Social-ecological justice in cities: a spatial vulnerability approach

Abstract Ecological and social injustices are deeply intertwined, yet their integration into strategic spatial planning is widely lacking. This paper presents a spatial, participatory, multi-criteria approach to assess social-ecological vulnerabilities in the Metropolitan Area of Krakow (MK), Poland...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Johannes Langemeyer, Svea Busse, Agnieszka Arabas, Giulia Benati, Tomasz Bergier, Sara Maestre-Andrés, Isabel Melo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:npj Urban Sustainability
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00234-8
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849238606711881728
author Johannes Langemeyer
Svea Busse
Agnieszka Arabas
Giulia Benati
Tomasz Bergier
Sara Maestre-Andrés
Isabel Melo
author_facet Johannes Langemeyer
Svea Busse
Agnieszka Arabas
Giulia Benati
Tomasz Bergier
Sara Maestre-Andrés
Isabel Melo
author_sort Johannes Langemeyer
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Ecological and social injustices are deeply intertwined, yet their integration into strategic spatial planning is widely lacking. This paper presents a spatial, participatory, multi-criteria approach to assess social-ecological vulnerabilities in the Metropolitan Area of Krakow (MK), Poland. Our approach incorporates co-created insights into urban vulnerabilities, considering social and ecological sensitivities alongside exposure to social and environmental hazards. In collaboration with local planning bodies, the co-creation process identified ten critical vulnerabilities, including to river flooding, to noise pollution, and to drought. A comprehensive data analysis with 47 indicators mapped social and ecological vulnerabilities spatially. This detailed assessment establishes a foundation for a strategic spatial planning in MK, suggesting a paradigm shift towards social-ecological needs-based green space planning and addressing spatially explicit social-ecological vulnerabilities under consideration of diverse preferences.
format Article
id doaj-art-3f3b43d9e9234a1ab7a1ee8efe2d8aab
institution Kabale University
issn 2661-8001
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series npj Urban Sustainability
spelling doaj-art-3f3b43d9e9234a1ab7a1ee8efe2d8aab2025-08-20T04:01:34ZengNature Portfolionpj Urban Sustainability2661-80012025-07-015111710.1038/s42949-025-00234-8Social-ecological justice in cities: a spatial vulnerability approachJohannes Langemeyer0Svea Busse1Agnieszka Arabas2Giulia Benati3Tomasz Bergier4Sara Maestre-Andrés5Isabel Melo6Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaInstitute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaKrakow Metropolis AssociationInstitute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaFaculty of Geo-Data Science, Geodesy and Environmental Engineering, AGH University of KrakowInstitute of Environmental Science and Technology, Universitat Autònoma de BarcelonaInstituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander von HumboldtAbstract Ecological and social injustices are deeply intertwined, yet their integration into strategic spatial planning is widely lacking. This paper presents a spatial, participatory, multi-criteria approach to assess social-ecological vulnerabilities in the Metropolitan Area of Krakow (MK), Poland. Our approach incorporates co-created insights into urban vulnerabilities, considering social and ecological sensitivities alongside exposure to social and environmental hazards. In collaboration with local planning bodies, the co-creation process identified ten critical vulnerabilities, including to river flooding, to noise pollution, and to drought. A comprehensive data analysis with 47 indicators mapped social and ecological vulnerabilities spatially. This detailed assessment establishes a foundation for a strategic spatial planning in MK, suggesting a paradigm shift towards social-ecological needs-based green space planning and addressing spatially explicit social-ecological vulnerabilities under consideration of diverse preferences.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00234-8
spellingShingle Johannes Langemeyer
Svea Busse
Agnieszka Arabas
Giulia Benati
Tomasz Bergier
Sara Maestre-Andrés
Isabel Melo
Social-ecological justice in cities: a spatial vulnerability approach
npj Urban Sustainability
title Social-ecological justice in cities: a spatial vulnerability approach
title_full Social-ecological justice in cities: a spatial vulnerability approach
title_fullStr Social-ecological justice in cities: a spatial vulnerability approach
title_full_unstemmed Social-ecological justice in cities: a spatial vulnerability approach
title_short Social-ecological justice in cities: a spatial vulnerability approach
title_sort social ecological justice in cities a spatial vulnerability approach
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s42949-025-00234-8
work_keys_str_mv AT johanneslangemeyer socialecologicaljusticeincitiesaspatialvulnerabilityapproach
AT sveabusse socialecologicaljusticeincitiesaspatialvulnerabilityapproach
AT agnieszkaarabas socialecologicaljusticeincitiesaspatialvulnerabilityapproach
AT giuliabenati socialecologicaljusticeincitiesaspatialvulnerabilityapproach
AT tomaszbergier socialecologicaljusticeincitiesaspatialvulnerabilityapproach
AT saramaestreandres socialecologicaljusticeincitiesaspatialvulnerabilityapproach
AT isabelmelo socialecologicaljusticeincitiesaspatialvulnerabilityapproach