Working Title: "Green Infrastructure and Ecosystem services in São Paulo City – a spatially explicit multicriteria assessment"

Research Countries: Brazil

Research Themes:  Water system management, public health, sanitation, food security, governance, policy analysis, urban planning, land use

Abstract:

Cites have historically attracted people seeking better economic, social and health conditions than those offered in rural areas. However, together with this so-called “urban advantage”, the structure and dynamics of modern cities produce a wide range of social risks and environmental impacts. Green infrastructure (GI) has the potential to address these issues through the provision of ecosystem services (ES). Traditional public spaces such as urban forests and parks form the core of GI. However, their implementation require significant amounts of land – usually a scarce resource in dense cities. In view of this restriction, smaller scale building-based and building-integrated GI components, such as vegetated backyards, green roofs, and living facades, have been gaining attention in the academic literature and making their way into urban planning policies. In spite of that, a comparative study of their contribution to improve urban living and is yet to be conducted. In this PhD research, an indicator-based assessment will be conducted on the potential of lot-scale GI components to deliver health-relevant ecosystem services in Sao Paulo City. In addition, ES shortcomings will be drawn on the district level based on local stakeholder consultation and secondary data. Finally, a spatially explicit multicriteria assessment will be carried out in order to relate the ES supply and demand sides. Results are expected to support planners and designers in a mindful, context-sensitive selection of landscaping strategies.

Supervisor(s):

Prof. Dr. Theo Kötter (GUG)

Prof. Dr. Jakob Rhyner (UNU-EHS)