Biodiversity and ecological network: connecting ecosystem services for a sustainable future. GeoAI for Modica green city

Against a backdrop of growing environmental awareness and the need to mitigate climate change impacts, urban spatial planning and management policies inspired by European sustainable development recommendations are gaining strength. These policies address environmental issues through concrete actions aligned with the 17 goals of Agenda 2030. For these strategies to be effective, it is essential to identify tools—particularly urban planning instruments—capable of ensuring the desired outcomes, making cities resilient and ready to face the energy and ecological transition according to an ecosystemic and participatory approach, in line with Policy OP5. Several urban planning instruments promote the ‘resilient’ upgrading of cities by assigning ecosystem services and biodiversity an active role in counteracting climate change and territorial vulnerability. In Sicily, following Regional Law no. 19/2020, the PUG introduces environmental-ecological endowments such as the Ecological Network. Effective planning and management of environmental heritage require adopting appropriate measures to protect species and preserved areas, ensuring their conservation for future generations. This enables the implementation of an ‘innovative’ environmental infrastructure through the reorganization of development drivers and the digital representation of its evolving forms. An example of such an ‘innovative’ ecosystem approach is the “Modica Green City Masterplan,” developed with GeoAI support, complementary to the PUG by providing a knowledge base for planning scenarios and environmental assessment of transformation choices.