Floodplains are vulnerable ecosystems. They are essential to our societies, but they are under threat in particular from a global urbanization process. The quantity and quality of water resources, the production of energy and building materials, the conservation of biodiversity and the quality of the living environment, all depend on floodplains.
Over the last few decades, the scientific community has acquired in-depth knowledge on the urbanisation challenges in certain floodplain areas of the world. Despite this, the overall process of urbanisation in floodplains and the state of these environments around the world is still poorly known.
GloUrb project responds to the need to produce knowledge and raise awareness about the floodplain urbanisation issues by:
Légende:
1- Revegetation of Rhône riverbanks in Lyon to bring biodiversity back in urban areas (source : https://desespecesparmilyon.fr/blog/lire/a-lyon-victorine-et-quentin-veulent-faire-revivre-la-biodiversite-en-ville).
2- Sabarmati riverbanks in Ahmedabad (India) (picture : L. Bajemon, 2023).
3- The fertile Nil plain and its delta ;
4- Gravel pit lake in South Platte plain in Denver (USA).
5- Artificial structures along the river as it flows the Lhassa city.
Over the last few decades, the scientific community has acquired in-depth knowledge on the urbanisation challenges in certain floodplain areas of the world. Despite this, the overall process of urbanisation in floodplains and the state of these environments around the world is still poorly known.
GloUrb project responds to the need to produce knowledge and raise awareness about the floodplain urbanisation issues by:
- identifying global references to better understand the processes involved and the consequences for socio-ecosystems (urbanization process, urban resilience, ecological alteration, impact on biodiversity, environmental justice);
- explaining the observed trends and distinguishing between the influence of local and global drivers;
- informing and raising awareness of these issues among local players and the general public.
Légende:
1- Revegetation of Rhône riverbanks in Lyon to bring biodiversity back in urban areas (source : https://desespecesparmilyon.fr/blog/lire/a-lyon-victorine-et-quentin-veulent-faire-revivre-la-biodiversite-en-ville).
2- Sabarmati riverbanks in Ahmedabad (India) (picture : L. Bajemon, 2023).
3- The fertile Nil plain and its delta ;
4- Gravel pit lake in South Platte plain in Denver (USA).
5- Artificial structures along the river as it flows the Lhassa city.
Objectives
GloUrb focuses on the world's largest agglomerations hosting more than 300k inhabitants and located in floodplains. The project has five main objectives :
Objective 1: To define a worldwide typology of existing cases by cross-referencing agglomerations and floodplains.
Objective 2: To map changes in urbanised river landscapes since the 1980s.
Objective 3: To identify and understand the impacts of urbanisation on landscape structures, habitats, ecological functions and aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity.
Objective 4: To identify and understand the impacts of urbanisation on socio-ecosystemic aspects, including discourse and conflicts, economy and inequalities.
Objective 5: To make the results of the project visible in order to raise collective awareness and set up a system for monitoring impacts and changes.
Objective 1: To define a worldwide typology of existing cases by cross-referencing agglomerations and floodplains.
Objective 2: To map changes in urbanised river landscapes since the 1980s.
Objective 3: To identify and understand the impacts of urbanisation on landscape structures, habitats, ecological functions and aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity.
Objective 4: To identify and understand the impacts of urbanisation on socio-ecosystemic aspects, including discourse and conflicts, economy and inequalities.
Objective 5: To make the results of the project visible in order to raise collective awareness and set up a system for monitoring impacts and changes.
Project organisations
GloUrb project is composed of 5 Work Packages (WP) :
