Abstract
Urban growth triggers massive changes in land use cover, exacerbating extreme natural and technological events. In order for land use planning to be efficient, it requires the integration of comprehensive risk and vulnerability assessment. This paper aims to create a bridge between the existing vulnerability theories and their implementation in land use planning policies and proposes an innovative approach to determine whether the changes in the territorial dynamics of cities draw considerable changes in communities’ social vulnerability. The methodology identifies and selects three case studies from the Urban Atlas inventory, representative of the dynamics of large Romanian cities, taking into consideration the following hazards: earthquakes, floods, and technological hazards. Vulnerability was then assessed by assigning each land use class a specific vulnerability level. The methodology involved assessing the level of vulnerability specific to the situation in 2018 compared to 2006. The results showed that major changes in land use are related to the transition of areas with a low level of vulnerability to areas with a higher level of vulnerability as a result of the urban areas expansion to the detriment of natural and agricultural areas. This is generally translated into a higher degree of vulnerability due to an increased density of artificial elements and of population in the residential areas. The findings of the study of territorial dynamics in the proximity of large industrial operators did not reveal a tendency that differed from the general trend. Although many territorial changes have been observed in the period 2006–2018, it is necessary to extend the analysis, with the issue of the new versions of the Urban Atlas, to confirm the identified trends and to express the up-to-date situation.
Highlights
Vulnerability, land use, and sustainable development are issues that receive considerable attention in human society nowadays
As the present study focuses on the link between land use and the general level of vulnerability, the first methodological stage involves identifying and selecting three case studies from the Urban Atlas inventory
For the development of the Urban Atlas database, Earth Observation (EO) data, such as SPOT 5, ALOS, RapidEye, Sentinel, and QuickBird, were used, and the inventory was supported by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Environment
Summary
Vulnerability, land use, and sustainable development are issues that receive considerable attention in human society nowadays. A poorly developed urban planning process leads to the changing of more natural land surfaces into artificial ones planned for human activities, increasing social vulnerability. The evaluation of the land use change process is important in order to ensure a sustainable development of urban areas and to increase the resilience of territories and communities [3,4]. Land use planning may positively impact the environment by preserving natural resources, enhancing open space opportunities, or providing a significant reduction in traffic pollution [5]. Land use depends on numerous factors, including population, economic status, infrastructure, industrial activities, geographic conditions, land development policies, etc.
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