Public Thesis defense – Ursula CARDENAS MAMANI
lab | Louvain-la-Neuve, Bruxelles Saint-Gilles, Tournai
Urban Metabolism for Ecosystem Services: An Analysis of three cities based on combined Dynamic Modelling approaches by Ursula CARDENAS MAMANI
Le mercredi 26 février 2025 à 17h00 - Salle de Conférences AV-02, LOCI-Bruxelles, Rue Henri Wafelaerts 47/51 à 1060 Saint Gilles
As urban populations grow, cities face increasing resource consumption and environmental impacts. Understanding their physical, biological, and social heterogeneities is essential for sustainability. Ecosystem Services (ES) recognize nature’s role in cities, yet the link between human activities and ecological processes remains underexplored. Urban Metabolism (UM) addresses these challenges by analyzing material and energy flows, while ES provides additional perspectives by incorporating ecosystem functions. Despite their shared goal of sustainable urban development, UM and ES methodologies differ significantly.
This thesis develops a framework integrating ES into UM assessments, linking Natural and Social capital and employing "Pressures," "Drivers," and "State" indicators. ES supply-demand flows are embedded in Economy-Wide Material Flow Analysis (EW-MFA), with indicators drawn from previous UM and ES studies to create a unified assessment approach. The framework enables dynamic assessments of urban resource flows and interrelationships.
Applied to Lima, London, and Brussels, the framework evaluates ES contributions to urban sustainability. Simulations project spatial and temporal variations in resource flows, emissions, and ES supply-demand to 2050, considering urban growth, climate change, and socio-economic factors, aligning with city policies and global environmental goals.
Jury members:
- Prof. Daniela Perrotti (UCLouvain), supervisor
- Prof. Gérald Ledent (UCLouvain), chairperson
- Prof. Luca Sgambi (UCLouvain), secretary
- Prof. Ramzy Kahhat (PUCP, Pérou)
- Prof. Luis Inostroza (Mendel University, République tchèque)
- Prof. Gara Villalba (Autonomous University of Barcelona, Espagne)
Pay attention:
The public defense of Ursula CARDENAS MAMANI will also take place in the form of a videoconference.