Environmental Justice and Urban Parks. A Case Study Applied to Tarragona (Spain)

Abstract

There is consensus regarding the fact that urban green areas contribute to the quality of life of their inhabitants. Therefore, efficient city management must assess whether the population has access to green areas and the areas’ quality in relation to, for example, vegetation, facilities or furnishings. Therefore, the objective is to establish environmental justice of urban parks in Tarragona (Spain) by developing a Park Quality Index (PQI) and the sociodemographic characteristics (level of studies, Human Development Index –HDI–, home sale and rental prices) of the population living within 300 m of a park. To prepare this, a GIS-integrated Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) was produced. The results show that the green areas have low accessibility and availability and that most parks obtain an average-low PQI, with the best-valued aspect being the vegetation and the worst being the facilities. Regarding the degree of environmental justice, a causal relationship between the PQI and the indicators used emerges. The average value of the home sale prices is the one that shows the greatest correlation. These results can be used together with participatory procedures as a basis for identifying places with greater inequality, and for selecting the more effective actions that enable increasing environmental justice with respect to green areas.

Urban Parks Quality Assessment Using Multi-Dimension Indicators in Chengdu, China

“…Most of them only focused on certain factors that lacked a comprehensive system. For instance, some studies only focused on the park facilities and aesthetic features, e.g., [44] and [70], and vegetation and furnishings (e.g., lighting, benches, adult games, rubbish bins, and toilets) [56]. Some studies added factors such as maintenance level [76], biodiversity, architectural objects [71], and cleanliness [60].…”

“…The current research related to park quality from the perspective of LA mainly focuses on different criteria instead of a comprehensive and logical index system. For example: (1) the characteristics of landscape design, such as planting design (e.g., composition, color, diversity, and conservation) [55,56], the water surface area [36], park pathway characteristics [57], the land slope, and buildings [58]; (2) the functionality of parks, such as the convenience and recreation facilities [44], accessory elements [37], and the physical activities [59]; (3) the management of parks [42], such as the park's cleanliness [60]. Evaluation methods and tools also vary with different indicators.…”

Parques urbanos, activos de salud y personas mayores. Un análisis de justicia espacial en los barrios de la ciudad de Tarragona

“…La descripción detallada de la metodología aplicada en este trabajo se puede consultar en el artículo Environmental Justice and Urban Parks. A Case Study Applied to Tarragona Spain de Alberich et al (2021). Respecto a esta metodología se han introducido dos modificaciones.…”

“…La distancia media desde la residencia de las personas mayores al parque más cercano es de 656,5 metros, frente a los 721,9 de la población de menos de 65 años y los 710,2 de toda la población (Alberich et al, 2021). Este hecho se debe, con toda seguridad, a la mayor concentración de la población senior en las zonas centrales de la ciudad (Eixample, Part Alta) y en ciertos barrios (Campclar), mejor dotadas de espacios verdes que en otras zonas periféricas de la ciudad (Llevant, Sant Salvador, etc.…”

Observation-based data-gathering method to support the assessment of the use of cultural ecosystem services in urban green spaces

“…Research in this area focuses on understanding how these green spaces are used, their benefits, and their implications for urban planning and public health. UGS, including parks, gardens, forests, and other green infrastructure, play a crucial role in promoting wellbeing [1] , environmental sustainability [2] , and social cohesion [3] in densely populated areas.…”