Integration of Urban Green Spaces in the Philippines

Thesis Statement: Philippines should incorporate more urban green spaces to mitigate
the negative effects of urbanization

Introduction:
Hook (Singapore??)
Problem/Reason ngano kailangan natog green spaces
Definition of Green Spaces
Thesis Statement

Claim 1: Reduce heat build up

Since Philippines is a tropical country, it is important that green spaces should be
incorporated as it can help reduce the heat build-up. According to Scott (2015), the urban
heat island, wherein urban areas have significantly higher temperatures compared to rural
areas, can be reduced through having more green spaces as it provides shade and cools
the air through evapotranspiration. Greater area of green spaces which contains many
trees and canopies can reduce the urban heat island effect the most. Also, according to
Zupancic (2015), trees provide shade, thermal comfort and relief from heat stress,
especially during summer seasons. A study in Portugal conducted during the hottest day
demonstrated that temperature in a small community garden were significantly cooler
than the surrounding locations. This shows that even smaller green spaces can have a
cooling influence and it can also cover additional two hundred meters beyond the garden,
as according to the study (Oliveira, Andrade & Vaz, 2011). Thus, urban green spaces can
help reduce the heat which is very evident in the country.

Claim 2: Improve Air Quality

Air pollution is one of the relevant problems that needs to be properly addressed in the
country. With that said, Philippines should have more green spaces because it can aid
in improving air quality. According to Nady (n.d.), green spaces can help control
pollution as it can aid in filtering the air, eliminating pollution and reducing the urban
noise. According to Scott (2015), these spaces can also act as carbon sinks because
half of the carbon dioxide that trees and plants intake are stored in its branches, roots
and soils. Mature trees, even more, store larger amount of carbon. Thus, a well
maintained urban green spaces can take in more carbon, and therefore increasing the
oxygen released. In addition, World Health Organization (2012) stated that trees have
the capacity to filter harmful air pollutants. Thus, green spaces can help in reducing air
pollution that is brought by urbanization.

balance preservation/conservation and development

47%,% of public green space (parks and gardens) in Singapore

Senthilingam, M. (2016) How did Singapore become such a green city?.

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/singapore-greenest-city/index.html

References

Scott, C. (2015). A brief guide to the benefits of urban green spaces. Retrieved from
http://leaf.leeds.ac.uk/wp-
content/uploads/2015/10/LEAF_benefits_of_urban_green_space_2015_upd.pdf
Zupancic, T. (2015). The impact of green space on heat and air pollution in urban
communities: A meta-narrative systematic review. Retrieved from
https://davidsuzuki.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/impact-green-space-heat-air-
pollution-urban-communities.pdf
Oliveira, S., Andrade, H., and Vaz, T. (2011). The cooling effect of green spaces as a
contribution to the mitigation of urban heat: A case study in Lisbon. doi:
10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.04.034
World Health Organization (2012). Urban green spaces. Retrieved from
http://www.who.int/sustainable-development/cities/health-risks/urban-green-
space/en/