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The quality of life in our cities critically depends on the intelligent planning and shaping of urban living space, in particular urban nature. By providing a wide range of ecosystem services (ES), urban nature essentially contributes to the well-being of city dwellers and plays a major role in avoiding common diseases through its positive impact on physical and mental health. Health is one of the most important factors underlying human welfare and is, thus, vital to sustainable development. The ES of urban green space provide other social-cultural functions alongside public health, for example by fostering environmental justice and citizenship participation. Thus, they should always be considered when searching for solutions to urban problems. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of green areas in three selected cities on the health and well-being of people by self-reporting of green areas’ visitors. To this end, we posed the research question: which types and characteristics of urban green space are most appreciated by city dwellers? Based on our findings, we have drawn up recommendations for practices to promote better living conditions. We have also pinpointed obstacles to and opportunities for leisure time activities as well as ways of supporting the public health of citizens.
Ralf-Uwe Syrbe; Ina Neumann; Karsten Grunewald; Patrycia Brzoska; Jiři Louda; Birgit Kochan; Jan Macháč; Lenka Dubová; Petr Meyer; Jan Brabec; Olaf Bastian. The Value of Urban Nature in Terms of Providing Ecosystem Services Related to Health and Well-Being: An Empirical Comparative Pilot Study of Cities in Germany and the Czech Republic. Land 2021, 10, 341 .
AMA StyleRalf-Uwe Syrbe, Ina Neumann, Karsten Grunewald, Patrycia Brzoska, Jiři Louda, Birgit Kochan, Jan Macháč, Lenka Dubová, Petr Meyer, Jan Brabec, Olaf Bastian. The Value of Urban Nature in Terms of Providing Ecosystem Services Related to Health and Well-Being: An Empirical Comparative Pilot Study of Cities in Germany and the Czech Republic. Land. 2021; 10 (4):341.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRalf-Uwe Syrbe; Ina Neumann; Karsten Grunewald; Patrycia Brzoska; Jiři Louda; Birgit Kochan; Jan Macháč; Lenka Dubová; Petr Meyer; Jan Brabec; Olaf Bastian. 2021. "The Value of Urban Nature in Terms of Providing Ecosystem Services Related to Health and Well-Being: An Empirical Comparative Pilot Study of Cities in Germany and the Czech Republic." Land 10, no. 4: 341.
The process of decarbonization and increasing the share of renewable sources of energy (RES) arising not only from European Union targets leads to development, expansion, and construction of new RES. Municipalities thus face a decision whether to support/accept RES projects or not. Although energy managers are part of the municipality management in almost all bigger cities, mayors of smaller municipalities have to go through the decision-making process on their own. The aim of the paper is to present a newly developed approach for mayors and state representatives that helps them implement the process in a user-friendly way. The paper brings a description of an approach to RES impact assessment at a municipal level based on multicriteria analysis. The RES impacts are divided into four categories: economic, social, environmental, and innovation effects. The procedure is demonstrated on an example of assessment of four sources in Czechia.
Jan Macháč; Lenka Zaňková. Renewables—To Build or Not? Czech Approach to Impact Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources with an Emphasis on Municipality Perspective. Land 2020, 9, 497 .
AMA StyleJan Macháč, Lenka Zaňková. Renewables—To Build or Not? Czech Approach to Impact Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources with an Emphasis on Municipality Perspective. Land. 2020; 9 (12):497.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJan Macháč; Lenka Zaňková. 2020. "Renewables—To Build or Not? Czech Approach to Impact Assessment of Renewable Energy Sources with an Emphasis on Municipality Perspective." Land 9, no. 12: 497.
Urban gardening provides city dwellers with a wide range of benefits. Research dealing with the benefits of community gardens (CG) is often qualitative, focused on their founders’ motivations. The objective of our contemporary quantitative study is to understand why the inhabitants of Czech cities join CGs. The paper answers the research question: “What drivers exist for members’ participation in CGs?” It also deals with how the drivers of CG members differ across CGs’ locations in different urban structures. The data were obtained through an online survey from 28 CGs across Czechia, in both the capital and smaller cities. The importance of the different drivers was examined using statistical analysis and logit models. The research shows that the main motivation for the members is not crop production itself but, rather, the spending of leisure time, social contact and relaxation. Other key drivers include the passing on of experience and knowledge about nature to children, which is found mostly among the members with previous cultivation experience. Based on our results, CGs may contribute to the development of public life and to the improvement of public space; hence, the greater support by local decision makers or spatial planners can be justified.
Lenka Dubová; Jan Macháč; Alena Vacková. Food Provision, Social Interaction or Relaxation: Which Drivers Are Vital to Being a Member of Community Gardens in Czech Cities? Sustainability 2020, 12, 9588 .
AMA StyleLenka Dubová, Jan Macháč, Alena Vacková. Food Provision, Social Interaction or Relaxation: Which Drivers Are Vital to Being a Member of Community Gardens in Czech Cities? Sustainability. 2020; 12 (22):9588.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLenka Dubová; Jan Macháč; Alena Vacková. 2020. "Food Provision, Social Interaction or Relaxation: Which Drivers Are Vital to Being a Member of Community Gardens in Czech Cities?" Sustainability 12, no. 22: 9588.
Soil protection and sustainable agriculture have become a key issue in Common Agricultural Policy. Emphasis is being placed on climate-smart agriculture, nature-friendly agricultural technologies and implementation of a range of nature-based measures to protect soil, retain water in landscape, etc. Recent agricultural policy is mostly based on qualitative assessment of the current state and impacts of technologies. Economic assessment is still missing, although subsidies and other forms of financial support are provided from both national and European Union funds. Externalities in agriculture not only generate social costs and profits for the current generation but also strongly affect future well-being. The objective of this paper is to present a newly developed approach that enables monetary assessment of externalities in agriculture. The process of monetary assessment means inclusion and calculation of all costs and benefits, including positive and negative externalities going beyond financial revenue. The methodology is based on modified cost–benefit analysis using the concept of ecosystem services. The proposed method is demonstrated on a case study in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic. This region has been struggling with drought in the last few years, but its agricultural technologies are not adapted and appropriate nature-based solutions are not implemented. Economic analysis focuses on assessment of externalities and possible measures. It covers operating and investment costs; the loss of profits due to decreasing production; and benefits consisting mainly of prevented loss of regulating services. The results show that implementation of measures is always preferable regardless of climate change and avoids society loss.
J. Macháč; M. Trantinová; L. Zaňková. Externalities in agriculture: How to include their monetary value in decision-making? International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 2020, 18, 3 -20.
AMA StyleJ. Macháč, M. Trantinová, L. Zaňková. Externalities in agriculture: How to include their monetary value in decision-making? International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology. 2020; 18 (1):3-20.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. Macháč; M. Trantinová; L. Zaňková. 2020. "Externalities in agriculture: How to include their monetary value in decision-making?" International Journal of Environmental Science and Technology 18, no. 1: 3-20.
The EU Water Framework Directive requires all water bodies within the EU member states to achieve a “good status”. Many economic assessments assume the “good status” is achieved using selected measures and evaluate only associated costs and benefits. In this paper, Bayesian networks are used to test this assumption by evaluating whether the “good status” can be achieved with the selected abatement measures. Unlike in deterministic analysis, Bayesian networks allow effectiveness of measures of the same type to vary, which adds credibility to the analysis by increasing its robustness. The approach was tested on Stanovice reservoir in Czechia using a set of 244 previously designed measures. The results show the target will be met with a probability of 72.4% using the most cost-efficient measures. Based on the results, improvements to the measure selection process are suggested.
Jan Brabec; Jan Macháč; Jiřina Jílková. Using Bayesian Networks to Assess Effectiveness of Phosphorus Abatement Measures under the Water Framework Directive. Water 2019, 11, 1791 .
AMA StyleJan Brabec, Jan Macháč, Jiřina Jílková. Using Bayesian Networks to Assess Effectiveness of Phosphorus Abatement Measures under the Water Framework Directive. Water. 2019; 11 (9):1791.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJan Brabec; Jan Macháč; Jiřina Jílková. 2019. "Using Bayesian Networks to Assess Effectiveness of Phosphorus Abatement Measures under the Water Framework Directive." Water 11, no. 9: 1791.
The chapter deals with the importance of implementing small-scale NBS for flood protection in cities. It turns out that, although NBS bring multiple environmental and social co-benefits, their real-world implementation comes up against numerous barriers, particularly if private land is needed for their implementation. Insufficient awareness of the benefits of such measures reduces stakeholders’ willingness to consider their implementation (including negotiations with private owners about provision of land for these purposes).
Jan Macháč; Jiří Louda. Urban Wetlands Restoration in Floodplains: A Case of the City of Pilsen, Czech Republic. Nature-Based Flood Risk Management on Private Land 2019, 111 -126.
AMA StyleJan Macháč, Jiří Louda. Urban Wetlands Restoration in Floodplains: A Case of the City of Pilsen, Czech Republic. Nature-Based Flood Risk Management on Private Land. 2019; ():111-126.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJan Macháč; Jiří Louda. 2019. "Urban Wetlands Restoration in Floodplains: A Case of the City of Pilsen, Czech Republic." Nature-Based Flood Risk Management on Private Land , no. : 111-126.
Recent effects of globalization, urbanization and climate change have resulted in an increasing interest in the quality of life in cities and seeking pathways for its improvement. At the same time, there are changes in society and lifestyles that may challenge or facilitate these pathways. Community gardens (CGs) represent an effort to provide more sustainable urban economies, while reflecting on the public demand for cultivation of own crops. However, members of CGs may not perceive all the benefits that CGs provide for their surroundings. Using two case studied from Czechia (CG Kuchyňka and CG Vidimova in Prague) the aim of this paper is a comparison of the benefits perceived by community garden members and the evaluated net social benefits of community gardens in cities for all local residents. Through a questionnaire survey, the paper answers the research question of the benefits of community gardens perceived by community garden members. An economic assessment based on cost-benefit analysis was made to answer the question of the value of the net social benefits of community gardens in cities. Our comparison shows that the net social benefits are higher than perceived by their members. Net present benefits of EUR 31 550 for CG Kuchyňka and EUR 1 175 for CG Vidimova were quantified in a 50-year horizon. This economic analysis should contribute to greater support for community gardens by city governments and spatial planners.
Lenka Dubová; Jan Machac. Improving the quality of life in cities using community gardens: from benefits for members to benefits for all local residents. GeoScape 2019, 13, 68 -78.
AMA StyleLenka Dubová, Jan Machac. Improving the quality of life in cities using community gardens: from benefits for members to benefits for all local residents. GeoScape. 2019; 13 (1):68-78.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLenka Dubová; Jan Machac. 2019. "Improving the quality of life in cities using community gardens: from benefits for members to benefits for all local residents." GeoScape 13, no. 1: 68-78.
Large river floods threaten intensively used urban areas across the world. Projections of IPCC expect such risks to increase in the future. To deal with flood risk along rivers water can be retained upstream at places where less damage is caused and more vulnerable land (downstream) can be adapted to the flood risk (resilient cities). This catchment-oriented approach to flood risk management implies that upstream and downstream parties need to agree on where to store and where to adapt to floods. However, this approach implies that many diverse stakeholders (such as mayors, spatial planners, homeowners, etc.) enter the decision-making process, which influences efficiency of the measure selection. Measures in a catchment of a river are often related and influence each other—what happens upstream can have substantial effects downstream. In particular, when rivers cross administrative or national boundaries, these upstream-downstream effects become an issue of hydro-diplomacy. Upstream is usually not motivated to implement measures from which mostly only downstream profits. Therefore, negotiation is necessary to find agreement between upstream and downstream and to implement the most effective and efficient measure. The negotiation becomes more complicated if multiple upstream and downstream parties are involved. In this contribution, a role-played game that tries to better understand the dynamics of negotiations in multiple upstream-downstream relationships is introduced. The game will be played with real stakeholders (mayors and river basin managers) and the dynamics of negotiation will be explored in different scenarios based on the Cultural Theory of Risk. This way, the game allows to compare effectiveness of negotiation in different scenarios. Beside the different institutional settings, the players’ level of flood risk aversion will be tested. The aim is to demonstrate (play) the game during the session focused on games and experiments. The attendees take on roles of mayors and will play one scenario of the game. The game shows how negotiations may (and indeed should from an economic point of view) lead to a Pareto-improving situation, making some players better off without worsening a situation of any other player. The demonstration presents the setup of the game and leads to discussion about results of the negotiations.
Jan Brabec; Jan Macháč; Thomas Hartmann. Role of Negotiation in Upstream-Downstream Flood Protection: Demonstration in Role-Played Flooding Game. Proceedings 2019, 30, 6 .
AMA StyleJan Brabec, Jan Macháč, Thomas Hartmann. Role of Negotiation in Upstream-Downstream Flood Protection: Demonstration in Role-Played Flooding Game. Proceedings. 2019; 30 (1):6.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJan Brabec; Jan Macháč; Thomas Hartmann. 2019. "Role of Negotiation in Upstream-Downstream Flood Protection: Demonstration in Role-Played Flooding Game." Proceedings 30, no. 1: 6.
Climate change has a strong influence on agriculture and will continue to do so in the years to come. As a result, significant social costs are generated. These effects may be eliminated by implementing various types of adaptation measures. However, the measures are also associated with costs and it is necessary to evaluate whether generated benefits and prevented climate change costs outweigh them. This contribution studies economic impacts of climate change in agriculture in the South Moravian region in a period of 2017–2040. Four scenarios are analysed based on combinations of the following states of a world (i) climate change worsens the current situation or there is no change; (ii) adaptation measures are implemented or the status quo is maintained. The scenarios are modelled based on an anthropocentric approach using a modified cost-benefit analysis and the concept of ecosystem services. The economic analysis covers investment costs, operating costs, loss of profits due to decreasing production and other costs. The benefits side consists mainly of regulation services prevented loss (thanks to lower soil erosion or better water retention), improved air quality as well as external benefits such as higher biodiversity. Based on measures effectiveness and costs, expected net present social benefits were calculated for each of the scenarios. The results showed that implementing the measures is always profitable regardless of climate change. Under no shift in climate change the estimated social loss until 2040 is 6.6 billion CZK with no measures implemented. If the situation regarding climate change becomes more serious, the net loss rises to 9.5 billion CZK. However, the implementation of adaptation measures leads to positive outcomes and is associated with net social benefits of 2.1 billion CZK if it is necessary to battle climate change and to barely positive outcome when climate change does not accelerate. The analysis confirms that implementation of adaptation measures is profitable either way (especially if climate change becomes more serious) and can serve as an argument in political decision-making as these measures appear to maintain sustainability of agricultural land use.
Jan Macháč; Jan Brabec; Marie Trantinová. Climate Change Adaptation Measures Are Economically Justifiable even under No Climate Change: Evidence from the South-Moravian Region. Proceedings 2019, 30, 7 .
AMA StyleJan Macháč, Jan Brabec, Marie Trantinová. Climate Change Adaptation Measures Are Economically Justifiable even under No Climate Change: Evidence from the South-Moravian Region. Proceedings. 2019; 30 (1):7.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJan Macháč; Jan Brabec; Marie Trantinová. 2019. "Climate Change Adaptation Measures Are Economically Justifiable even under No Climate Change: Evidence from the South-Moravian Region." Proceedings 30, no. 1: 7.
Adaptation to climate change of cities is currently becoming one of the key points in the planning processes. Adaptation contributes to preservation/improvement of the quality of life and human well-being. It should be an integral part of SMART Cities. Implementation of adaptation measures frequently faces numerous problems, including insufficient awareness of manifestations of climate change or importance of different measures. On an example of the urban district Brno-Novy Lískovec, the paper demonstrates possible approaches that play a supporting role in planning and implementation of adaptation measures. To promote further development of nature-based solutions, the paper presents an economic assessment of existing measures, including an assessment of their benefits. The results indicate that the implementation of a park with a wetland in the densely built-up area has brought high social benefits greatly exceeding the costs.
Jan Machac; K. Rybova; Jiri Louda; L. Dubova. How to support planning and implementation of climate adaptation measures in urban areas? Case study of Brno-Nový Lískovec. 2018 Smart City Symposium Prague (SCSP) 2018, 1 -6.
AMA StyleJan Machac, K. Rybova, Jiri Louda, L. Dubova. How to support planning and implementation of climate adaptation measures in urban areas? Case study of Brno-Nový Lískovec. 2018 Smart City Symposium Prague (SCSP). 2018; ():1-6.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJan Machac; K. Rybova; Jiri Louda; L. Dubova. 2018. "How to support planning and implementation of climate adaptation measures in urban areas? Case study of Brno-Nový Lískovec." 2018 Smart City Symposium Prague (SCSP) , no. : 1-6.
The EU Water Framework Directive requires all water bodies within EU member states to achieve the “good status” by 2015/2021/2027. As it has proved to be very challenging for many water bodies, demand for cost proportionality analysis has increased dramatically, because disproportionate costs are one of the justifiable reasons for a deadline extension. This has led to development of many approaches across Europe. Among others, the Czech official methodology based on monetary cost-benefit analysis and the German “New Leipzig approach” based on criteria and cost threshold were introduced in 2015. Both approaches estimate costs of achieving the “good status”, but differ significantly in evaluating benefits. The Czech methodology identifies various categories of benefits, monetizes them and later compares them with costs of measure implementation. The German methodology determines how proportionate it is to spend on measures based on past public expenditures, objective distance to the “good status” and generated benefits. Both methodologies were tested on a small Stanovice catchment in the Czech Republic with similar results, which allows for a comparison of the two approaches they represent. Achieving the “good status” is viewed as cost-proportionate. Application of both methodologies is associated with numerous problems (e.g., data availability, estimate accuracy), which are further discussed in the paper.
Jan Machac; Jan Brabec. Assessment of Disproportionate Costs According to the WFD: Comparison of Applications of two Approaches in the Catchment of the Stanovice Reservoir (Czech Republic). Water Resources Management 2017, 32, 1453 -1466.
AMA StyleJan Machac, Jan Brabec. Assessment of Disproportionate Costs According to the WFD: Comparison of Applications of two Approaches in the Catchment of the Stanovice Reservoir (Czech Republic). Water Resources Management. 2017; 32 (4):1453-1466.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJan Machac; Jan Brabec. 2017. "Assessment of Disproportionate Costs According to the WFD: Comparison of Applications of two Approaches in the Catchment of the Stanovice Reservoir (Czech Republic)." Water Resources Management 32, no. 4: 1453-1466.
This paper discusses the use of game theory as a method to achieve land and water governance for flood retention and resilience on a catchment scale. Therefore, it addresses flood retention in river catchments by using pay-off matrices of game theory. How do pay-off matrices between upstream and downstream change when certain property rights are adjusted or institutional conditions are changed? What if liability issues, responsibilities, and externalities of flood protection measures are reframed? Who should pay and who profit from retention measures? Individual scenarios correspond to some basic games from the game theory. The aim of these thought experiments is to develop rules for upstream-downstream agreements on retention and resilience within a river basin area.
J. Machac; Thomas Hartmann; J. Jilkova. Negotiating land for flood risk management : upstream-downstream in the light of economic game theory. Journal of Flood Risk Management 2017, 11, 66 -75.
AMA StyleJ. Machac, Thomas Hartmann, J. Jilkova. Negotiating land for flood risk management : upstream-downstream in the light of economic game theory. Journal of Flood Risk Management. 2017; 11 (1):66-75.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJ. Machac; Thomas Hartmann; J. Jilkova. 2017. "Negotiating land for flood risk management : upstream-downstream in the light of economic game theory." Journal of Flood Risk Management 11, no. 1: 66-75.
The December 2013 Medium Combustion Plants Directive (MCP Directive) proposal was evaluated by the national governments. In the Czech Republic, there are 6710 plants affected by this Directive, which is about 4.6% of the total of 143,000 relevant European plants. The paper introduces our approach of policy impact assessment called SimTool. The costs estimated for the European Commission in the background study (AMEC, 2014) are assumed to reach EUR 5.9 million for the Czech Republic for the preferred scenario by the European Commission. Further presented national impact assessment estimates the induced annual costs of the proposal at EUR 61 million, which is about 10 times greater than the European impact assessment estimate. As part of the national impact assessment, the different fuel categories had to be analyzed separately due to their specific features and different options for achieving the emission limit target values. During the impact assessment, a survey was made in order to determine the source operators’ preferences and responses to the potential adoption of the MCP Directive. Based on the analysis of data from the operators and consultations with experts about the different technologies, technical options for achievement of the proposed emission limits, including an estimate of the operating and investment costs, were proposed. The paper concentrates on the Czech impact assessment approach and discusses the reasons of the discrepancy between the European impact assessment and the Czech version. We argue that the inaccuracies of the European impact assessments are given by usage of the general abatement cost curves in the models which do not reflect the reality sufficiently. This paper states an argument for the necessity to carry out analysis at the local level.
Ondřej Vojáček; Ladislav Sobotka; Jan Machac; Miroslav Žilka. Impact assessment of Proposal for a Directive on the limitation of emissions from medium combustion plants – National impact assessment compared to the European impact estimate. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2017, 82, 1854 -1862.
AMA StyleOndřej Vojáček, Ladislav Sobotka, Jan Machac, Miroslav Žilka. Impact assessment of Proposal for a Directive on the limitation of emissions from medium combustion plants – National impact assessment compared to the European impact estimate. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2017; 82 ():1854-1862.
Chicago/Turabian StyleOndřej Vojáček; Ladislav Sobotka; Jan Machac; Miroslav Žilka. 2017. "Impact assessment of Proposal for a Directive on the limitation of emissions from medium combustion plants – National impact assessment compared to the European impact estimate." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 82, no. : 1854-1862.
The objective of this paper is to examine possible application of green and blue infrastructure as part of the Smart Cities concept. The Smart Cities initiative puts an emphasis on improvement of life in cities in various areas. Climate change has a significant impact on city populations. Potential adaptive measures include ecosystem-based measures using green and blue infrastructure as an alternative to grey infrastructure. In addition to environmental benefits and ecosystem services, they provide a number of other economic and social benefits. Services provided and benefits are assessed in the paper on an example of the construction of a green roof in Prague-Jinonice using cost-benefit analysis. Green roofs can be classified as a component of smart buildings in the Smart Cities concept. The results of the quantification of costs (at an annualised rate of CZK 7852) and benefits (at an annualised rate of CZK 8973) indicate that the benefits exceed the costs and the measure can thus be regarded as socially beneficial. Based on the cost-benefit analysis, it can be regarded as economically effective and implementable by the property owner without a subsidy motivation requirement.
Jan Machac; J. Louda; L. Dubova. Green and blue infrastructure: An opportunity for smart cities? 2016 Smart Cities Symposium Prague (SCSP) 2016, 1 -6.
AMA StyleJan Machac, J. Louda, L. Dubova. Green and blue infrastructure: An opportunity for smart cities? 2016 Smart Cities Symposium Prague (SCSP). 2016; ():1-6.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJan Machac; J. Louda; L. Dubova. 2016. "Green and blue infrastructure: An opportunity for smart cities?" 2016 Smart Cities Symposium Prague (SCSP) , no. : 1-6.