Spatial misalignment between urban greening initiatives and air pollution hotspots in Dubai

This paper use the advanced experience of Japan in the area of disaster prevention green space planning and construction and, look at the status, gaps and challenges of China's construction and planning of Green Infrastructure, present the new thinking direction about the construction of disaster prevention green space combine with Green Infrastructure.Taking the construction of the disaster prevention green infrastructure network planning of Majiagou River in Harbin as an example and put forward related strategies.

Accurate retrieval of Land Surface Temperature (LST) is critical for assessing the cooling effects of urban green spaces (UGS) and blue spaces (UBS), which help mitigate the urban heat island effect and improve thermal comfort. This study introduces a novel methodology that integrates deep learning with domain expertise to predict LST, using real LST data, vegetation spectral indices, and spectral bands as inputs. A 1-Dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (1D-CNN) was developed, which outperformed conventional machine learning and alternative deep learning models, demonstrating high predictive accuracy and strong generalization ability. Spatial regression analyses were further employed to examine how UGS of varying sizes influence LST. Results revealed that larger UGS provide strong cooling benefits, while smaller patches contribute less. Remote sensing data from 1991 to 2022 confirmed the significant role of both green and blue spaces in mitigating urban heat, with notable cooling observed around wetlands, rivers, and urban parks. Importantly, combined green–blue configurations enhanced cooling more effectively than blue spaces alone, indicating synergistic benefits when vegetation is integrated with water bodies. Case analysis of afforestation in Daan Forest Park demonstrated how urban greening initiatives can substantially lower local temperatures. Similarly, UBS surrounded by adjacent vegetation exhibited greater temperature reductions compared to isolated water bodies. These findings underscore the need to preserve and expand large, continuous green areas while enhancing connections between green and blue infrastructures. The proposed framework provides robust evidence and practical guidance for urban planners and policymakers to design climate-resilient cities that maximize the co-benefits of UGS and UBS. Analyzing the spatiotemporally varying effects of UGS using time series Landsat data There is an increase in small UGS patches alongside a decline in large UGS areas A novel method was developed to accurately quantify blue spaces cooling temperatures Larger UGS and integrating UGS with Blue space offer significant cooling benefits The combined effect of blue-green interaction leads to an increase in cooling effect

Green and blue spaces: crucial for healthy, sustainable urban futures

Abstract. Accurate and timely maps of urban underlying land properties at the national scale are of significance in improving habitat environment and achieving sustainable development goals. Urban impervious surface (UIS) and urban green space (UGS) are two core components for characterizing urban underlying environments. However, the UIS and UGS are often mosaicked in the urban landscape with complex structures and composites. The “hard classification” or binary single type cannot be used effectively to delineate spatially explicit urban land surface property. Although six mainstream datasets on global or national urban land use and land cover products with a 30 m spatial resolution have been developed, they only provide the binary pattern or dynamic of a single urban land type, which cannot effectively delineate the quantitative components or structure of intra-urban land cover. Here we propose a new mapping strategy to acquire the multitemporal and fractional information of the essential urban land cover types at a national scale through synergizing the advantage of both big data processing and human interpretation with the aid of geoknowledge. Firstly, the vector polygons of urban boundaries in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2018 were extracted from China's Land Use/cover Dataset (CLUD) derived from Landsat images. Secondly, the national settlement and vegetation percentages were retrieved using a sub-pixel decomposition method through a random forest algorithm using the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform. Finally, the products of China's UIS and UGS fractions (CLUD-Urban) at a 30 m resolution were developed in 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2018. We also compared our products with six existing mainstream datasets in terms of quality and accuracy. The assessment results showed that the CLUD-Urban product has higher accuracies in urban-boundary and urban-expansion detection than other products and in addition that the accurate UIS and UGS fractions were developed in each period. The overall accuracy of urban boundaries in 2000–2018 are over 92.65 %; and the correlation coefficient (R) and root mean square errors (RMSEs) of UIS and UGS fractions are 0.91 and 0.10 (UIS) and 0.89 and 0.11 (UGS), respectively. Our result indicates that 71 % of pixels of urban land were mosaicked by the UIS and UGS within cities in 2018; a single UIS classification may highly increase the mapping uncertainty. The high spatial heterogeneity of urban underlying covers was exhibited with average fractions of 68.21 % for UIS and 22.30 % for UGS in 2018 at a national scale. The UIS and UGS increased unprecedentedly with annual rates of 1605.56 and 627.78 km2 yr−1 in 2000–2018, driven by fast urbanization. The CLUD-Urban mapping can fill the knowledge gap in understanding impacts of the UIS and UGS patterns on ecosystem services and habitat environments and is valuable for detecting the hotspots of waterlogging and improving urban greening for planning and management practices. The datasets can be downloaded from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4034161 (Kuang et al., 2020a).

Background Apart from its physical effects air pollution might exert psychological stress effect on health. Based on the limited evidence about the symbolic value of urban greenness in traffic perception and a small body of research indicating that greenness might abate the negative perception of noise pollution, we hypothesized that it could also reduce air pollution annoyance. Aim We aimed to test this hypothesis and determine whether greenness could buffer the annoyance reaction to air pollution. Material and methods In a sample of 508 residents of Plovdiv, Bulgaria we investigated the interplay between objective and perceived air pollution exposure, annoyance, and several indicators of urban greenness, using path models. Results Results showed that women living closer to a green space reported lower perceived air pollution exposure and through it - lower annoyance. This indirect path was driving the total effect and perceived air pollution acted as a full mediator. Among men there was no effect. With respect to perceived greenness, no effects on air pollution annoyance were found. Conclusion In conclusion, urban green spaces might act as a buffer for the psychological stress effect of air pollution. Nonetheless, at this formative stage of research the evidence is tentative.

In this chapter, policies related to urban green space at different spatial scales are discussed; this draws on theories and cases to present in-depth analyses of the ultimate goals of urban green space planning and the public health infrastructure related to it. First, climate change is introduced along with potential ways to improve the situation such as making healthy policies related to urban greening, influencing different plans for natural places across Asian-Pacific countries, and improving their effects on human health. Healthy infrastructures are next examined from various perspectives: at the country level, topics related to national spatial planning are discussed with examples relating to how countries develop their policies to deal with climate change and air pollution. For discussions related to public health infrastructures at the small scale (such as green roofs, green walls, and coverage with green upgrades), medium scale (such as neighborhood and street greening), and large scale (such as urban parks, urban green belts, and wind tunnels in the city), the case studies are provided with applications for each scale. Urban greening policies related to health in Pacific Rim countries such as China, Singapore, and Australia have been introduced, which we highlight in the following sections. The main strategies for dealing with urban heat and air pollution at the country level involve (a) afforestation, or returning farmland to forests and grasslands; and (b) creating a high degree of architectural greening and green space systems to maintain urban biodiversity and create a more livable environment.

ABSTRACTOver the last decades, managing urbanization poses a great challenge for many developed countries. To overcome, the negative impacts of urbanization and preserve sustainability in urban areas, governments are compelled to undertake measures, to increase the benefits derived from peri-urban and urban green spaces. In this study we tried to document the social and economic value of the peri-urban and urban green of the town of Florina. To do so, we tried to evaluate the ecosystem services that exist in these areas of the city, in monetary units, using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). To examine the theoretical concepts underlying urbanization and its connection to green spaces (urban and peri-urban) and ecosystem services, we decided to resort to primary data (291 questionnaires). The proposed methodology was tested in the aforementioned city, because it has lots of urban green spaces and is, in essence, surrounded by peri-urban forests. Results, demonstrated that the participants in the survey are willing to financially support and voluntarily participate in urban and peri-urban management plans. Furthermore, the results showed that the CVM method, can be successfully used to evaluate the all value of a urban and periurban green spaces in the city of Florina. Our analysis showed that in this specific case, the assessment of willingness to pay for developing green spaces (urban and peri-urban), should and can be promoted as an indispensable tool for the conservation-improvement and protection of those areas.

This study presents the first integrated, multicity assessment of urban green infrastructure in Armenia, focusing on three major cities, Yerevan, Gyumri, and Vanadzor, that represent contrasting climatic conditions. The study combines an analysis of the present climatic conditions and green-space structure with a long-term assessment of dendrological dynamics over the past 65 years (1960-2025) and an evaluation of potential changes in the species composition under projected climate-change scenarios through 2100. Promising families and genera for arid and semiarid urban landscaping were identified, including Cupressaceae (Juniperus), Aceraceae (Acer), Caprifoliaceae (Lonicera, Viburnum, Sambucus), Fabaceae (Albizzia, Caragana, Cercis, Laburnum, Sophora), and Rosaceae (Cotoneaster, Chaenomeles, Spiraea, Crataegus, Padus, Pyracantha, Rosa, Sorbus), which exhibit the highest dendrological diversity. Approximately 70 ornamental trees and shrubs are recommended for use in urban green spaces, with key information provided on their ecological adaptability, tolerance to urban environmental conditions, and climatic requirements. Plantings of these species in urban and suburban areas can support multiple ecosystem functions, including recreational, hygienic, ecological, social, and cultural services. Overall, the findings provide a scientifically grounded basis for climate-resilient green infrastructure planning, with relevance for semiarid and arid regions of Armenia, the Caucasus, and other regions with comparable environmental settings.

Cities worldwide are taking action to increase the amount and quality of urban green spaces. However, not all efforts for the greening of cities produce just and inclusive outcomes. For more inclusive urban greening processes, scholars have proposed incentivizing residents’ participation in planning and implementing green initiatives that promote creating and maintaining green spaces. However, further in-depth analysis of the connection between implementing new urban green spaces and environmental (in)justice is needed to understand how unjust outcomes might emerge due to policies aiming to promote the uptake of urban green through citizen engagement. To investigate the justice implications of policies that aim to create new urban green spaces through citizen participation, this article combines GIS analysis and qualitative analysis of 26 semi-structured interviews to evaluate the process and outcomes of the Green Agenda policy in Amsterdam. The Green Agenda (Agenda Groen) is a municipal policy supporting citizens’ initiatives to uptake urban green. Through the analysis of this case study, the article aims to identify factors that create barriers to achieving just outcomes during the implementation of policies for urban greening. Results indicate that although the approach has successfully increased the amount of urban green in Amsterdam, the presence of barriers that impede procedural justice and lack of recognition made the urban greening process less just. The three underlying factors that create barriers in Amsterdam are the centralization of the government, the lack of support for local organizations, and the effect of socioeconomic characteristics on inclusion and participation. The article concludes by discussing the synergies and tradeoffs between identified barriers and suggesting solutions to be integrated into future policies for more successful and just greening processes.

Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) rapid urbanization and climate change have resulted in habitat loss, deforestation, and reduction in urban green spaces. Urban greenness is vital for biodiversity, public health, and climate resilience. Urban green spaces have several health advantages, including lowering urban heat stress and enhancing mental and physical well-being of the population. However, little is known about the accessibility, use, and effects of urban greenness on population health in the region. This scoping review maps the evidence on urban green space availability, utilization, and population health impacts in SSA. The review also identifies the barriers and facilitators that strengthen and contribute to sustainability and urban health. In accordance with the JBI scoping review framework and PRISMA-ScR criteria, this study screened 10,683 records from major databases, grey literature, and reference checks. Initial title and abstract screening produced 118 records for full-text screening, from which 72 records were incorporated into the final analysis, which mapped the evidence using thematic analysis and narrative synthesis. It was found that urban green spaces in SSA are characterized by significant disparities in availability and accessibility, with such areas frequently falling short of international standards. Poor maintenance, corruption, safety issues, and socioeconomic disparities are factors that limit urban green space utilization, while proximity facilitates usage. Stress reduction, increased physical activity, and lower risk of non-communicable diseases, including obesity and hypertension, are identified benefits of the usage of urban green spaces. However, lack of green spaces and neglect of these spaces increase the risk of respiratory problems and vector-borne diseases. Strategic investments in urban green spaces, policy reforms, and community-led greening initiatives are required to improve access and utilization, especially in green-depleted areas. Future research needs to concentrate on experimental and longitudinal methods to demonstrate causal links between urban green space and health outcomes, enhancing sustainable urban planning and health equity in SSA to achieve Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 13.

Investigation of Adoption and Cognizance of Urban Green Spaces in India: Post COVID-19 Scenarios

<p>The smart and sustainable city idea gained momentum in recent years in order to cope with population growth in urban areas and to make the city live. Cities are projected to consume 70% of the world's resources and 66% of the world population by 2050. Most of tier-3 and tier-2 cities will convert to tier-1 city, and we need to identify and protect the urban green spaces. Urban green areas have many esthetic advantages, including environmental benefits such as a fall in city temperature in the summer and absorption of rainwater. Social advantages are such as feelings of happiness and peace. Objective quantification of greenery on its neighbourhood spatial distribution may help identify essential and potential areas. Heterogeneous land uses describe urban areas. Urban heat island (UHI), with high Land surface temperatures (LST), is distinguished by its city development pattern, socioeconomic and anthropogenic activities. The LST is rising rapidly not only in cities but also in tier-3 & tier-2 cities.  Urban green areas, including parks, playgrounds, gardens and areas, such as ponds, pools, lakes and rivers, will contribute to the control of land temperatures in and around the city. Such spaces also lead to the formation of the Urban Cooling Island (UCI), where temperatures are comparatively cooler than surrounding temperatures, because of their shade of the trees and their evapotranspiration. This cooling island formation is referred to as the Park Cooling Island (PCI) impact. The present work aims to describe the effect of urban green and urban blue spaces on LST using a range of data sources with geospatial technologies. Udupi town, which comes under Udupi district, Karnataka, India is a tier-3 city, selected for the present research work. The data used in the study include Landsat 8 temporal satellite images and secondary data, such as field data from various government and semi-government organisations. LST has been measured using the emissivity reference channel algorithm from Landsat 8 thermal bands. Different indices such as Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index NDWI, Land Shape Index (LSI) are determined from images from Landsat 8. The results show that LST exists with high spatial variability and urban green, blue spaces have a stronger influence on LST.</p>

Major public health events pose a huge challenge to the sustainable improvement of city dwellers’ ecological well-being, hindering the achievement of urban ecological construction goals. In the context of resilient city and all-aged friendly city construction, age factor is given special consideration in urban green space management to meet the heterogeneous demands and preferences of city dwellers for urban ecological benefit. However, young, middle-age and elderly city dwellers’ utilization of urban green spaces during different periods of pandemic are poorly known. Meanwhile, insufficient discussion on the differences in ecological well-being contributions of different types of urban green spaces has led to difficulties in effectively connecting urban green space management planning with the city dwellers’ demands for ecological well-being. To help fill this gap, this study utilizes field study data on urban ecological construction and urban landscape and greening in Beijing from 2019 to 2023 to analyze the evolution and differences in utilization behaviors of urban green space among different age group city dwellers. Furthermore, this study applies the ordinary least square regression model (OLS) to explore the differences in the impact of various types of urban green space on the ecological well-being of city dwellers. The results revealed significant age effects in the utilization of urban green space during 2019–2023. It outlines the increased time spent in urban green space by younger city dwellers. In addition, the results demonstrated that the utilization behavior of park green space has a significant positive impact on the ecological well-being level of city dwellers, and the impact of utilization behavior on the ecological well-being level of city dwellers varies depending on the type of green space. Compared with community green space, the impact of park green space utilization behavior on the ecological well-being level of city dwellers is more significant. The conclusion from the main urban area of this Beijing case study contributes to the international discussion on urban green space management and urban green resilience governance in metropolitan areas worldwide as they add additional insights on the change and difference in the utilization behavior of urban green spaces, particularly looking at elderly, middle-aged and young city dwellers as well as the importance of a timely response to the heterogeneity preference of city dwellers’ ecological well-being demand.

This study deeply examines the livable environment in high-density cities like Macau, focusing on urban green spaces. The study introduces the “urban spatial naturalness degree” indicator, exploring its application with urban population growth and green space expansion. The research utilizes the planning indicator of “urban spatial naturalness degree”, and then explores the application paradigm of matching increments between urban population growth and green open space and a bottom-line planning indicator suitable for Macau. Among them, the “USND” indicator is defined as “the visual perception rate of blue and green natural elements in the three-dimensional space of urban land”, which is specifically expressed as “the average function of the occupation rate of urban green open space and the visibility rate of blue–green space of main street scenes”. Based on this, this paper estimates the incremental planning indicators of green open space in Macau and various urban areas during the implementation of the Master Plan of Macau (2020–2040). The results show the following: (1) The study found that the land increment in green open space in Macau basically matches the potential of reserve resources. (2) For Class I and Class II urban areas in Macau, the USND value is estimated to be 42.96% and 32.62% in 2040, respectively. These values are expected to reach the international excellent level. (3) For Class III and Class IV urban areas, the USND values could reach 20.14% and 15.14%, respectively, which are considered to be at the international middle level in 2040.

Air pollution is a rising environmental concern that has detrimental effects on human health and the environment. Building environment and urban green space features play a crucial role in the dispersion and accumulation of air pollutants. This study examines the impacts of building environment and urban green space on air pollution levels in the highly urbanized city of Hong Kong, focusing on their interaction effects and potential nonlinearity. For the analysis, this paper investigates how building density, building height, building types, urban green space size, and number of urban green space clusters, as well as their interplays, impact PM2.5 concentrations using high-resolution, satellite-based PM2.5 grids coupled with spatial analysis techniques. The findings reveal that a unit increase in the size of urban green space and the standard deviation of building height contribute to a 0.0004 and a 0.0154 reduction in PM levels, respectively. In contrast, air pollution levels are found to be positively associated with building density (0.1117), scatteredness of urban green space (0.0003), and share of commercial buildings (1.0158). Moreover, it has been found that building height presents a U-shape relationship with PM2.5 concentrations. Finally, the negative association between the size of urban green space and air pollution levels tends to be enlarged in districts with more low-rise buildings. This study conveys important building environment and urban green space planning implications.