Green Infrastructure, Urbanization, and Ecosystem Services: The Main Challenges for Russia’s Largest Cities

Abstract

Globally, the process of urbanization is transforming land use and, as a consequence, reducing the efficiency of ecosystem services (ESs), which ensure a healthy and comfortable urban environment. In cities, green infrastructure (GI) is a key source of urban ESs. Russia is a highly urbanized country: 70% of its population live in towns or cities. As cities continue to expand, they are swallowing unsealed lands that support ESs. In this paper, we present the results of an analysis of the current state and recent changes in urban GI in Russia’s 16 largest cities, including a biophysical evaluation of key urban ESs, using remote sensing data and freely available statistics. Our analysis identifies a weak correlation between GI area, ES volume, and favorable climate conditions as well as a stronger correlation between ESs and the increasing rate of urbanization. Considering Russia’s high level of urbanization, the key importance of ESs for the well-being of citizens, and ongoing reductions of urban GI, major revisions to urban planning policy are required. Indicators of urban biodiversity, GI, and ESs should be incorporated into decision-making processes. In particular, it is vital that the accounting and monitoring of GI and ESs are established in all of Russia’s larger cities.

Parametric model for the analysis of urban planning activities

“…Our study, in contrast to [5,8], examines only a portion of the green areas within the city limits. We did not consider such types of urban green spaces as areas of public green spaces of local importance and landscaping reserve; areas of green spaces performing special functions; areas of green spaces of limited use; areas of protective forests; areas of green spaces of specially protected natural areas.…”

“…The peculiarities of the urban geosystems development are that their behavior is subordinate to achieving certain goals [7]. Comprehensive assessment systems are developed, and sociological surveys of the population are conducted to analyze the current urban development situation [8,9]. However, existing ways and tools for understanding expanding urban systems need continuous improvement.…”

Assessment of the State of the Landscaping System in the City of Aktobe, the Republic of Kazakhstan, under Conditions of Man-Made Load Using Remote Sensing

“…Landscaping is one of the major ways to improve an urban environment. While green trees are an essential element of the architectural landscape of every city, they perform a sanitary-hygienic function, as well as many other functions [18]. Complex urban conditions (ecological factors of local weather, air, and soil pollution) often have a negative effect on the normal growth of plants.…”

Assessment of the State of the Landscaping System in the City of Aktobe, the Republic of Kazakhstan under Conditions of Man-Made Load Using Remote Sensing

“…Landscaping is one of the major ways to improve the urban environment. While green trees are an essential element of the architectural landscape of every city, they perform a sanitary-hygienic function as well as many other functions [15]. The complex of urban conditions (ecological factors of local weather, air and soil pollution) often have a negative effect on the normal growth of plants.…”