Characterizing Physical and Social Compositions of Cities to Inform Climate Adaptation: Case Studies in Germany

Abstract

Cities are key to climate change mitigation and adaptation in an increasingly urbanized world. As climate, socio-economic, and physical compositions of cities are constantly changing, these need to be considered in their urban climate adaptation. To identify these changes, urban systems can be characterized by physical, functional, and social indicators. Multi-dimensional approaches are needed to capture changes of city form and function, including patterns of mobility, land use, land cover, economic activities, and human behaviour. In this article, we examine how urban structure types provide one way to differentiate cities in general and to what extent socio-economic criteria have been considered regarding the characterization of urban typologies. In addition, we analyse how urban structure types are used in local adaptation strategies and plans to derive recommendations and concrete targets for climate adaptation. To do this, we examine indicators, background data used, and cartographic information developed for and within such urban adaptation plans, focusing in particular on the German cities of Karlsruhe and Berlin. The comparative analysis provides new insights into how present adaptation plans consider physical and social structures, including issues of human vulnerability within cities. Based on the analysis we make recommendations on how to improve the consideration of both physical and socio-economic aspects of a city to support pathways for adaptation.

Mapping Urban Structure Types Based on Remote Sensing Data—A Universal and Adaptable Framework for Spatial Analyses of Cities

“…Considering all previous aspects, Wendnagel-Beck et al ( 2021) [83] combined spatial information, legal frameworks and statistical data to examine how climate adaptation plans in Karlsruhe and Berlin consider physical information on urban structures, but also social structures related to human vulnerability to assess climate risks and to identify adaptation needs and actions. For this, they not only classified the cities into twelve predefined urban structure types, but also categorized them regarding their potential for climatic stress and exposure to heat.…”

“…But shape can be defined in many more ways, for instance by the perimeter of the building footprint and its relation to the size (perimeter-area-ratio [150]). Wendnagel-Beck et al (2021) used the perimeter as a measure of the accessibility of different blocks within a city [83]. Many other ways to describe the shape of a building exist, for instance the compactness, the orientation of the major and minor axis, the elongation, the eccentricity, the sphericity or the shape index [151,152].…”

Linkages between Typologies of Existing Urban Development Patterns and Human Vulnerability to Heat Stress in Lahore

“…The study of urban development patterns and their interrelationship with climate hazards has a long history, with various disciplines emphasizing the importance of urban form and its role in altering local climate [59,60]. Some studies have established this interdependence to comprehend key aspects of urban structure, which are strongly associated with climate risk [61]. However, despite numerous studies, there is a lack of consensus on the most critical aspects of climate risk relative to urban development patterns.…”

Copernicus for urban resilience in Europe

“…Moreover, other research and innovation projects, notably RAMSES 21 and Smarticipate 22 , have specified the framework of user requirements for open governance allied with integrated sustainability assessment, and also emphasised the essential requirements for interoperability of urban governance systems. The medium and long-term exploitation of these research project outcomes target the ability to analyse observations from upcoming satellite missions in order to develop new services assessing the implementation of urban interventions 23 , 24 , including Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) 25 , monitoring of air quality 26 , climate change mitigation planning at neighbourhood level 21 , and sustainable planning strategies to improve the quality of life in cities 18 , 27 – 29 .…”