Green spaces and corridors in urban areas
DESCRIPTION Green spaces in cities provide cooling through shading and enhanced evapotranspiration, thus reducing the urban heat island (UHI) effect that occurs due to the modification of land surfaces and generation of waste heat. Green corridors, i.e. long green spaces in the cities and river-valleys which flow among the cities, can change the micro climate […]
Climate proofing of building codes
Photo by Scott Blake Description The building sector is challenged by a number of climate change impacts, including increase in temperature, higher frequency and magnitude of extreme weather events and sea level rise. Rising temperatures and extended heatwave periods can increase urban heat islands, internal and external thermal discomforts and the demand for energy […]
Protection, restoration and management of coastal wetlands
Description Coastal wetlands provide a natural defence against coastal flooding and storm surges primarily by dissipating wave energy. Salt marshes (i.e. coastal wetlands flooded and drained by tides) are the most effective natural coastal habitats to reduce wave heights, along with coral reefs (Seddon et al., 2020). By stabilizing shore sediments coastal wetlands also reduce […]
Dune construction and strengthening
Description Dune erosion results from wind and wave action. It is a natural phenomenon that can be worsened by human activities such as dune levelling to build urban settlements, parking-lots, promenades, etc. This contributes to the deficit of beach sediment needed to overcome periods of intense storms. In addition, eliminating dune vegetation or creating access […]
Marine Protected Areas and Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures
DESCRIPTION IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, defines Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as areas of the ocean set aside for long-term conservation of nature, with associated ecosystem services and cultural values. The most protective marine reserves prohibit all access except for scientific research, but in many other cases human presence is allowed, including, […]