The thesis covers the topical issue of assessment of the environmental quality in Odessa by a range of indicators.
The physiographic and socio-economic peculiarities, as well as the specificity of modern infrastructure of the city of Odessa as a centre of Odessa industrial-and-urban agglomeration are studied. The status and quality of the natural components of the city of Odessa are characterized and the regularities of changes in them are determined. The system of indicators for assessment of the urban area quality based on observations of the particular environmental components is developed and tested.
In all districts of the city there is a significant level of air pollution, which increases mainly during the warm season.
In general, the drinking water quality is satisfactory according to the considered indices.
The condition of the water treatment facilities does not meet up-to-date requirements.
The soil cover is characterized as weakly contaminated, and the provision of the city with green plantations is lower than normal.
The population health status causes serious concerns.
Integrated Criterion for the Natural Component Quality of the Urban Area showed a favorable environmental quality and a low technogenic load. However, by the results of determination of an Integrated Indicator of the Natural Environmental Status, an urban ecosystem of Odessa was nonpersistent on the whole, and the environmental safety of the studied area was classified as low.
The adaptation strategy is defined by means of a structural analysis approach. The strategy should include such measures as improvement of a health care system, development of environment-friendly recreational facilities, control of emissions into the air, wastewater discharges and accumulation of solid waste, enhancement of environmental education, etc.
The prospects for Odessa development are studied from a position of SWOT-analisys. The prospects turned out to be rather favorable, despite the existing problems in the housing and communal services, the complicated environmental situation, the state of water supply, drainage and road transport network.
In order to optimize the natural component of Odessa, it seems advisable to effectively use the powerful socio-economic potential, develop the sphere of foreign economic activity, health resort and tourism complexes, external transport infrastructure, suburban agriculture, maritime and scientific information complexes, science-consuming high tech industries, socio-cultural sphere, etc. Equally important is finding solutions to the problems associated with the environmental control, as well as the public health care issues.
The scientific novelty of the obtained results consists in enhancement of the methodology for assessment of the environmental status and quality in the urban areas, as well as the system of indices for determination of the quality of an urban area; carrying out an integrated assessment of the environmental quality in the urban areas, on the case study of Odessa; definition of an adaptation strategy and analysis of the prospects for development of the studied area.
For the first time, the regularities of changes in the status and quality of the particular components of the natural environment of Odessa are determined; the balanced mineral composition of the drinking water, which is used for consumption by the population of Odessa, is estimated; and a generalized assessment of the natural environment quality for the city of Odessa by an integrated criterion for the quality of the natural component of the urbanized area, a comprehensive indicator of the natural environment status and an ecological reliability of the industrial-and-urban region as a whole is made directly by the author.
The practical importance of the results obtained lies in the fact that the integrated assessment of the quality of the natural environment having been performed is the basis for determination of a comfort of the urban environment for the population.
The recommendations for implementation of the measures to optimize the environment of the study area, which have been developed, can be applied by municipal and regional authorities, organizations and enterprises in planning of economic, environmental and research activities.
The results of the thesis can be used within teaching of particular disciplines for the students of Odessa State Environmental University.
