Impacts of Region-Wide Urban Development on Biodiversity in Strategic Environmental Assessment

Abstract

In urbanising regions, urban sprawl and infrastructure cause profound alterations of natural habitats. Initial decisions on urban expansion and major infrastructure investments are often made on a strategic level where the long-term development of a region is determined. For these types of decisions a strategic environmental assessment can be prepared. However, the lack of an adequate conceptual and methodological framework can pose a major problem for the prediction of impacts, not least concerning biodiversity. This paper will highlight the need for effective methods for biodiversity analysis at landscape and regional levels, with reference to the long-term urban development of the Stockholm and Mälaren regions. Problems of habitat loss, fragmentation and other impacts related to large-scale urbanisation and infrastructure developments will be addressed. GIS-based methods focusing on predictive ecological modelling will be discussed in a scenario context. The implementation of such methodologies in the strategic environmental assessment process would allow a better integration of biodiversity in planning and decision-making, further promoting a sustainable planning system.

Efectos del crecimiento urbano sobre humedales costero-continentales del ambiente semiárido de Tierra del Fuego, Argentina

“…Estos espacios, total o parcialmente aislados por estructuras físicas urbanas, mantienen la cobertura, pero cambian en su hidrología y geomorfología, con potencial afectación de humedales que pudieran incluir. En materia de biodiversidad, la pervivencia de las especies que ocupan sectores adyacentes a una reciente urbanización puede verse amenazada por reducción del hábitat disponible y por la pérdida de calidad para sostenerlas (Balfors, Mörtberg & Gontier, 2005); las áreas impermeables adyacentes alteran el ciclo hidrológico local y zonal, en magnitud y temporalidad de la escorrentía (Marshall & Shortle, 2004) y la reducción de infiltración produce el descenso del nivel freático en las vegas y así su degradación. Figura 5.…”

Vulnerability of environmental systems of the functional urban region - detection by digital tool

“…Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is an assessment of the impact of an identified project, program or any human activity with environment impacts and consists of socio economic and environmental aspects. It is the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made [10]. Accordingly EIA should advance Environmental quality and sustainability objectives between advocates of a technical, rational EIA process and those arguing that EIA is a form of adaptive environmental management and among supporters [11] of the rational technical, community control, and social equity site selection approaches [12].…”

Introduction

“…Geneletti et al (2003) advanced the treatment of uncertainty factors in Biodiversity Impact Assessment (BIA). Balfors et al (2005) set the foundations for landscape-and regionallevel analysis of biodiversity in SEA. Gontier et al (2006Gontier et al ( , 2010 applied innovative modelling tools to predict and assess impacts on biodiversity of projects and plans.…”