•Choosing a landfill location is a complex process.•Many influential factors must be assessed and evaluated.•The factors could be physical, environmental, social, or economical.•Multi Criteria ...Decision Making (MCDM) can help the decision making process.•With enough time and resources, Fuzzy Analytical Network Process is most effective.
Although a lot of research has focused on energy recovery and recycling of valuable materials from wastes to reduce loads on landfills, landfilling is still an inseparable part of solid waste management. Since landfills potentially pose a risk to human health and the surrounding environment, landfill site selection is an important endeavor that has to be carried out with great care. Choosing a suitable location for landfills depends on several factors and is a complicated procedure. In this paper, a comprehensive review of landfill site selection methods, with an emphasis on multi criteria decision making (multiple criteria decision analysis) has been presented. Assessments indicate that the most frequently used methods are weighted linear combination (WLC), ordered weighted averaging (OWA), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (F-AHP), TODIM, fuzzy TODIM, analytic network process (ANP), fuzzy-analytic network process (F-ANP), and grey systems theory, each of which is discussed. The most widely used factors for selecting a landfill site are groundwater depth, surface water vicinity, elevation, land slope, soil permeability, soil stability, flooding susceptibility, lithology and stratification, faults, land use type, nearby settlements and urbanization, cultural and protected site vicinity, wind direction, roads, railways, proximity to building materials, pipelines and powerlines, and proximity to airports.
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Substitution of conventional jet fuel with low-to zero-carbon-emitting alternative aviation fuels is vital for meeting the climate targets for aviation. It is important to understand the technical, ...environmental, and economic performance of alternative aviation fuels and prospective engine and propulsion technologies for future aircraft. This study reviews alternative fuels and propulsion systems, focusing on costs and technical maturity, and presents conceptual aircraft designs for different aviation fuels. The cost review includes minimum jet fuel selling price (MJFSP) for alternative aviation fuels. Direct operating cost (DOC) is estimated based on the conceptual aircraft designs and the reviewed MJFSP. The DOCs for bio-jet fuel (5.0–9.2 US cent per passenger-kilometer (¢/PAX/km)), fossil and renewable liquefied hydrogen (5.9–10.1 and 8.1–23.9 ¢/PAX/km, respectively), and electro-methane and electro-jet fuel (5.6–16.7 and 9.2–23.7 ¢/PAX/km, respectively) are higher than for conventional jet fuel (3.9–4.8 ¢/PAX/km) and liquefied natural gas (4.2–5.2 ¢/PAX/km). Overall, DOC of renewable aviation fuels is 15–500 % higher than conventional jet fuels. Among the bio-jet fuels, hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids (23–310 $/GJ) and alcohol-to-jet (4–215 $/GJ) pathways offer the lowest MJFSPs. The implementation of alternative fuels in existing aircraft engines and the design and development of appropriate propulsion systems and aircraft are challenging. The overall cost is a key factor for future implementation. Bio-jet fuel is most promising in the near term while hydrogen and electrofuels in the long term. The level of carbon tax on fossil jet fuels needed for the latter options to be competitive depend on the hydrogen production cost.
•Review of minimum jet fuel selling prices and production cost of various fuels.•Direct operating cost (DOC) estimates of 8 aircraft concept designs with 7 fuels.•DOC of renewable aviation fuels are 15–500 % higher than conventional jet fuels.•Bio-jet fuel is most promising in near term; hydrogen and electrofuels in long term.•A carbon tax of 50 $/tCO2 can make low cost LH2 competitive with Jet A-1.
Primary considerations for urban blue-green infrastructure (BGI) encompass sustainable stormwater/urban heat management while biodiversity conservation is often considered an inherent benefit rather ...than a core planning requirement. However, ecological function of BGI as ‘stepping stones’ or linear corridors for otherwise fragmented habitats is undisputed. While quantitative approaches for modelling ecological connectivity in conservation planning are well established, mismatches in scope and scale with models that support the planning of BGI makes their adoption and integration difficult across disciplines. Technical complexities have led to ambiguity around circuit and network-based approaches, focal node placement, spatial extents, and resolution. Furthermore, these approaches are often computationally intensive, and considerable gaps remain in their use for identifying local-scale critical “pinch-points” that urban planners may respond to with the integration of BGI interventions that address biodiversity enhancement among other ecosystem services. Here, we present a framework that simplifies and integrates the merits of regional connectivity assessments with a focus on urban areas to prioritise BGI planning interventions while reducing computational demands. Our framework facilitates: (1) modelling potential ecological corridors at a coarse regional scale, (2) prioritising local-scale BGI interventions based on the relative contribution of individual nodes in this regional network, and (3) inferring connectivity hot- and cold-spots for local-scale BGI interventions. We illustrate this in the Swiss lowlands, demonstrating how, compared to previous work, we are able to identify and rank different priority locations across the region for BGI interventions in support of biodiversity enhancement and how their local-scale functional design may be benefited by addressing specific environmental variables.
•Regional-scale ecological connectivity assessments for planning local-scale BGI.•Integrated approach combining circuit theory and network analyses to prioritise BGI.•Multi-scale/species connectivity of regional inter-breeding sites and local priorities.•Network metrics identify major regional backbone nodes and urban pinch points.•Relate ecological corridors and environmental variables for targeted BGI solutions.
Road traffic is the primary source of environmental noise pollution in cities. This problem is also spreading due to inadequate urban expansion planning. Hence, integrating road traffic noise ...analysis into urban planning is necessary for reducing city noise in an effective, adaptable, and sustainable way. This study aims to develop a methodology that applies to any city for the stratification of urban roads by their functionality through only their urban features. It is intended to be a tool to cluster similar streets and, consequently, traffic noise to enable urban and transportation planners to support the reduction of people's noise exposure. Three multivariate ordered logistic regression statistical models (Model 1, 2, and 3) are presented that significantly stratify urban roads into five, four, and three categories, respectively. The developed models exhibit a McFadden pseudo-R2 between 0.5 and 0.6 (equivalent to R2 >0.8). The choice between Model 1 or 2 depends on the scale of the city. Model 1 is recommended for developed cities with an extensive road network, while Model 2 is most suitable in intermediate and growing cities. On the other hand, Model 3 could be applied at any city scale but focused on local management of transit routes and for designing acoustic sensor installations, urban soundwalks, and identification of quiet areas. Urban features related to road width and length, presence of transport infrastructure, and public transport routes are associated with increased traffic noise in all three models. These models prove useful for future action plans aimed at reducing noise through strategic urban planning.
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•Stratification of urban roads by their urban features•Urban features-based multinomial ordered logistic regression models•Street categorization method for validation measurements of road traffic noise maps
Urban and transportation policies are increasingly recognized for their potential to mitigate climate change impacts and address transport externalities. Amidst efforts to shift modal preferences and ...reduce transport emissions, cities are turning to spatialbased policies, such as Superblocks, to reshape urban mobility. This research examines the electoral outcomes associated with the implementation of Superblocks in Barcelona, focusing on their impact on political support for Barcelona en Comú (BEC) during the local elections of 2015 and 2023. Utilizing a combination of adjusted difference-in-differences and propensity score matching methods, we assessed the public’s electoral response to the Superblock initiative amidst a backdrop of declining city-wide support for BEC. Our findings reveal that Superblock areas demonstrated significantly stronger support for BEC, suggesting a political premium for the party responsible for these urban interventions. Specifically, electoral support in Superblock districts saw an increase of 10–14% compared to the rest of the city. This result highlights the potential of urban transformation policies to influence political preferences locally and potentially validate the use of local electoral data as a tool for evaluating public response to highly contested urban policies.
Reinforcement of the concept of nature-based solutions in urban environments calls for their better introduction and linkage into urban planning. The paper is focused on the relationship between ...nature-based solutions and spatial realities, based on reciprocity among natural processes and urban patterns, emphasising the recognition of using and mimicking natural processes in urban environments. A classification framework as a form of knowledge aggregation is suggested. A matrix that simultaneously addresses the role of natural processes in nature-based solutions and the ability of such processes to deliver results for improving urban environments is proposed. Accordingly, there are three characteristic groups of solutions suggested, (1) those only using natural processes, (2) those using and mimicking natural processes and (3) those only mimicking natural processes, which implementation potentials are commented against four different types of urban patterns, to show what group of the nature-based solutions may best suit any type of spatial agglomeration. Beside green infrastructure as currently the most often addressed manifestation of nature-based solutions in cities, the paper reflects also on the physical processes as inevitable parts of nature. In relation to urban planning, sites and their characteristics are seen as a crucial aspect of nature-based solutions. The arguments are built upon exhaustive literature and case studies review, resulted in the matrix showing the matching relations among nature-based solutions and societal challenges aiming for better urban environment. Additionally, there are also sets of recommendations for bridging the policy-implementation gaps to bring nature-based solutions closer to urban planning, suggested.
•A potential of NBS for urban planning is in understanding of NBS as dynamic processes of both animate and inanimate nature.•NBS should simultaneously consider the role of natural processes in NBS and NBS's ability to improve urban environment.•As a media of urban planning the NBS are to be understood as a system rather than a set of individual solutions.•Closing the NBS policy–implementation gap with a set of recommendations based on urban planning instruments.
Cities occupy 2% of the earth's surface but their inhabitants consume 75% of the world's energy resources. Under certain conditions, the heat from solar radiation and different urban activities can ...make city temperatures rise in certain areas, simply because of the way in which a city is structured. This effect is known as the urban heat island (UHI). This article provides a review of recent research on the urban heat island as well as of the strategies that can be applied to mitigate its adverse effects. Such strategies can be applied in the project design phase of urban planning and thus directly affect city temperatures on a local scale. The elements analyzed in this paper include green spaces, trees, albedo, pavement surfaces, vegetation, as well as building types and materials. The discussion of this research clearly reflects the impact of urban morphology on local temperatures and how urban design can be modified to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. This study is useful for professionals who are responsible for decision-making during the design phase of urban planning.
Ecosystem service deficits of European cities Elliot, Thomas; Goldstein, Benjamin; Gómez-Baggethun, Erik ...
The Science of the total environment,
09/2022, Letnik:
837
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Climate change and biodiversity loss are two pressing global environmental challenges that are tightly coupled to urban processes. Cities emit greenhouse gases through the consumption of materials ...and energy. Urban expansion encroaches on local habitats, while urban land teleconnections simultaneously degrade distant ecosystems. These processes decrease the supply of and increase the demand for ecosystem services inside and outside urban areas. Most cities are in a state of ecosystem services deficit, whereby demand exceeds local supply of ecosystem services. Methods to quantify this deficit by capturing multi-scale and multi-level ecological exchanges are incipient, leaving scholars with a partial understanding of the environmental impacts of cities. This paper deploys a novel method to simulate future urban supplies and demands of two key ecosystem services needed to combat climate change and biodiversity loss – global climate regulation and global habitat maintenance. Applying our model to eight representative European cities, we project growing ecosystems deficits (demand exceeds supply) between 8% and 214% in global climate regulation and 11% and 431% in global habitat maintenance between 2020 and 2050. Variation between cities stems from differing dietary patterns and electricity mixes, which have large implications for ecosystems outside the city. To combat these losses, urban sustainability strategies should complement local restoration with changes to local consumption alongside promoting remote ecological restoration to tackle the multi-level environmental impacts of cities.
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•Urban deficits in climate regulation and habitat maintenance increase remotely to 2050.•Global climate regulation deficit will increase 8% to 214% across 8 European cities.•Global habitat maintenance deficit will increase 11% to 431% across the 8 cities.•Variation between cities stems from dietary patterns and electricity generation.•Urban ecosystem service strategies should focus on altering consumption patterns.
In modern days, a sustainable urban planning system requires a balance of vegetation, water, and settlement. The proportions of these surface features directly influence the land surface temperature ...(LST) in an urban area. LST primarily depends on the emittance of land use/land cover (LULC) categories. In an urban area, changes in LULC categories as well as local warming are the prime regulators of LST change. The study analyses the LULC change and its impact on LST in Imphal City, India. Landsat satellite data for the summer season and winter seasons for 1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021 have been used in this study. Results show that the mean LST of the study area increased at >1% rate/decade. The green area and water area decreased the LST values whereas the built-up area and fallow lands increased the LST values. The study indicates the consequences of proper land conversion to regulate the LST change. Moreover, the influence of population on LST is also determined. The continuous rising trend of population is a positive factor of increasing LST. The study may help the town and country planners to generate sustainable urban land.
