The Environment in the Lead: A Scorecard System to Assess Adaptation Measures and Score Ecosystem Services at the Street Level

Abstract

Currently, there is no method available that can systematically score the available ecosystem services in streets or street segments in suburban districts. In this study, different climate adaptation measures and their ecosystem services were categorized into green, blue, and grey categories and weight was given to each category based on their impact on the microclimate. This study took place in the Hillesluis district in the city of Rotterdam and the Paddepoel district in the city of Groningen. In Rotterdam, 21 streets, composed of 42 street segments, were assessed. In Groningen, 17 streets, composed of 45 street segments, were assessed. The available ecosystem services of each street segment were scored from 0–100. The scorecard method that was developed and tested during this study provided insight in the variation of available ecosystem services of streets and street segments. Individual street scores were very low in the city of Rotterdam and ranged between 3 and 50, with the average score for the street segments of 29. In Groningen, the scores were considerably higher with a range between 23 and 70, with an average score of 47 per street segment. The presence of larger green trees, front yards, and façade gardens in the green category are the most distinctive variable, while adaptation measures in the blue category were absent in both cities. The scorecard proved to be very useful in the adaptation labeling of street segments and entire streets. After assessing a neighborhood, the least adaptive streets can be identified relatively easy. Based on the score a label can be given between A+++ and G. The scorecard informs residents and decision makers about which streets are most adaptive and which streets have an adaptation potential. The method can easily be duplicated and used by local governments and community groups to have better insight in the level of climate adaptation of their street. Labels for entire streets can be used to create awareness and encourage residents to take action and expand the number of climate adaptation measures in their street.

Sustainable Cities and Regions—Statistical Approaches

“…In the present Special Issue entitled "Sustainable Cities and Regions-Statistical Approaches", some examples of the application of mathematics in four scientific areas are included. First is the socioeconomic issue, where articles deal with mediation analysis in the study of the impact of socioeconomic factors on health [22], indicators influenced on urban sustainability [23], convergence analysis of the sustainability of EU states' economies using cluster analysis [24], accessing economic independence using mutual information and kernel density information [25], and the verification of the impact of the location of residential properties in relation to poverty-stricken area and ecosystem services in streets [26]. This Issue also includes a spatial analysis example for an economic model which study's the spatiotemporal interaction between Kinjiangls county transformation over 10 years [27].…”