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Climate change (CC) affects cities, as well as agriculture and natural areas. To date we are not able to predict exactly the dramatic impact and the transformations it will cause. According to the scientific community, CC will affect billions of human beings as well as other animal and plant species and habitats as a whole.
Cities, the ecological niche of the human species, are particularly affected by the effects of climate change: concrete and asphalt surfaces heat up very much, rainwater cannot penetrate the waterproofed soil, anthropization has almost eliminated biodiversity. All this reduces the quality of life, but also damages the urban ecosystem that could help mitigate the impact of climate change.
Too often, improvised urban reforestation programs are used as slogans, like green washing, but they are not implementable or in any case their real effectiveness is not known. It is therefore necessary to carry out urban regeneration interventions based on scientific data, which guide design choices: planting the right trees in the right conditions and with adequate care, using paving that is functional for mobility but effective for mitigating the extremes of the urban climate (high albedo, drainage etc.), etc., etc.. The solution to this complex problem is not simple and requires diversified and scientifically validated strategies.
For these reasons, a research project “Florence climate change” has been developed that sees the entire city of Florence as a model where the impact of climate change and urbanization can be studied with the aim of identifying and testing possible mitigation and adaptation measures.
Specifically, the municipal territory was divided into homogeneous zones according to indicators of urban morphology, construction materials, microclimate (Local Climate Zones), biodiversity etc., identifying the areas with high building density, typical of historic centres, open areas, up to industrial and commercial areas and public parks and gardens.
In these zones, sample areas are identified, the Elementary Urban Typologies (TUE), similar for characteristics, in order to propose and test targeted mitigation actions for each zone. Mitigation and adaptation interventions to climate change will be tested in the TUEs, which are mainly inspired by sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS) and green solutions based on natural processes (Nature based solutions – NBS.
The solutions to be adopted are proposed and shared by the entire research team also on the basis of the results of the ex ante monitoring carried out on each test area in the various areas of the research.
The project proposals will then be evaluated using mathematical models that simulate the effects of the planned interventions on microclimatic parameters, also allowing the adjustment of the project before implementation.
The project, as remodeled following the post-simulation checks, will then be built. The effectiveness of the implemented solutions will then be tested during the multi-year monitoring period, carried out in all research areas: microclimate, micro terrestrial mammals, bats, insects (apoidea, etc.), birds, plant species, photosynthesis of arboreal specimens, etc.
The research project, coordinated by Alberto Giuntoli, is composed of a specialized design team made up of our firm’s designers (Silvia Bellesi, Daniele Olivero, Fabio Villasanta, Lorenzo Casulli, Milena Meniconi, Martina Simeone) and a rich group of researchers from various backgrounds who will be involved in scientific advice and monitoring.
In detail, the researchers involved will be:
CNR-IBE: Marco Morabito, Alessandro Zaldei, Alfonso Crisci, Giulia Guerri, Genaro Albini, Stefano Secci,
Tommaso Giorndano
CNR-IRET: Andrea Vivano, Emiliano Mori, Flavio Monti, Leonardo Ancillotto, Marco Morabito
CNR-IPSP: Giovanni Emiliani, Giovanni Marino, Riccardo Maetzke, Rosamaria Salvatori, Valeria Palchetti
CNR-IBBR: Sara Pignattelli
CNR-IIA: Roberto Salzano
UNIFI DAGRI: Francesco Ferrini, Ermes Lo Piccolo, Federico Selvi, Elisa Carrari
UNIFI BIO: Francesca Romana Dani, Catalina Oana Moldoveanu, Martino Maggioni
UNIFI DICEA: Alessandro Marradi
APPROFONDIMENTI, PUBBLICAZIONI E ARTICOLI SCIENTIFICI
Firenze Climate Change, Fondazione Capellino
Firenze laboratorio internazionale su cambiamento climatico e biodiversità, Comune di Firenze
