PERCEIVED EFFECTIVENESS OF GREEN OPEN SPACES IN URBAN POLLUTION MITIGATION: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MELAKA AND PADANG
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/JTHEM.1145050Keywords:
Ecosystem Services, Green Open Spaces, Melaka, Padang, Park Users, Perceived Effectiveness, Urban Pollution MitigationAbstract
Green open spaces (GOS) are widely examined as ecological infrastructure, yet less attention has been given to how regular users perceive their pollution-mitigation functions across contrasting spatial and governance contexts in Southeast Asia. This qualitative comparative study examines perceived effectiveness and limitations of GOS in relation to air pollution, traffic and urban noise, and water pollution in Melaka, Malaysia, and Padang, Indonesia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 purposively selected park users-five per city-across two parks in each city. Participants were selected for their long-term residency, regular park use and awareness of local green-city initiatives, providing focused experiential evidence for cross-city comparison. Interview data were analysed thematically using NVivo; two researchers independently coded the transcripts, coding decisions were compared and reviewed, member checking and literature triangulation were undertaken, and COREQ guided reporting. Participants in both cities most consistently perceived air-related benefits, particularly in relation to vehicle emissions and carbon-dioxide regulation, while perceptions of noise buffering, haze-related air-quality protection and water-pollution mitigation were more variable. Participants in Melaka more consistently perceived benefits across the three pollution domains, whereas participants in Padang more frequently highlighted constraints associated with smaller park areas, limited vegetation coverage, proximity to major roads and fragmented management arrangements. The findings represent perceived rather than objectively measured environmental effectiveness. They extend Ecosystem Services Theory by showing that perceived regulating services are shaped by the interaction of ecological design, urban exposure and governance capacity.
Downloads
References
Ahmad, Z., Mohamad Azizi, A. Q., Addriana, Mohammed Sukeri, R., & Kalai Arasu, S. (2023). The effectiveness of green noise barrier for noise reduction. Jurnal Amalan Pengajaran dan Penyelidikan Lestari, 1(2), 10–16.
Ai, H., Zhang, X., & Zhou, Z. (2023). The impact of greenspace on air pollution: Empirical evidence from China. Ecological Indicators, 146, Article 109881. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2023.109881
Aly, S. H., Zakaria, R., & Kondorura, C. F. (2020). The capability of green open space in absorbing carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide emissions in Balai Kota Makassar. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 419(1), Article 012169. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/419/1/012169
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Faisal, B., Dahlan, M. Z., Chaeriyah, S., Hutriani, I. W., & Amelia, M. (2022). Analysis of green infrastructure development policy in Indonesia: An adaptive strategy for sustainable landscape development. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1092(1), Article 012013. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1092/1/012013
Canteiro, M., Arellano-Aguilar, O., Bravo, J. E. B., et al. (2023). Urban green spaces and their relationship with groundwater quality: The case of a shallow aquifer in the south of Mexico City. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 9, Article 156. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-023-00935-x
Costanza, R., d’Arge, R., de Groot, R., Farber, S., Grasso, M., Hannon, B., Limburg, K., Naeem, S., O’Neill, R. V., Paruelo, J., Raskin, R. G., Sutton, P., & van den Belt, M. (1997). The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature, 387(6630), 253–260. https://doi.org/10.1038/387253a0
Dahayu, R. N., & Rindrasih, E. (2024). The analysis of green open space policy in South Jakarta, Indonesia. Asian Development Perspectives, 15(1), 54–68. https://doi.org/10.22681/ADP.2024.15.1.54
Fan, L., Wang, J., Han, D., Gao, J., & Yao, Y. (2023). Research on promoting carbon sequestration of urban green space distribution characteristics and planting design models in Xi’an. Sustainability, 15(1), Article 572. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010572
Janice, J., Simson, H., Ho, C. S., Matsuoka, Y., & Gomi, K. (2013). Planning strategic sustainable development in Malaysia by incorporating the concept of low carbon society. Journal of Civil Engineering and Architecture, 7(9), 1133–1142. https://doi.org/10.17265/1934-7359/2013.09.011
Junior, D. P. M., Bueno, C., & da Silva, C. M. (2022). The effect of urban green spaces on reduction of particulate matter concentration. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 108(6), 1104–1110. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-022-03460-3
Kusuma, M. N., Handriyono, R. E., El Hafizah, N., & Damayanti, T. V. (2023). Absorption of carbon dioxide emissions from industrial and residential sources by green open space in Gresik. Journal of Ecological Engineering, 24(1), 135–145. https://doi.org/10.12911/22998993/156012
Liu, L., Han, B., Tan, D., Wu, D., & Shu, C. (2023). The value of ecosystem traffic noise reduction service provided by urban green belts: A case study of Shenzhen. Land, 12(4), Article 786. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12040786
Mahesa, R., Yudoko, G., & Anggoro, Y. (2019). Dataset on the sustainable smart city development in Indonesia. Data in Brief, 25, Article 104098. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2019.104098
Maktoof, A. A., & Al-Enazi, M. S. (2020). Use of two plants to remove pollutants in wastewater in constructed wetlands in southern Iraq. The Egyptian Journal of Aquatic Research, 46(3), 227–233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejar.2020.06.002
Meuleman, A. F. M., Beltman, B., & Scheffer, R. A. (2004). Water pollution control by aquatic vegetation of treatment wetlands. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 12(5), 459–471. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-004-1389-7
Ostojic, D. R., Bose, R. K., Krambeck, H., Lim, J., & Zhang, Y. (2013). Energizing green cities in Southeast Asia: Applying sustainable urban energy and emissions planning. World Bank. https://ideas.repec.org/b/wbk/wbpubs/15931.html
Sandhu, S. C., Naik, R., & Singru, R. (2014). Enabling GrEEEn cities: An operational framework for integrated urban development in Southeast Asia. Asian Development Bank. https://www.adb.org/publications/enabling-greeen-cities-operational-framework-integrated-urban-development-southeast-asia
Su, T. H., Lin, C. S., Lu, S. Y., Lin, J. C., Wang, H. H., & Liu, C. P. (2022). Effect of air quality improvement by urban parks on mitigating PM2.5 and its associated heavy metals: A mobile-monitoring field study. Journal of Environmental Management, 323, Article 116283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2022.116283
Tong, A., Sainsbury, P., & Craig, J. (2007). Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ): A 32-item checklist for interviews and focus groups. International Journal for Quality in Health Care, 19(6), 349–357. https://doi.org/10.1093/intqhc/mzm042
Yang, L., Zhang, L., Li, Y., & Wu, S. (2015). Water-related ecosystem services provided by urban green space: A case study in Yixing City, China. Landscape and Urban Planning, 136, 40–51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landurbplan.2014.11.016
Zain, A. F. M., Pribadi, D. O., & Indraprahasta, G. S. (2022). Revisiting the green city concept in the tropical and Global South cities context: The case of Indonesia. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, Article 787204. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.787204
Zhang, P., Wang, N., Yang, L., Zhang, X., & Liu, Q. (2020). Evaluation and sensitivity analysis of the ecosystem service functions of haze absorption by green space based on its quality in China. Nature Conservation, 40, 93–141. https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.40.23017
