Enza Simeone (p), Alessia Casamassima, David Castells-Quintana

Liliana Florez

In recent years, urban sustainability initiatives have gained increasing attention as regions and cities seek to mitigate environmental degradation and improve public health. In this paper, we study the connection between air pollution, health outcomes and mortality in European cities and regions. Specifically, we analyze the extent to which mortality may have increased due to the concentration of air pollutants such as particulate matter (PM 2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O₃). Additionally, we analyze the potential impact of Smart Cities projects on the evolution of air pollution across European cities and regions. To do so, we build a rich panel dataset, merging information at the NUTS 2 and NUTS 3 level in Europe, including information for 642 large cities in Europe, over the 2013-2022 period. We draw on air quality monitoring datasets from European Environment Agency (EEA), mortality statistics from Eurostat, and policy reports from Smart Cities Marketplace to provide a comprehensive understanding of the environmental and health transformations associated with these urban initiatives.
In addition to assessing changes in air quality, we examine the corresponding effects on public health, looking at the deaths number by age group which are strongly linked to air pollution exposure. By comparing mortality in "Smart Cities" with those in non-participating urban areas, this study seeks to identify whether the adoption of these projects has led to measurable changes in mortality. Using our rich dataset, we implement several panel data techniques, including a difference-in-difference specification to identify the impact of the implementation of Smart Cities projects.
Our findings aim to contribute to the growing dialogue on sustainable urban governance by assessing the effectiveness of EU Green City projects in reducing air pollution and enhancing public health. The results can offer valuable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and public health officials, emphasizing the need for expanded implementation of smart, green initiatives in urban settings. Ultimately, this study underscores the critical role of sustainable city policies in fostering healthier and more resilient urban environments across Europe.

Liliana Florez (p)

Aye Mon Mon Kyaw

This paper presents the first stage of the doctoral research: Adaptive governance models for the management of climate change scenarios in Sumapaz (Colombia): an approach from the theory of Transition Design. The objective of the thesis is to analyse, in the context of climate change scenarios, the governance processes in the management of the territory of communities living in urban fringe areas, in order to propose new models of adaptive governance that lead to new approaches in the resolution of conflicts related to adaptation and improvement of public policies in the field of climate crisis. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on the relationship between the Sumapaz area, taken as a case study, and the territorial struggles developed over the last 50 years in defence of the territory. The methodological approach is made up of two phases: the first phase presents a reflection on the territorial struggles in defence of the territory in the Sumapaz area, a rural locality to the south of the capital of Colombia, Bogotá, an area where the Blanco and Sumapaz rivers originate, and which is home to one of the largest water reserves in Colombia, currently facing the effects of the climate crisis. The second phase relates a theoretical framework of the relationships between design and the climate crisis, showing how the evolution of design and the emergence of new concepts are contributing to the search for solutions to the climate crisis. As expected results, an analysis will be presented in the light of Transition Design, exploring the connections between academic knowledge, community knowledge and experiential knowledge in the Sumapaz case study.

Aye Mon Mon Kyaw (p), Hong Sok(Brian) Kim

Enza Simeone

Climate change poses significant threats to agriculture, especially in regions heavily rely on farming for economic stability and food security. This study explores the economic impact of climate change on crop revenue in Delta region, an area critical for the Myanmar’s rice production. Using the Ricardian approach, the research analyzes how crop revenue sensitive to changes in seasonal temperature and rainfall employing primary data of 1,115 major rice farmers. The findings indicate that climate change significantly influences crop revenue, having a strong negative impact but a weaker positive effect in the study areas. Using Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) climate projection scenarios, this study found that projected climate change will negatively impact future crop revenue. The empirical results underscore the importance of future preparedness of adaptation and risk management practices at both on-farm level and in policy making.