At the recent Ecosystem Services Partnership Europe 2024 which is being held until November 22 in Wageningen, Netherlands, our colleague Ariadna Álvarez-Ripado, Ecosystems Technician at Ecoacsa, presented the results of a pioneering research study to measure urban ecosystem condition accounts. The study, titled Assessing urban ecosystem condition account with object-based methods. (Evaluación del estado de los ecosistemas urbanos mediante métodos basados en objetos), has been published in the scientific journal Ecological Indicators, in collaboration with Rey Juan Carlos University, and proposes an innovative approach based on the United Nations System of Environmental-Economic Accounting-Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EA) framework, adapted to the complex dynamics of urban environments.
During her presentation, Ariadna explained how this methodology allows for the analysis of the condition or health of urban ecosystems through specific condition indicators, such as tree cover, bird species richness, or the absence of air pollutants. The main contribution of the study is the development of an object-based methodology to evaluate the condition of cities, where the reference area is a real and unique geographic object, rather than being formed by individual pixels.
This novel approach presents certain advantages over traditional tools, such as reduced operational costs, methodological simplicity and flexibility, and the ability to capture complex (non-linear) urban dynamics, among others. Additionally, it represents an advancement in local-scale urban condition accounting and can potentially be compatible with current urban policy frameworks.
The study measures the Euclidean distance between the reference polygon and the other polygons that make up the city of Madrid. Among the key results, an average condition index of 0.69 was highlighted for the set of urban ecosystems in Madrid, with 76% of neighborhoods at levels below 0.60. The condition indicators that have the greatest influence on changes in urban condition were also identified, making it important to focus efforts on improving these indicators to enhance Madrid’s condition.
The research demonstrates how sustainable planning and management are necessary in the urban environment. Cities can use this methodology as a tool to analyze the city’s resilience to climate change, identify inequalities in the distribution of natural resources, monitor the provision of ecosystem services, and prioritize investments in green infrastructure.
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