Multi-criteria assessment of socio-environmental aspects in shrinking cities. Experiences from eastern Germany
Abstract
Demographic change and economic decline produce modified urban land use pattern and densities. Compared to the beginning of the 90s after the German reunification, nowadays massive housing and commercial vacancies followed by demolition and perforation come to pass in many cities of the former GDR. In consequence, a considerable surplus of urban brownfields has been created. Furthermore, the decline in the urban fabric affects social infrastructure and urban greenery of local neighbourhoods. Here, urban planning enters into 'uncharted territory' since it needs to assess the socio-environmental impact of shrinkage. In order to carry out such an evaluation quantitatively, a multi-criteria assessment scheme (MCA) was developed and applied. Firstly, we identified infrastructure and land use changes related to vacancy and demolition. Secondly, demolition scenarios for the coming 20 years were applied in order to give an idea for a long-term monitoring approach at the local district level. A multi-criteria indicator matrix quantifies the socio-environmental impact on both urban greenery and residents. Using it, we set demolition scenarios against urban 'quality of life' targets. Empirical evidence comes from Leipzig, in eastern Germany, a representative case study for urban shrinkage processes. The results show that shrinkage implies socio-environmental changes of residential livelihoods, however,more »
- Authors:
-
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Department of Computational Landscape Ecology, Leipzig (Germany)
- Publication Date:
- OSTI Identifier:
- 21130756
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article
- Journal Name:
- Environmental Impact Assessment Review
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 28; Journal Issue: 7; Other Information: DOI: 10.1016/j.eiar.2007.09.004; PII: S0195-9255(07)00133-3; Copyright (c) 2007 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0195-9255
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS; ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY; ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION; ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; LAND USE; PLANNING; URBAN AREAS
Citation Formats
Schetke, Sophie, and Haase, Dagmar. Multi-criteria assessment of socio-environmental aspects in shrinking cities. Experiences from eastern Germany. United States: N. p., 2008.
Web. doi:10.1016/j.eiar.2007.09.004.
Schetke, Sophie, & Haase, Dagmar. Multi-criteria assessment of socio-environmental aspects in shrinking cities. Experiences from eastern Germany. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2007.09.004
Schetke, Sophie, and Haase, Dagmar. 2008.
"Multi-criteria assessment of socio-environmental aspects in shrinking cities. Experiences from eastern Germany". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eiar.2007.09.004.
@article{osti_21130756,
title = {Multi-criteria assessment of socio-environmental aspects in shrinking cities. Experiences from eastern Germany},
author = {Schetke, Sophie and Haase, Dagmar},
abstractNote = {Demographic change and economic decline produce modified urban land use pattern and densities. Compared to the beginning of the 90s after the German reunification, nowadays massive housing and commercial vacancies followed by demolition and perforation come to pass in many cities of the former GDR. In consequence, a considerable surplus of urban brownfields has been created. Furthermore, the decline in the urban fabric affects social infrastructure and urban greenery of local neighbourhoods. Here, urban planning enters into 'uncharted territory' since it needs to assess the socio-environmental impact of shrinkage. In order to carry out such an evaluation quantitatively, a multi-criteria assessment scheme (MCA) was developed and applied. Firstly, we identified infrastructure and land use changes related to vacancy and demolition. Secondly, demolition scenarios for the coming 20 years were applied in order to give an idea for a long-term monitoring approach at the local district level. A multi-criteria indicator matrix quantifies the socio-environmental impact on both urban greenery and residents. Using it, we set demolition scenarios against urban 'quality of life' targets. Empirical evidence comes from Leipzig, in eastern Germany, a representative case study for urban shrinkage processes. The results show that shrinkage implies socio-environmental changes of residential livelihoods, however, does not simply increase or decrease the overall urban quality of life. The integrated assessment of all indicators identifies environmental and social opportunities, as well as the challenges a shrinking city is faced with.},
doi = {10.1016/j.eiar.2007.09.004},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21130756},
journal = {Environmental Impact Assessment Review},
issn = {0195-9255},
number = 7,
volume = 28,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2008},
month = {Wed Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 2008}
}