Climate Change and Cities of Lithuania: Threats, Problems and Prerequisites for Solution
The emerging threats of climate change and their impacts on cities and residents are increasingly highlighting the need to assess whether countries are adequately prepared for the potential consequences of this process. While many international agreements on climate change, sustainable development a...
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MDPI AG
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Urban Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/8/4/186 |
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| author | Evaldas Ramanauskas Arūnas Bukantis Liucijus Dringelis Giedrius Kaveckis Gintė Jonkutė-Vilkė |
| author_facet | Evaldas Ramanauskas Arūnas Bukantis Liucijus Dringelis Giedrius Kaveckis Gintė Jonkutė-Vilkė |
| author_sort | Evaldas Ramanauskas |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The emerging threats of climate change and their impacts on cities and residents are increasingly highlighting the need to assess whether countries are adequately prepared for the potential consequences of this process. While many international agreements on climate change, sustainable development and environmental protection have been adopted, countries often face various local obstacles that hinder their implementation. To address these issues, this paper reviews the climate change projections, emerging threats and hazards in Lithuania and their potential impacts on the country’s cities and highlights the main challenges in preparing for these growing threats. This article presents an evaluation of the climate change forecasts and past climate events in three selected Lithuanian cities—Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. The study includes a diagnostic assessment of the climate changes since 1961 and climate change forecasts up to 2100, based on the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, using regional and global climate models. It identifies the impacts of potential climate change consequences on cities, forming the basis for the evaluation of the urban situation in the country. The urban situation is assessed in terms of legislation, urban development, environmental requirements and the development of safety infrastructure. Based on the evaluation of urban development, preliminary proposals are provided for the creation of a resilient living environment. One of the key proposals in shaping the living environment—which could be particularly significant in adapting to emerging threats—is the complex formation of new, sustainable urban structures that take into account the social, ecological and economic factors of climate change and other rising threats. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2aa0792298cc49f1b0e2f1300dd5111e |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2413-8851 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Urban Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-2aa0792298cc49f1b0e2f1300dd5111e2025-08-20T02:39:41ZengMDPI AGUrban Science2413-88512024-10-018418610.3390/urbansci8040186Climate Change and Cities of Lithuania: Threats, Problems and Prerequisites for SolutionEvaldas Ramanauskas0Arūnas Bukantis1Liucijus Dringelis2Giedrius Kaveckis3Gintė Jonkutė-Vilkė4Institute of Architecture and Construction, Kaunas University of Technology, Tunelio Str. 60, LT-44405 Kaunas, LithuaniaDepartment of Hydrology and Climatology, Institute of Geosciences, Vilnius University, M.K. Ciurlionio Str. 21-315, LT-03101 Vilnius, LithuaniaInstitute of Architecture and Construction, Kaunas University of Technology, Tunelio Str. 60, LT-44405 Kaunas, LithuaniaInstitute of Architecture and Construction, Kaunas University of Technology, Tunelio Str. 60, LT-44405 Kaunas, LithuaniaInstitute of Architecture and Construction, Kaunas University of Technology, Tunelio Str. 60, LT-44405 Kaunas, LithuaniaThe emerging threats of climate change and their impacts on cities and residents are increasingly highlighting the need to assess whether countries are adequately prepared for the potential consequences of this process. While many international agreements on climate change, sustainable development and environmental protection have been adopted, countries often face various local obstacles that hinder their implementation. To address these issues, this paper reviews the climate change projections, emerging threats and hazards in Lithuania and their potential impacts on the country’s cities and highlights the main challenges in preparing for these growing threats. This article presents an evaluation of the climate change forecasts and past climate events in three selected Lithuanian cities—Vilnius, Kaunas and Klaipėda. The study includes a diagnostic assessment of the climate changes since 1961 and climate change forecasts up to 2100, based on the RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, using regional and global climate models. It identifies the impacts of potential climate change consequences on cities, forming the basis for the evaluation of the urban situation in the country. The urban situation is assessed in terms of legislation, urban development, environmental requirements and the development of safety infrastructure. Based on the evaluation of urban development, preliminary proposals are provided for the creation of a resilient living environment. One of the key proposals in shaping the living environment—which could be particularly significant in adapting to emerging threats—is the complex formation of new, sustainable urban structures that take into account the social, ecological and economic factors of climate change and other rising threats.https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/8/4/186climate changeheatwavesstormsfloodswar dangerssustainable urban planning of towns |
| spellingShingle | Evaldas Ramanauskas Arūnas Bukantis Liucijus Dringelis Giedrius Kaveckis Gintė Jonkutė-Vilkė Climate Change and Cities of Lithuania: Threats, Problems and Prerequisites for Solution Urban Science climate change heatwaves storms floods war dangers sustainable urban planning of towns |
| title | Climate Change and Cities of Lithuania: Threats, Problems and Prerequisites for Solution |
| title_full | Climate Change and Cities of Lithuania: Threats, Problems and Prerequisites for Solution |
| title_fullStr | Climate Change and Cities of Lithuania: Threats, Problems and Prerequisites for Solution |
| title_full_unstemmed | Climate Change and Cities of Lithuania: Threats, Problems and Prerequisites for Solution |
| title_short | Climate Change and Cities of Lithuania: Threats, Problems and Prerequisites for Solution |
| title_sort | climate change and cities of lithuania threats problems and prerequisites for solution |
| topic | climate change heatwaves storms floods war dangers sustainable urban planning of towns |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/8/4/186 |
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