urban environmental quality, offering valuable insights for sustainable urban planning and policy-making. The results presented in this contribution underscore the significance of adopting holistic methodologies to address the complex challenges posed by urban environments, emphasizing the need for integrated indicators in assessing the multifaceted aspects of urban sustainability.