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Global Variation in Climate, Human Development, and Population Density Has Implications for Urban Ecosystem Services

Author

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  • Daniel Richards

    (Singapore-ETH Centre, ETH Zurich, Singapore 138602, Singapore
    Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore 138602, Singapore)

  • Mahyar Masoudi

    (Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore 138602, Singapore
    School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117566, Singapore)

  • Rachel R. Y. Oh

    (School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, 4072 Brisbane, Australia)

  • Erik S. Yando

    (Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore 138602, Singapore
    Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117570, Singapore)

  • Jingyuan Zhang

    (Campus for Research Excellence and Technological Enterprise, Singapore 138602, Singapore
    School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117566, Singapore
    School of Architecture, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China)

  • Daniel A. Friess

    (Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117570, Singapore)

  • Adrienne Grêt-Regamey

    (Chair of Planning of Landscape and Urban Systems, ETH Zurich, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland)

  • Puay Yok Tan

    (School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117566, Singapore)

  • Peter J. Edwards

    (Singapore-ETH Centre, ETH Zurich, Singapore 138602, Singapore)

Abstract

Humans rely upon ecosystem services to regulate their environment and to provide resources and cultural benefits. As the world’s urban population grows, it becomes increasingly important to find ways of improving the provision of ecosystem services in urban areas. However, the kinds of ecosystem services that are most needed or demanded by urban populations, and the opportunities to provide these, vary widely in cities around the world. Here we explore variation in climate, Human Development Index (HDI), and population density, and discuss their implications for providing and managing urban ecosystem services. Using 221 published studies of urban ecosystem services, we analyse the extent to which existing research adequately covers global variation in climatic and social conditions. Our results reveal an under-representation of studies from tropical cities and from lower HDI countries, with implications for how we conceptualize and quantify urban ecosystem services, and how we transfer benefits across case studies. Future work should be aimed at correcting these deficits and determining the extent to which conclusions about urban ecosystem services are transferable from one city to another.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel Richards & Mahyar Masoudi & Rachel R. Y. Oh & Erik S. Yando & Jingyuan Zhang & Daniel A. Friess & Adrienne Grêt-Regamey & Puay Yok Tan & Peter J. Edwards, 2019. "Global Variation in Climate, Human Development, and Population Density Has Implications for Urban Ecosystem Services," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(22), pages 1-14, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:22:p:6200-:d:284102
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Dibyanti Danniswari & Tsuyoshi Honjo & Katsunori Furuya, 2022. "Analysis of Building Height Impact on Land Surface Temperature by Digital Building Height Model Obtained from AW3D30 and SRTM," Geographies, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-14, September.
    3. Dobbs, Cynnamon & Eleuterio, Ana Alice & Vásquez, Alexis & Cifuentes-Ibarra, Mauricio & da Silva, Demóstenes & Devisscher, Tahia & Baptista, Mariana Dias & Hernández-Moreno, Ángela & Meléndez-Ackerman, 2023. "Are we promoting green cities in Latin America and the Caribbean? Exploring the patterns and drivers of change for urban vegetation," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    4. Komi Bernard Bedra & Bohong Zheng & Jiayu Li & Xi Luo, 2023. "A Parametric-Simulation Method to Study the Interconnections between Urban-Street-Morphology Indicators and Their Effects on Pedestrian Thermal Comfort in Tropical Summer," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-23, May.
    5. Richards, D.R. & Law, A. & Tan, C.S.Y. & Shaikh, S.F.E.A. & Carrasco, L.R. & Jaung, W. & Oh, R.R.Y., 2020. "Rapid urbanisation in Singapore causes a shift from local provisioning and regulating to cultural ecosystem services use," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 46(C).
    6. Karen T. Lourdes & Chris N. Gibbins & Perrine Hamel & Ruzana Sanusi & Badrul Azhar & Alex M. Lechner, 2021. "A Review of Urban Ecosystem Services Research in Southeast Asia," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-21, January.
    7. Cibele Eller & Mohamad Rida & Katharina Boudier & Caio Otoni & Gabriela Celani & Lucila Labaki & Sabine Hoffmann, 2021. "Climate-Based Analysis for the Potential Use of Coconut Oil as Phase Change Material in Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.

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