Combined small- and large-scale geo-spatial analysis of the Ruhr area for an environmental justice assessment

  • This paper investigates spatial relationships regarding the accessibility of urban green space, the overall yearly vitality of the surrounding vegetation, and additional indicators such as air and noise pollution, in urban areas. The analysis uses socio-economic data sets derived from a sophisticated disaggregation approach. It results from applying a new tool that processes data from coarse and small-scale data sets to smaller spatial units in order to derive more fine-grained insights into the characteristics of the smallest suburb. The consequent data sets are then augmented by comprehensive raster-based accessibility network analysis and the incorporation of measured data on air and noise pollution. Gaining an overview over the whole area on the one hand, and looking at smaller city districts in detail on the other, unveils whether there is an imbalance regarding all combined indicators. After correlating two socio-economic indicators, a spatial comparison of the preliminary results determines whether this approach reveals neighborhoods wherein residents of a lower socio-economic status are exposed to multiple threats at once. As a result, the paper presents a workflow to obtain a broader and, at the same time, more small-scale overview of polycentric agglomeration. Simultaneously, it provides a large-scale insight into single sites, right down to the city block level. Consequently, this study provides a sophisticated approach that helps to assess the quality, quantity and characteristics of the specific spatial distribution of environmental justice in small- to large-scale urban areas at a glance. The results help to identify regions of inequalities and disadvantages. They allow for querying additional values assigned to large-scale spatial units. These versatile variables provide a means to reveal other noticeable indicators. Furthermore, this entails the opportunity to evaluate the distinct living conditions of locally affected demographic groups, and improve them with tailored approaches. Finally, the results can enhance the perception of these living conditions, and be used to promote the capacity for organizing the lives of the respective residents more sustainably, helping the neighborhood to grow accordingly.

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Metadaten
Author:Nicolai MoosORCiDGND, Carsten JürgensORCiDGND, Andreas Peter RedeckerORCiDGND
URN:urn:nbn:de:hbz:294-90962
DOI:https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063447
Parent Title (English):Sustainability
Publisher:MDPI
Place of publication:Basel
Document Type:Article
Language:English
Date of Publication (online):2022/07/03
Date of first Publication:2022/03/15
Publishing Institution:Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Universitätsbibliothek
Tag:Open Access Fonds
SDGs; accessibility; air pollution; disaggregation; environmental justice; network analysis; noise pollution; socio-economic disparities; urban green
Volume:14
Issue:6, Article 3447
First Page:3447-1
Last Page:3447-17
Note:
Article Processing Charge funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and the Open Access Publication Fund of Ruhr-Universität Bochum.
Institutes/Facilities:Geographisches Institut
Geographisches Institut, Arbeitsgruppe Geomatik
Dewey Decimal Classification:Naturwissenschaften und Mathematik / Geowissenschaften, Geologie
open_access (DINI-Set):open_access
faculties:Fakultät für Geowissenschaften
Licence (English):License LogoCreative Commons - CC BY 4.0 - Attribution 4.0 International