Estimating the much-needed gain in new green spaces in Malta's capital city, Valletta

Abstract

Remote sensing has a wide range of applications, including in urban planning. In the case of Malta's Capital city, Valletta, imagery can be used as a powerful source of information for urban planning and policy analysis. This study is timely since local city planners are becoming more conscious of the need to maximise the green space potential within Valletta. A process based on planimetric and topographic analysis of potential areas within this city is hereby presented. Two unique local products are produced: (1) a map of the current vegetation at street level, which occupies just 5% of the total city area; and (2) an estimation of the availability of flat roof areas that can serve as green roofs, amounting to a 24% of the total roof area that can be added to the city's scarce green area. This approach is a definite step forward towards the sustainability of our cities.