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Pilot City

Kyiv

Use Case

Development of underground space

Photo of Kyiv city

Established in 482

2 952 301 people

North-Central Ukraine

835,58 sq. km.

Key Economic Sectors

Icon of Mechanical Engineering sector

Mechanical Engineering

Icon of Construction sector

Construction

Icon of tourism sector

Tourism

Icon of Instrument engineering sector

Instrument Engineering

Icon of Transport sector

Transportation

Icon of Energy sector

Energy

Icon of Food sector

Food Industry

Urban Development Goals

The most significant competitive advantage of Kyiv is its extremely advantageous geostrategic location at the intersection of major global economic connections. Globally, Kyiv is positioned as a World City that implements cutting-edge innovative models in intellectual production and social technologies. Its unique natural and cultural identity fuels efficient development, while harmonizing ecological, social, and economic growth factors.

 

As Kyiv strengthens its ties with the European Union, it is poised to become a vital urban hub, bridging key transport and economic corridors.

 

The future vision for Kyiv includes its transformation into a European epicenter for science, culture, education, sports, and tourism.

The post-war reconstruction of Kyiv should leverage the best global practices, scientific planning principles, and innovative infrastructure projects to facilitate the rapid development of Ukraine's capital.

Climate Neutrality Pilot Use Case

Challenge

The long-term goals include the sustainable large-scale development of Kyiv's underground space, relocating major highways underground, reducing transportation routes and increasing their speed, and the diversion and treatment (cleaning) of vehicle emissions in tunnels. Making planning decisions based on multi-criteria models will ensure the systematic implementation of underground transport construction phases according to the priority of projects while considering the city's climate neutrality requirements. Additionally, sharing the acquired experience with other large cities in Ukraine and the EU is crucial. This approach will significantly (by 20-30%) reduce exhaust gas emissions into the atmosphere, improve the environmental condition of large cities, enhance residents' health, and mitigate the greenhouse effect.

Photo of Kyiv use case - process of automobile tunnel construction in Kyiv

Goal

Significantly reduce vehicle emissions into the atmosphere by reorganizing Kyiv's transportation network through the use of a system of automobile tunnels

General Description of the Pilot Use Case

ISKPI will develop recommendations for the use of the underground space of the city of Kyiv for systemic influence on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions produced by transport. The climate-neutral approach from the pilot activity will be included in an Implementation Plan for Kyiv to cater to the scope of scale-up and replication. A systematic assessment of the reduction of automobile emissions when moving traffic flows underground will be carried out (development of the system of road tunnels and subway lines). The Urban Atlas for Kyiv and maps of changes in land use, pollution and temperature fields of the districts of the city of Kyiv will be created based on the database of satellite observations. The author's system methodology and tools for making planning decisions for the development of underground transport infrastructure for the tasks of climate neutrality of the city will be developed and implemented. Based on it, an analysis of routing and mitigating the risks of the transport infrastructure of the city of Kyiv when using the system of car tunnels and subway lines will be carried out, in particular, the ranking and identification of the priority (feasibility) of the construction of the planned tunnels in the near and medium term from the standpoint of climate neutrality.

Measures and Initiatives Included

Assessment of the potential for reducing automobile emissions when using the tunnel network; creation of the Urban Atlas of the city of Kyiv and a map of changes in land use, pollution and temperature fields; development of a system methodology and tools for making planning decisions regarding the development of underground transport infrastructure; development of recommendations on prioritizing the construction of road tunnels from the point of view of climate neutrality; implementation of recommendations in the development plan of the city of Kyiv.

Technologies and Innovations Involved in the Pilot Use Case

A systematic methodology and tools for planning the development of underground transport infrastructure will be developed and implemented to address transportation issues, considering the city's climate neutrality requirements. Among the promising directions for structuring complex problems and considering multiple impact criteria is the authors' modified morphological analysis method, which has been applied to complex urban planning tasks and is seen as a critical process for transforming scientific methods into managerial actions. We developed several formalizations for qualitative analysis methods, including the modified morphological analysis method, which contributed to the foundation of the tool we employed for constructing scenario alternatives based on an interactive human-machine procedure (the information platform for scenario analysis). Based on these developments, a methodology for prioritizing tunnel construction in Kyiv will be created, strengthened by the capabilities of the Urban Atlas of the city of Kyiv to refine the parameters and characteristics of impact factors.

Main Partners and Stakeholders 

Kyiv City State Administration

Institute of the General Plan of Kyiv

Urban Institutes

Public urban planning organizations such as the Academy of Construction of Ukraine

Large construction and transportation companies focused on developing the underground spaces of major cities

Long-term Results

The long-term goals include the sustainable large-scale development of Kyiv's underground space, relocating major highways underground, reducing transportation routes and increasing their speed, and the diversion and treatment (cleaning) of vehicle emissions in tunnels. Making planning decisions based on multi-criteria models will ensure the systematic implementation of underground transport construction phases according to the priority of projects while considering the city's climate neutrality requirements. Additionally, sharing the acquired experience with other large cities in Ukraine and the EU is crucial. This approach will significantly (by 20-30%) reduce exhaust gas emissions into the atmosphere, improve the environmental condition of large cities, enhance residents' health, and mitigate the greenhouse effect.

Pilot Use Case Contribution to Climate Neutrality

Photo of Kyiv use case - process of automobile tunnel construction in Kyiv

Achieving the city's climate neutrality will be facilitated by reducing vehicle emissions into the atmosphere through the implementation of recommendations on the priority construction of Kyiv's automobile tunnel system.

 

Emission reductions will be influenced by shortening vehicle routes (tunnels follow the shortest trajectory), ensuring high travel speeds through tunnels (absence of intersections, traffic jams, etc.), and the ability to divert and treat (clean) exhaust gases in tunnels. Additionally, reducing surface road congestion (which decreases emissions by increasing travel speed) will contribute.

 

All these measures can significantly (by 20-30%) reduce greenhouse gas emissions in large cities, promoting the gradual achievement of climate neutrality.

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