EMIS - UN-Habitat

The Toolkit: Key Steps in Building an Environmental Management Information System
Tool 22: Preparing a Sensitivity Map
How to prepare environmental sensitivity maps (using air quality as
an example)
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Sensitivity Maps show environmental constraints which can be overcome
with engineering measures (e.g. unstable slopes, air quality problems) or
which relate to preservation (e.g. areas with endangered species). Sensitivity
Maps are developed through an analysis of the thematic maps relevant to
this issue, and through an intensive working group process.
Sensitivity Maps are prepared in the same way as Suitability Maps (see Tool
21: Preparing a Suitability Map).This tool, therefore, will concentrate on the
generation of a sensitivity map from point sources, focusing on air pollution.
For example, an industrialised city monitors the air quality situation through
monitoring stations.The data from the monitoring stations are continuously
collected and entered into a database system.The most common analysis
method is to compare recent values of certain chemicals in the air with
values from previous years.This analysis shows if a situation is improving or
worsening, and can also be displayed on maps.
The EMIS uses this kind of monitoring data to determine areas of
pollution, i.e. to show highly polluted areas and less polluted areas in the
city.The process is closely connected to the working group process.The
Issue-Specific Working Group on Air Quality sets the standards, rules
and regulations which will apply for the particular areas which the map
describes as suitable or not suitable.Those standards, rules and regulations
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