Geoinformation Analysis of Poznań Residents’ Quality of Life in Relation to the Structural Pattern of Green Spaces

Wydział Nauk Geograficznych i GeologicznychRozprawa zawiera badanie zależności między układem strukturalnym zieleni w Poznaniu, a ocenami jakości życia mieszkańców miasta. Pierwszym celem badawczym było rozpoznanie aktywności korzystnych dla jakości życia wykonywanych w obrębie terenów zieleni. Najczęściej podawanym przez respondentów sposobem spędzania wolnego czasu i docierania do terenów zieleni było spacerowanie. Duże parki i lasy wspierają aktywność fizyczną, głównie ze względu na ich rozmiar i infrastrukturę. Mniejsze parki i skwery są wykorzystywane głównie do biernego wypoczynku i spotkań towarzyskich. Mieszkańcy Poznania wysoce cenią bliskość lasów, gruntów rolnych i prywatnych ogrodów. Drugim celem było wykrycie zależności pomiędzy układem strukturalnym zieleni miejskiej a ocenami jakości życia mieszkańców. Modele regresji pokazały, że cechy środowiska geograficznego odgrywają rolę w kształtowaniu samooceny stanu zdrowia i poczucia szczęścia mieszkańców Poznania, jednak nie jest to rola bardzo silna. Trzecim celem był rozwój metod geoinformacyjnych. Do pozyskania danych pierwotnych wykorzystano ankietę papierową i geoankietę internetową, co pozwoliło na wzbogacenie danych o współrzędne geograficzne. Za pomocą miar geoinformacyjnych opisano cechy środowiska geograficznego w otoczeniu miejsc zamieszkania respondentów i oceniono jakość zastosowanych miar porównując je z subiektywnymi ocenami jakości środowiska geograficznego.The thesis includes a study of relationships between structural pattern of green spaces in Poznań, and its residents’ perceived quality of life. The first research goal was to explore activities beneficial for wellbeing that are performed within green spaces. The most common activity and travel mode used to reach green spaces was walking. Large parks and forests support physical activity, mostly because of their size and infrastructure. Smaller parks and green squares are used mostly for passive relaxation and social activities. Residents of Poznań highly appreciate closeness to forests, agricultural lands and private gardens. The second goal was to find relationships between structural pattern of green spaces and perceived quality of life. Regression models showed that environmental characteristics play a significant role in shaping self-rated health and feelings of happiness, but their role is not very strong. The third goal was to develop geoinformation methods. Both paper questionnaire and Web-based geo-questionnaire were used to elicit primary data, which allowed to enrich the data set with geographical coordinates. Geoinformation methods were used to measures environmental characteristics of participants’ residential neighborhoods. The quality of methods was then evaluated by comparison with subjective evaluations of environmental quality

Cities, Long-Distance Travel, and Climate Impacts

This thematic issue focuses on important but understudied connections between cities and climate impacts of long-distance travel. While urbanization and urban density have climate change mitigation potential in short-distance travel (e.g., by reducing car use and supporting public transportation, walking, and cycling), they have been associated with a higher level of emissions from flights. This highlights the role that city-regions could potentially play in reducing climate impacts of aviation. At the same time, the development of airports and flight connections has been an important driver of economic growth at regional scale and a factor contributing to global competitiveness of city-regions. This thematic issue includes seven interesting articles focusing on different aspects of the theme, all of which are briefly presented in this editorial. We also lay down some suggestions for future research directions based on the findings presented in this thematic issue

Analizy przestrzenne w badaniach nad jakością życia w miastach

Improving quality of life has always been an important goal of individuals and communities. In recent years, this objective is particularly important for cities in the context of urbanization and the migrations of urban residents to the outskirts of metropolitan areas. The authors call for the extension of the traditionally used social and economic indicators with the evaluations andperceptions of individuals, and a wider use of geographical research methods. The article presents the theoretical basis and new methods of measuring the subjective quality of life satisfaction, and quality assessment of urban space. Characteristics of the urban environment affecting activities and perceptions of the quality of life of the inhabitants are discussed. The authors propose possible areas of application of the methods presented in city management, urban planning, and regeneration, and formulate recommendations for the cities.Podnoszenie jakości życia jest istotnym celem jednostek i społeczności. W ostatnich latach cel ten nabiera szczególnego znaczenia dla miast w kontekście postępującej urbanizacji połączonej z jednoczesnym odpływem mieszkańców na peryferia obszarów metropolitalnych. Autorzy postulują rozszerzenie tradycyjnie stosowanych wskaźników ekonomicznych i społecznych o indywidualne oceny mieszkańców oraz szersze stosowanie geograficznych metod badawczych. Prezentują podstawy teoretyczne i nowe metody badania subiektywnej jakości życia, satysfakcji oraz ocen jakości przestrzeni miejskiej. Dyskusji poddane są cechy środowiska miejskiego wpływające na różne formy aktywności mieszkańców oraz ich percepcję jakości życia. Autorzy proponują możliwe pola zastosowania w zarządzaniu miejskim, planowaniu przestrzennym i rewitalizacji oraz formułują rekomendacje dla miast

Public Participation GIS for sustainable urban mobility planning: methods, applications and challenges

Sustainable mobility planning is a new approach to planning, and as such it requires new methods of public participation, data collection and data aggregation. In the article we present an overview of Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) methods with potential use in sustainable urban mobility planning. We present the methods using examples from two recent case studies conducted in Polish cities of Poznań and Łodź. Sustainable urban mobility planning is a cyclical process, and each stage has different data and participatory requirements. Consequently, we situate the PPGIS methods in appropriate stages of planning, based on potential benefits they may bring into the planning process. We discuss key issues related to participant recruitment and provide guidelines for planners interested in implementing methods presented in the paper. The article outlines future research directions stressing the need for systematic case study evaluation

Geo-questionnaire in urban planning – preliminary results of the experimental application in Poland

Changes in the attitude of local authorities towards the public participation in the decision making processes have prompted development of new methods of such involvement. As far as the urban planning is concerned, of particular potential is the so-called Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS). One of the tools used for the purpose is a geo-questionnaire, combining the benefits of a standard questionnaire and a map, which permits collecting information on particular sites and on the respondents’ ideas on localisation of new objects and functionalities.Within the project “Geoportal supporting public participation in urban planning”, in the years 2015–2016, a study was undertaken to explore the effectiveness and usefulness of the geo-questionnaire. Five pilot studies were performed in the Poznań and Łódź agglomerations. The geo-questionnaires concerned the local spatial management plan in Rokietnica (Poznań agglomeration), landscape protection in Łódź, conception of the transportation system development in Łódź, conception of urban design of the Łazarski Market in Poznań, and the Map of Local Needs in the city center of Poznań. The aim of the study was to present the preliminary results of the initial implementations of geo-questionnaire developed within the project Geoportal supporting public participation in urban planning. The applications of geo-questionnaire have been analysed taking into account the characteristics of implementation areas, characteristics of users, the effectiveness of recruitment methods and opinions about the tool from two points of view: the respondents and the recipients of results

Flights Dominate Travel Emissions of Young Urbanites

Publisher's version (útgefin grein).Transport is a key sector in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A consensus prevails on a causal relationship between distance to the city center and emissions from private transport, which has led to an emphasis on density in urban planning. However, several studies have reported a reverse association between the level of urbanity and emissions from long-distance leisure travel. Studies have also suggested that pro-environmental attitudes and climate change concerns are unrelated or positively related to emissions from long-distance travel. The goals of this case study were to find out the structure, levels, distribution, and predictors of GHG emissions from the local, domestic, and international travel of young adults of the Reykjavik Capital Region. A life cycle assessment (LCA) approach was utilized to calculate emissions, and the materials were collected with a map-based online survey. International leisure travel dominated the overall GHG emissions from personal travel regardless of residential location, modality style, or income level. A highly unequal distribution of emissions was found. A higher climate change awareness was found to predict higher GHG emissions from trips abroad. Emissions from leisure travel abroad were the highest in the city center, which was related to cosmopolitan attitudes among downtown dwellers.This research was funded by The Icelandic Road Administration Research Fund (Rannsóknasjóðs Vegagerðarinnar), The National Planning Agency Research and Development Fund (Skipulagstofnun Rannsóknar-og þróunarsjóður), and The University of Iceland Research Fund (Rannsóknasjóður Háskóla Íslands).Peer Reviewe

Long-Distance Travel and the Urban Environment: Results from a Qualitative Study in Reykjavik

A compact urban form has shown many benefits in efficiency. Yet multiple studies have found that residents of urban, dense, and centrally located areas travel more frequently than those living in suburbs, small towns, or the countryside. As air travel is already causing more emissions than ground transport in many affluent urban locations and is predicted to increase, this pattern could undermine efforts in climate change mitigation. Explanations of these patterns and motivations for long-distance travel connected to the built environment have been examined quantitatively before, but with inconclusive answers. We studied this topic qualitatively in Reykjavik, Iceland, offering an in-depth perspective through semi-structured interviews. Results showed various links between the urban environment and long-distance travel. Some indications of compensatory travel behavior emerged, particularly connected to a lack of quality green areas, hectic urban life, and commuting stress. Compensatory trips were typically domestic. Furthermore, residential preferences seemed connected to leisure travel preferences—living in green neighborhoods was connected to more domestic travel to nature. The results show there are more factors for ‘escape’ trips than urban density and lack of green spaces. Examples of car-free lifestyles hindering domestic leisure travel were also found. Our study shows how a qualitative approach offers nuanced insight into the travel motivations of urbanites. Considering our results and travel motivation literature, the compensation hypothesis appears to be an overly narrow theoretical framing. Our study supports the conclusion that planning policies should aim at reducing car-dependence. Further research is needed for specific policy recommendations

Correction: Dillman et al. Review and Meta-Analysis of EVs: Embodied Emissions and Environmental Breakeven. Sustainability 2020, 12, 9390

Publisher Copyright: © 2021, MDPI AG. All rights reserved.The authors would like to make the following corrections about the published paper [1]. The changes are as follows: (1) Replacing affiliation 3: Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Iceland with: Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, 00076 Aalto, Finland (2) Replacing the sentence in “Section 4.3. The Distances of Intersection Points (DIPs)” on page 16: Additionally, the UK, Cyprus, and Greece saw breakeven points beyond the vehicles’ assumed lifetime. The darker red the country, the greater the number of kilometers required to be driven to meet the DIP point. In the petrol case (Figure 7b), no countries saw a DIP greater than the vehicles’ assumed lifetime. The minimum estimated DIPs were approximately 34,100 and 18,000 km for the diesel and petrol cases, respectively, which were both found in Iceland. France and the other Nordic countries follow not far behind Iceland. with: Additionally, only Cyprus saw breakeven points beyond the vehicles’ assumed lifetime. The darker red the country, the greater the number of kilometers required to be driven to meet the DIP point. In the petrol case (Figure 7b), no countries saw a DIP greater than the vehicles’ assumed lifetime. The minimum estimated DIPs were approximately 31,100 and 17,000 km for the diesel and petrol cases, respectively, which were both found in Iceland. France and the other Nordic countries follow not far behind Iceland. (3) Replacing the sentence in “Section 4.4. Emissions Disparity (ED)” on page 16: Figure 8a shows that in comparison with diesel vehicles, EVs are estimated to have more GHG emissions over their life cycle in seven countries. All countries that are not blue have a negative ED (Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Malta, and the UK). with: Figure 8a shows that in comparison with diesel vehicles, EVs are estimated to have more GHG emissions over their life cycle in seven countries. All countries that are not blue have a negative ED (Latvia, Estonia, Poland, Greece, Cyprus, and Malta). (3) Replacing the sentence in “Section 4.5. Maximum Production Emissions (MPEs)” on page 16: Within the diesel case, it can be seen that the non-blue blue colored countries (Poland, Malta, and Latvia) require negative MPE’s to be environmentally viable, obviously an unrealistic case. with: Within the diesel case, it can be seen that the only non-blue colored country is Latvia, where a negative MPE would be required to be environmentally viable, which is obviously an unrealistic case. (4) As a continuation of this issue, the authors need to replace the original Figure 7: (Figure presented) Figure 7. The distances of intersection points (DIPs; measured in thousands of kilometers) between an EV and (a) a diesel vehicle for comparison; (b) a petrol vehicle for comparison (in Figure 7a, the diesel DIP case, Malta does not intersect, and is thus highlighted in orange, but cannot be seen due to its relative size on the map). with: (Figure presented)

Tourism, climate change, and the good life: Searching for moderation

The article discusses the importance of various concepts of well-being, good life, and human needs in climate protection. To this end, tourism literature is explored and critically evaluated concerning its prevalent hedonic and eudaimonic trends. The author proposes a wider application of the ‘theory of human needs’ to reduce tourism’s climate impacts and search for ways to meet people’s needs without overburdening the environment. Another aspect is the idea of moderation and restoring it as a concept of the good life. Given the climate crisis, it seems critical to highlight and socially negotiate the boundaries between moderation and excess, the need and luxury – also in the context of travelling. This is where concepts derived from the theory of needs such as ‘alternative need satisfiers’, ‘need satisfier escalation’, and sufficiency may prove useful. The article ends with references to patterns emerging in the Polish culture and a reflection on the resulting opportunities. Particular attention is paid to the 'krajoznawstwo' tradition – touring focused on learning about visited locations’ social, cultural, and historical background – and the possibility of opening up to the world without leaving home

Geoinformation Analysis of Poznań Residents’ Quality of Life in Relation to the Structural Pattern of Green Spaces

Wydział Nauk Geograficznych i GeologicznychRozprawa zawiera badanie zależności między układem strukturalnym zieleni w Poznaniu, a ocenami jakości życia mieszkańców miasta. Pierwszym celem badawczym było rozpoznanie aktywności korzystnych dla jakości życia wykonywanych w obrębie terenów zieleni. Najczęściej podawanym przez respondentów sposobem spędzania wolnego czasu i docierania do terenów zieleni było spacerowanie. Duże parki i lasy wspierają aktywność fizyczną, głównie ze względu na ich rozmiar i infrastrukturę. Mniejsze parki i skwery są wykorzystywane głównie do biernego wypoczynku i spotkań towarzyskich. Mieszkańcy Poznania wysoce cenią bliskość lasów, gruntów rolnych i prywatnych ogrodów. Drugim celem było wykrycie zależności pomiędzy układem strukturalnym zieleni miejskiej a ocenami jakości życia mieszkańców. Modele regresji pokazały, że cechy środowiska geograficznego odgrywają rolę w kształtowaniu samooceny stanu zdrowia i poczucia szczęścia mieszkańców Poznania, jednak nie jest to rola bardzo silna. Trzecim celem był rozwój metod geoinformacyjnych. Do pozyskania danych pierwotnych wykorzystano ankietę papierową i geoankietę internetową, co pozwoliło na wzbogacenie danych o współrzędne geograficzne. Za pomocą miar geoinformacyjnych opisano cechy środowiska geograficznego w otoczeniu miejsc zamieszkania respondentów i oceniono jakość zastosowanych miar porównując je z subiektywnymi ocenami jakości środowiska geograficznego.The thesis includes a study of relationships between structural pattern of green spaces in Poznań, and its residents’ perceived quality of life. The first research goal was to explore activities beneficial for wellbeing that are performed within green spaces. The most common activity and travel mode used to reach green spaces was walking. Large parks and forests support physical activity, mostly because of their size and infrastructure. Smaller parks and green squares are used mostly for passive relaxation and social activities. Residents of Poznań highly appreciate closeness to forests, agricultural lands and private gardens. The second goal was to find relationships between structural pattern of green spaces and perceived quality of life. Regression models showed that environmental characteristics play a significant role in shaping self-rated health and feelings of happiness, but their role is not very strong. The third goal was to develop geoinformation methods. Both paper questionnaire and Web-based geo-questionnaire were used to elicit primary data, which allowed to enrich the data set with geographical coordinates. Geoinformation methods were used to measures environmental characteristics of participants’ residential neighborhoods. The quality of methods was then evaluated by comparison with subjective evaluations of environmental quality