Smart and Sustainable Cities

Conveners: E. Dovletyarova (RUDN University)

The sustainable development of urban green infrastructure is a key factor in creating a comfortable and environmentally safe urban environment. A novel vision of the design and management of green infrastructure are based on the assessment and prediction of ecosystem functions and services of green spaces, followed by their integration into the design processes of new landscaping projects. This session will explore new approaches and advanced technologies for monitoring and assessing the condition and functioning of green spaces from environmental, economic, and legal perspectives. A wide range of solutions will be discussed, including instrumental and remote sensing technologies for inventory, IoT-based sensor monitoring, approaches to green space planning and design, as well as forecasting and evaluating the environmental, economic, and social benefits of greening. Special attention will be paid to the development of regulations and best practices for functional greening. We invite researchers with experience in assessing the condition and functioning of urban green spaces, practitioners in the field of landscape planning, landscaping and urban greening, as well as experts in legal regulation and management of urban green infrastructure assets.

Conveners: S. Chalov (Lomonosov Moscow State University), A. Kasimov (Sultan Qaboos University)

Urban development has historically been shaped by water resources. Rivers, ponds, and canals are key components of the urban landscape, providing important logistical, recreational, aesthetic, and ecological functions. Urbanization exerts constant pressures on the spatial structure and functions of water bodies, while simultaneously increasing the risks of negative impacts from climate change. Pluvial flooding has become a persistent problem for cities, and solutions for capturing and retaining surface runoff are becoming increasingly important in urban planning. This section will provide a platform for discussing the transformation of stormwater management approaches in the context of climate change. Advanced approaches to multi-scale hydrological monitoring and modeling will be examined. Significant attention will be paid to modeling water flow in soils and layered soil constructions as a basis for developing advanced landscape engineering methods and nature-based solutions for filtration, accumulation, and treating surface runoff. A separate segment will be devoted to legal and institutional barriers, as well as the development of standards for integrating blue-green solutions into urban planning practices. We invite hydrologists, ecologists, urban planners, and landscape engineers interested in redefining the role of water in the city as a resource, rather than a threat, to join the dialogue.

Conveners: A. Chernokulsky (Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences), E. Mortikov (Lomonosov Moscow State University)

Clean air and comfortable microclimate are the key factors distinguishing quality of life in cities. Although urbanization is recognized as one of the main sources of anthropogenic impact on the climate, large cities are particularly vulnerable to the consequences of climate change: heatwaves, pluvial flooding, and extreme wind gusts. Air pollution from industrial enterprises and transport has a direct negative impact on the health of urban residents. Urban green infrastructure (UGI) has significant potential to reduce health risks for residents by creating cooling effects and promoting the deposition of particulate matter. The assessment and prediction of these ecosystem functions of green infrastructure are essential for the sustainable development of the urban environment. This session will serve as a key platform for discussing advanced approaches to monitoring, modeling, and assessing urban climate conditions and air quality, as well as measures for climate adaptation and pollution mitigation. Special attention will be paid to nature-based solutions for improving thermal comfort and air quality through shading, evapotranspiration, albedo enhancement, and ventilation, as well as their integration into urban design—both at the city scale and at the level of individual greening projects. A separate block will be dedicated to advances in research tools, including remote sensing methods, meso- and microclimatic models, machine learning for predictive modeling, IoT sensor-based monitoring technologies, participatory practices, and living labs. We invite climatologists, ecologists, urban planners, landscape architects, and green infrastructure specialists interested in developing scientifically based approaches to enhancing the climate resilience of cities and improving urban environmental quality to join the dialogue.

Conveners: A. Smagin (Lomonosov Moscow State University), S. Gorbov (Lomonosov Moscow State University of Science and Technology)

Soil is a key component of the ecosystem, providing important ecosystem functions and services: supporting the growth of herbaceous and woody vegetation, regulating air quality, infiltration and accumulation of rain water, sustaining soil organisms, absorbing and degrading pollutants to prevent their migration into adjacent natural environments, and maintaining biodiversity within urban areas. Modern approaches to urban planning and practices for sustainable urban development rely on the rational use and management of urban soils as a vital natural resource. They require up-to-date data on the condition, functioning, and health of urban soils. The high spatial heterogeneity and temporal dynamics of urban soils require advanced research methods, including real-time soil function monitoring systems, process-based models of carbon, heat, water, and solute fluxes, digital soil mapping approaches, and proximal sensing techniques for field surveys.

This session will be dedicated to discussing the role of urban soils in the sustainable functioning of the urban environment and the ecological safety of city life. Contemporary approaches to modeling, monitoring, and assessing the ecosystem functions of urban soils will be examined in the context of the soil health concept. Considerable attention will be given to soil construction technologies, including smart technologies for creating soils with specific functionalities (e.g., bioremediation, stormwater retention, water accumulation in rhizosphere, and carbon sequestration). These approaches are particularly relevant for regions with low native soil fertility, such as Arctic, arid, and saline areas. Current knowledge on urban soil functions will be discussed in the context of updating existing regulatory frameworks for soil quality control, soil resource management, and the design, creation, and maintenance of urban greening and landscaping facilities.

We invite soil scientists and researchers from various geographical regions, municipal services involved in soil quality monitoring and control, producers of technogenic soils and their components, as well as experts in environmental regulation and soil resource management to participate.

Conveners: V. Vasenev (RUDN)

The assessment of the environmental condition and sustainable development of urban and industrial areas in the Russian Arctic is a priority area for research and the implementation of strategic programs and investment projects at various levels. The region's high resource potential drives current trends in its comprehensive economic development, encompassing not only industrial and mining enterprises but also the creation of a comfortable and safe urban environment. Sustainable urban development is determined by environmental and socio-economic factors, the quality of the urban environment, and the health and safety of the population. Effective solutions require an integrated interdisciplinary approach, as well as the knowledge and infrastructure necessary to implement large-scale projects in monitoring, modeling, and designing sustainable ecosystems in the Russian Arctic. Urban green infrastructure plays a crucial role in shaping a comfortable urban environment by delivering important ecosystem functions and services. The assessment and prediction of these functions and services form the basis for designing and creating sustainable greening in the extreme conditions of an Arctic city.

This session will be dedicated to the analysis and environmental assessment of urban and industrial landscapes in Arctic. We will discuss a wide range of issues related to urban space design—from pre-design surveys and sociological research to the development of concepts and regulations for maintenance. Special attention will be paid to modern technologies for environmental monitoring and ecosystem modeling (IoT sensors, living labs, digital twins), as well as nature-based solutions for the remediation of disturbed lands, carbon sequestration, and biodiversity restoration. We are also interested in discussing projects in the fields of citizen science, participatory design, and environmental education. We invite urban planners and landscapers, soil scientists and dendrologists, climatologists and hydrologists, government representatives and public organizations, as well as anyone willing to share unique experiences in studying and sustainable development of Arctic cities.

Detailed information about this round table will be available here.

Detailed information about this round table will be available here.