Exploring activity spaces and GHG travel emissions in connection to the built environment

• Main Author: Kayla Maureen Þorbjörnsson 1999-
• Other Authors: Háskóli Íslands
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: 2023
• Subjects: Umhverfis- og auðlindafræði; Reykjavík; Draga
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1946/44657

The challenge of mitigating the climate impacts of cities will require research in multiple directions such as with activity spaces. The goal of this research was to find connections between activity spaces, neighborhood characteristics, housing characteristics, and GHG travel emissions in the Greater Reykjavík Area; prior to this research, there was a gap in the literature on the relationship between GHG travel emissions and activity spaces. Activity spaces span temporal and spatial scales. They describe an individual's mobility behavior through daily travel locations and provide insights into how inhabitants are using the city. ArcGIS was used to map activity spaces and neighborhood characteristics. Binomial and multiple regression analyses were performed using Jamovi. This study builds on previous research using the survey data from 539 respondents on daily travel locations, GHG travel emissions, and housing characteristics. Results showed inhabitants of the Greater Reykjavík Area are very mobile with an average activity space size of 19.3 km2. Statistically significant positive relationships were found between activity space size and GHG travel emissions. Although not significant neighborhood characteristics showed negative relationships with AS size. Access to a yard had negative effects on AS size, local emissions, and international travel emissions. Respondents living in neighborhoods closer to the city center on average had smaller activity spaces, thus reducing their impact from local travel emissions. These findings can contribute to future urban planning for Reykjavík, as the city plans to be carbon neutral by 2040. Helsta áskorunin verkefnisins við að draga úr áhrifum gróðurhúsalofttegunda í borgum krefst rannsókna úr mörgum áttum og eitt er að skoða athafnasvæði fólks (activity spaces). Markmiðið með þessari ritgerð var að skoða tengsl á milli athafnasvæðis fólks, sérkenna í þéttbýli, gerð húsnæðis og magn útblásturs vegna ferðavenja fólks á höfuðborgarsvæðinu. Í ljós kom við gerð þessarar ...