1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Book project: Making sense of research for sustainable land management (GLUES)

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Climate Change - Land Use Strategies (CC-LandStraD / GLUES)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Thünen Institute (Thünen Institute) - Germany

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) - Germany

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.5 Reference to Questionnaire(s) on SLM Approaches (documented using WOCAT)

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

A scenario simulation of land use change where high-quality inner urban development is promoted, including the rehabilitation of brownfields, reuse of vacant lots, use of gaps between buildings and the improvement of existing structures.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The best means of reducing land loss by settlement and infrastructure development is through fulfilling inner urban development potential. This “compact settlement development” makes the most efficient use of space. Simultaneously it contributes to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by the maintenance of farmland or forest areas on the outskirts of urban areas. One example is the rehabilitation and utilization of “brownfields”, including previous industrial areas. Another example is redevelopment of transportation infrastructure within settlements or on the urban fringe. However, the revitalization and utilization of brownfields is often expensive. Other aspects of inner urban development are the reuse of vacant lots, the use of spaces between buildings and the improvement of existing building structures by adding extra floors.

Purpose of the Technology: Through these developments, the rate of daily land consumption by settlement and transportation can be reduced. In Germany, such land loss reached 73 ha/day in 2010. According to a survey commissioned by the Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning, 20% of existing brownfields and vacant lots can be brought into use in the short term and another 50% of the total in the long term: 30% cannot be developed for various reasons including disputed tenure. The ambitious aim of the sustainability strategy of the German federal government is to reduce today’s daily land consumption for settlement and transport from the current 73 ha/day to 30 ha/day by 2020. However this appears unrealistic: nevertheless with high-quality inner urban development technology, this could be achieved by 2030. If the technology is planned and implemented through scenario simulation of sectoral land use changes in Germany (agriculture, forest and settlements), then calculations show that the daily land loss by settlement and transport could be reduced from 45 ha/day in a “business as usual” scenario (with some improvements assumed) to 30 ha/per day in 2030 by using high-quality inner urban development measures.

Establishment / maintenance activities and inputs: During re-densification of urban areas sufficient green spaces must be protected to address climate change considerations such as higher temperatures and more runoff. High urban densities lead to an increase in the “heat island effect” (a combination of extensive urban/ suburban landscapes with reduced air circulation, little cloud cover and long periods of high temperature). Thus, the rehabilitation of brownfields has to go along with the transformation of impervious surfaces into permeable ones, and planning of corridors for air exchange by “green and blue climate corridors” (public parks, ponds and rivers). There are several initiatives to establish high quality inner urban development in Germany. These include: 1) “Inner before external” urban development within the Federal Building Law; 2) Many communities operating a brownfields and vacant lots cadastre; 3) General management of urban areas. Nevertheless, the reuse of inner city brownfields often requires considerable and costly remediation of contaminated sites. Due to the ownership issues of vacant lots, many are not easily accessible through municipalities, and this complicates their development. In other cases, available construction areas or buildings are not appropriate to the needs of investors.

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The technology documented here is a scenario simulation of land use change and not the realisation of a specific inner urban development project.

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

Comments:

Major land use problems (compiler’s opinion): Land use for settlement and transport leads to imperviousness, and a reduction of high quality agricultural areas. Sealed surfaces increase runoff during heavy rain events, and high building densities promote the development of urban heat islands.

Major land use problems (land users’ perception): In fast-growing regions, high demand requires the supply of additional land for construction.

Future (final) land use (after implementation of SLM Technology): Other: Oo: Other: wastelands, deserts, glaciers, swamps, recreation areas, etc

Type of cropping system and major crops comments: not applicable

Constraints of settlement / urban: Data availability for locations of brownfields, vacant lots and vacancies

Constraints of infrastructure network (roads, railways, pipe lines, power lines): Data availability for locations of brownfields, vacant lots and vacancies

Constraints of recreation: Data availability for locations of brownfields, vacant lots and vacancies

Constraints of brownfields: Data availability for locations of brownfields, vacant lots and vacancies

Number of growing seasons per year: 1

3.3 Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

Has land use changed due to the implementation of the Technology?

• No (Continue with question 3.4)

Comments:

Other: Os: Settlements, infrastructure networks

3.5 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• Compact settlement development

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Main measures: management measures

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Main type of degradation addressed: Pu: loss of bio-productive function due to other activities

Secondary types of degradation addressed: Pk: sealing and crusting, Bh: loss of habitats, Bq: quantity / biomass decline

Main causes of degradation: urbanisation and infrastructure development

Secondary causes of degradation: population pressure, inputs and infrastructure: (roads, markets, distribution of water points, other, …), governance / institutional

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• reduce land degradation

Comments:

Main goals: mitigation / reduction of land degradation

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.3 Establishment activities

	Activity	Timing (season)
1.	Data collection	Half a year
2.	Implementation into the model and model calibration	Half a year
3.	Model runs	one month
4.	Evaluation	one month
5.	Scenario development

4.7 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Measures can be very different in terms of inputs and costs, and depend on the specific situation eg contaminated area of a former petrol station can have very high rehabilitation costs due to the need to detoxify the soil before new use. However other measures cost (effectively) no money at all eg legislation governing the reduction of the distance permitted between two new buildings by the local authorities.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Landforms: plateau / plains, hill slopes, valley floors (Not relevant for technology inner urban development)

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

Difference in the involvement of women and men: Technology is not applied by land users. The technology is a scenario simulation, not a specific project of inner urban development.

Population density: 200-500 persons/km2

Annual population growth: < 0.5%

(Technology, which is a scenario simulation is not applied by land users.).

Off-farm income specification: not applicable

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land use rights:

• communal (organized)
• individual

Comments:

Land ownership: state, company, individual, not titled

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Water cycle/ runoff

Soil

Biodiversity: vegetation, animals

Climate and disaster risk reduction

Other ecological impacts

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	increase or decrease	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	not well

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Meteorological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
local rainstorm	not well
local windstorm	not known

Climatological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
drought	not known

Hydrological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
general (river) flood	not known

Other climate-related consequences

Other climate-related consequences

	How does the Technology cope with it?
reduced growing period	well
	not known

Comments:

A more intensive use of urban area through inner urban development leads also to an increase of impervious areas. These can addressed by urban blue and green corridors.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

Comments:

No answer possible, since technology is a scenario simulation.
There is no trend towards spontaneous adoption of the Technology

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Scenario simulations help to identify hot spots and can indicate regions where inner urban development should be pushed by public institutions. How can they be sustained / enhanced? Inner urban development is profitable if pressure on land is high but needs to be pushed also in regions with less pressure to protect soils, nature and climate.
Inner urban development can have positive impacts on climate adaptation How can they be sustained / enhanced? To reach positive impacts on climate adaptation issues it is necessary to establish green and blue climate corridors (e.g. network of urban greens established or optimized by re-vitalization of brownfields).
Inner urban development can rise the attractiveness of town (greater inner city mobility, compact town) How can they be sustained / enhanced? The technology improves inner-urban area development. For improvements to existing settlement areas, additional building activities (e.g. making buildings taller; concentrating housing) are possible. Side effects are a very concentrated settlement structure but with the advantage of reducing the sprawling out of settlements into agricultural land or wooded areas (i.e. outer development) and this saves GHG emissions and other ecosystem services ESS.

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Nationwide simulation cannot indicate concrete lots where inner urban development should be pushed.	The technology has shown the potential for Germany as a whole, but implementation depends on local authorities.

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

www.cc-landstrad.de

Title, author, year, ISBN:

www.bbsr.bund.de

7.3 Links to relevant online information

Title/ description:

www.cc-landstrad.de

Title/ description:

www.bbsr.bund.de