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Urban Green Spaces and Climate Changes: Assessing Ecosystem Services for the Municipality of Sassari (Italy)

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea De Montis

    (Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Antonio Ledda

    (Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Vittorio Serra

    (Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Alessandro Manunta

    (Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

  • Giovanna Calia

    (Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy)

Abstract

Urban green spaces (UGS) supply a wide range of ecosystem services (ESs), which are key to mitigation and adaptation to climate changes. In this study, we focus on two ESs, i.e., greenhouse gas sequestration by terrestrial ecosystems and mitigating the heat island effect through vegetation, as defined by the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services. The purpose is to support municipalities with characteristics similar to those of the municipality investigated in this study with a rough assessment of ESs through freely available data. The ES delivery capacity assessment relies on the adoption of two indicators: (i) increased carbon storage in forests and (ii) the Heat Island Mitigation Index (HIMI). We applied the method to the UGS of the municipality of Sassari (Italy) and found that the potential amount of carbon storage is 42,052.7 t, while the value of HIMI provided by the green spaces in the homogeneous territorial areas is 67.73%. The methodological approach adopted in this study is potentially applicable in Italian as well as Mediterranean small to medium municipalities to integrate the quantitative assessment of ESs in local planning tools. The novelty of this study lies in the applied practical approach, which is implementable by public bodies lacking data and resources, to assessing prima facie the need for operational climate adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea De Montis & Antonio Ledda & Vittorio Serra & Alessandro Manunta & Giovanna Calia, 2025. "Urban Green Spaces and Climate Changes: Assessing Ecosystem Services for the Municipality of Sassari (Italy)," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:1308-:d:1682637
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Mara Ottoboni & Salvatore Eugenio Pappalardo & Massimo De Marchi & Fabrizio Ungaro, 2023. "Characterization and Mapping of Public and Private Green Areas in the Municipality of Forlì (NE Italy) Using High-Resolution Images," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-18, March.
    2. Monica Pantaloni & Giovanni Marinelli & Rodolfo Santilocchi & Alberto Minelli & Davide Neri, 2022. "Sustainable Management Practices for Urban Green Spaces to Support Green Infrastructure: An Italian Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-20, April.
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    4. Bolund, Per & Hunhammar, Sven, 1999. "Ecosystem services in urban areas," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 293-301, May.
    5. Peihao Song & Gunwoo Kim & Audrey Mayer & Ruizhen He & Guohang Tian, 2020. "Assessing the Ecosystem Services of Various Types of Urban Green Spaces Based on i-Tree Eco," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-16, February.
    6. David J. Frame & Suzanne M. Rosier & Ilan Noy & Luke J. Harrington & Trevor Carey-Smith & Sarah N. Sparrow & Dáithí A. Stone & Samuel M. Dean, 2020. "Climate change attribution and the economic costs of extreme weather events: a study on damages from extreme rainfall and drought," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(2), pages 781-797, September.
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