High-Resolution Greening Scenarios for Urban Climate Regulation Based on Physical and Socio-Economical Factors

Urban ecosystems represent the main providers of ecosystem services in cities and play a relevant role, among the many services, in the regulation of the urban microclimate and mitigation of the urban heat island effect. The amount, localization, and spatial configuration of vegetation (i.e., urban trees) are key elements for planners and designers aiming at maximizing the climate regulation potential and therefore extending the related benefits to a higher number of residents and city users. Different factors and constraints related to urban morphology and socio-economical characteristics of the urban environment influence the localization of new greening scenarios, therefore impacting the potential benefits that can be obtained by residents. This paper investigates these factors by identifying high-resolution greening scenarios that are able to maximize the cooling benefits for people and local residents. For the case study of metropolitan areas of Catania (Italy) with a hot Mediterranean climate, scenarios are derived by modelling physical and socio-economic factors as spatial constraints with the UMEP model and GIS spatial analysis. Results show that new greenery should be mostly located in public areas that are mostly used by residents. Built on the results obtained in the case study analyzed, the paper also proposes some general planning criteria for the localization of new urban greenery, which should be extended to other geographical urban contexts.