IN-PERSON Lisbon Livable Cities. Section A

Abstract

Facing the urgent crisis of climate change, cities are increasingly adopting sustainable development strategies that integrate environmental, social, and economic goals. Among these, many urban models center on the principle of proximity. Proximity-Oriented Development (POD) emphasizes human-scale, accessible urban forms through mixed land use, high density, walkability, and reduced car dependence. These features aim to improve livability, equity, and efficiency while delivering co-benefits for climate mitigation, adaptation, and sustainability. This study proposes a climate co-benefit evaluation framework specifically tailored to POD strategies. Drawing on Floater et al.’s (2017) co-benefit classification and the Climate Action Co-Benefit Assessment (CAAB) checklist by the California Air Resources Board (CARB, 2018), the framework integrates climate- and non-climate-related indicators across multiple urban sectors. Indicators are organized under key planning dimensions such as proximity, density, diversity, digitalization, human-scale design, connectivity, flexibility, inclusion, and social capital, and are linked to environmental, social, and economic domains. The core output is a preliminary co-benefit evaluation checklist designed to assess whether specific POD strategies can support climate mitigation and adaptation goals. Although this paper focuses on developing the framework, it serves as the groundwork for future expert-based research using the Fuzzy Delphi Method (FDM) and the Analytic Network Process (ANP) to validate, refine, and prioritize the proposed indicators. This preliminary study provides a foundation for advancing POD as a climate-responsive urban strategy and supporting evidence-based decision-making in sustainable city planning.