Planning for climate change with the best of intentions... Analyzing the content of plans and planners’ rationale for adaptation

Cities are rapidly urbanizing and face immense social, economic and environmental challenges. These challenges amplify the climate change impacts, thereby posing a serious threat to urban and social resilience. With regard to climate change, ecological researchers globally advocate that nature-based solutions integrate with various ecosystems based approaches, provide biodiversity benefits and address societal challenges. However, the potential of nature-based solutions to build urban resilience and address climate change through urban planning has remained research rhetoric. This research puts forth an effort to assess the ability of nature-based solutions in building urban resilience and addressing climate change. This research incorporates a quantitative research methodology by undertaking a technical and scientific literature review about nature-based solutions, urban resilience and climate change adaptation. Accordingly, the characteristics, dimensions, areas of application, the challenges and opportunities are highlighted. The key research gap between urban resilience and nature-based solutions is identified by developing a socio-spatial framework that focuses on nature-based solutions tradeoffs and its response to urban resilience. This renewed approach highlights that nature-based solutions are cost-effective multifunctional ecosystem services and offer inclusive benefits, ranging from regenerating urban spaces to improving quality of life and reducing pollution. However, this research limits the application of nature-based solutions for urban resilience to local level urban planning and does not focus on master level urban planning. This research emphasizes nature-based solutions as an effective urban policy tool and reinforces its inclusion in local level urban planning for building climate change and urban resilience.KeywordsNature-based solutionsCitiesUrban resilienceClimate change AdaptationPolicy perspectives

The agricultural sector in developing countries is one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change and water scarcity. Iran is one Middle Eastern country facing a growing water crisis. Rafsanjan county, located in the province of Kerman, is losing its pistachio orchards to water shortages and climate change. The modernisation of irrigation methods and transfer of water from other regions have been the main strategies taken by the governmental authorities. The lack of success of these strategies has led to the emergence of more participatory approaches in the transformation of the agricultural sector and local urban planning in Rafsanjan. This study analyses the actor network of transformation in the agricultural sector and the rise of high-tech urban agriculture, and aims to understand the role of technologies in supporting citizen participation in local urban planning. The research draws on the concept of Technology-Driven Transitions (TDT). The interactions among social and materials entities and the impact of technological novelties on the re-configuration of their relationships in the transition process were studied. The research comprised an exploratory case study, and data were gathered through observations, document study and in-depth interviews with farmers, planners, researchers, and policy makers in Rafsanjan. The results of the study show that governmental planning organizations and their implementation bodies, such as the Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO) and the 10-year plan for the development of greenhouses, were the most influential actants in the transition process. Their relationships with the other actants involved, such as the private sector, knowledge institutes and farmers, were re-configured by technological novelties. This re-configuration of relationships has led to strengthened participatory decision making in local urban planning in Rafsanjan.

Children, Youth and Environments 15(2), 2005 Spatial Planning and Opportunities for Children’s Participation: A Local Governance Network Analysis Hilde Lauwers Wouter Vanderstede Centre for Research on Childhood and Society Belgium Citation: Lauwers, Hilde and Wouter Vanderstede. (2005). “Spatial Planning and Opportunities for Children’s Participation: A Local Governance Network Analysis.” Children, Youth and Environments 15(2): 278-289. . Comment on This Article Abstract Although children and teenagers intensively use public spaces, they are often marginalized in local planning debates. In Belgium, like in other West-European countries, spatial planning policy is managed by an extensive set of judicial procedures and officially established participation moments. How can children be involved in these urban planning projects? For one year, we investigated the development of a local urban planning project in a municipality in Flanders to detect opportunities and obstacles for children’s participation and child advocacy. Our analysis of the planning policy was inspired by recent theories on multi-actor governance and social network analysis. These theories offer opportunities to grasp the multileveled and intricate structure of local policy and to identify not only the “usual suspects” but also the more hidden actors and events. This close reading convinces us that possible children’s advocates need to develop their own network of actors. If this network has a talent for translating children’s needs into spatial planning and can influence decision making, then children’s participation in spatial planning becomes attainable. Keywords: Belgium, children’s participation, planning policy, urban planning, spatial planning, policy network analysis© 2005 Children, Youth and Environments Spatial Planning and Opportunities for Children’s Participation… 279 Advocating for Children as Users of Public Space Although children and teenagers intensively use public spaces, they are often marginalized in local planning debates (e.g. Percy-Smith 2002, 78; Horelli 1998, 226; Matthews, Limb and Percy-Smith 1998, 198-199). In Belgium, like in other West-European countries, spatial planning policy is managed by an extensive set of judicial procedures and officially established participation moments. How can children be involved in urban planning projects? How can children’s direct experience of space have any influence on such an abstract and highly complex policy? The Centre for Research on Childhood and Society1 is currently undertaking research and actions in the field of children’s participation in spatial planning. To gain insights in local urban planning processes, we conducted a case study (Stake 2000; Gerring 2004; Yin and Campbell 1991) in a municipality in Flanders. For one year, we investigated the development of a local urban planning project in order to detect opportunities and obstacles for both children’s participation and advocacy for children (Lauwers and Vanderstede 2005). Governance and Network Analysis In Flanders, the responsibility for developing, designing and executing local urban planning policy: the council, the municipal executive, and the counseling body (the Local Town Planning Commission – LTPC). The policies are developed within the framework of specific regulations. First, the local authority develops a Spatial Structure Plan. Herein a broad, general spatial vision is developed and an action plan for projects is formulated. This action plan is gradually executed through the design of local Spatial Implementation Plans, each of which comprises a limited area like a neighborhood or an industrial estate. For each Spatial Implementation Plan, a strict procedure must be followed. Each stakeholder (like the town council, the LTPC, the regional government or the province) has a specific responsibility in the design of the plan. Because each stakeholder can alter and even reject a draft, there are usually several drafts made. Although official authorities design the policy, other actors who do not hold an official mandate, also influence policy and defend their interests with fervor. To identify all these stakeholders, we found inspiration in recent theories on multi-actor governance (Dowding 1995; De Rynck and Voets 2003; Arts and van Tatenhove 2002; Van Ark and Edelenbos 2003) and social network analysis (e.g. Hanneman 2001). These theories offer the opportunity to grasp the multileveled and intricate structure of local policy and to identify not only the “usual suspects” but also the more hidden actors and events. Policy making is thus considered not as an act of a central authority...

Discussed is one of the stages of an ongoing research study analysing the form and area of active mining impact on properties which include engineering structures. A general back analysis has been applied to the cause and effect method for defining the causes of empirically determined structural damage. One of the points of the analysis is to determine if the guidelines of The Local Urban Development Plan and then the conditions for building permits have been correctly issued. and whether they have taken into account all the adverse effects that may affect to be analysed engineering structures on the test field. In addition, examined all the documents which have an impact on the structure and the guidelines imposed by the local plans that takes into account the harmful impact of mining exploitation. In this publication was analysis of explores the current assumptions for mining damage forecasts for areas affected by a mine over a planned operation period, all well. Considering that mining forecasts specify the quantity, impact duration, as well as the form of static and dynamic forces responsible for stresses and deformations resulting from active mining, the information is most critical for the construction and industrial sectors. The Local Urban Development Plans for the analysed areas are based on the final information supplied by the forecasts, and show active mining areas clearly outlined; thus making it possible to delineate the active mining impact areas when preparing guidelines for building and structure construction permits. The mining damage area parameters determine the design and construction requirements for individual projects which must comply with engineering structure foundation specification for areas exposed to other than standard and highly damaging active mining impact. Mining forecast data allow for designing adequate structural, material, and geothermal safeguards which will stabilize the soil and reduce forces negatively impacting soil serviceability limit states. Owing to the high number of problems attributable to discrepancies between the mapped mining damage areas, the calculations and assumptions used in mining forecasts, and the actual conditions, this study aims to analyse the problem.

Urban green planning in Europe is of crucial importance for the sustainability of cities. Despite the existence of numerous best practices, in Italy the integration between green plans and urban planning tools still presents difficulties. This study focused on an analysis of Italian case studies that have engaged in innovative urban planning, assigning green areas a strategic role in the development of cities. The comparative analysis involved the green plans of Torino and Bolzano and the local urban plans of Prato and Bologna. The selection of cases was based on a multifaceted evaluation framework encompassing reference regulatory context, plan nature, environmental characterisation, vision and main objectives, priorities and implementation tools, communication and participation, and monitoring and management. Analysis of these case studies led to the identification of best practices for integrating human and environmental dimensions in local urban planning. However, the results indicate that integration of urban greening and local planning policies is frequently impeded by regulatory discrepancies and the varying impact capabilities of urban planning instruments. Despite the limited nature of the sample analysed, the study proposes a model of synergy between urban greening and local planning, suggesting an opportunity to create innovative interpretative and evaluative criteria for regulatory plans.

Enhancing classical methodological tools to foster participatory dimensions in local urban planning

This paper examines the impact of recent policies on the transformation of local participatory urban planning in Saudi Arabia since the implementation of Vision 2030 in 2016, highlighting both its potential and challenges. It analyzes the shift from centralized to localized planning at the municipal level and its effects, including increased opportunities for public participation through workshops and digital platforms, as well as the persistence of challenges such as limited public influence on final decisions and inadequate transparency in planning processes. Using a comprehensive literature review, policy document analysis, semi-structured interviews with 20 Saudi urban planners, and a survey of 453 participants, this study reveals significant governance changes. These changes include increased municipal autonomy and the establishment of regional development authorities, which have provided opportunities for local participatory planning. However, the findings also highlight concerns regarding the exclusion of marginalized communities, displacement caused by mega projects, and limited transparency in decision-making processes. While initiatives such as ‘Your Voice Is Heard’, including ‘Balady’ and ‘Istitlaa’, have facilitated a modest degree of public participation, bureaucratic barriers, regulatory complexities, and centralized control continue to hinder the full realization of local participatory planning goals. This study concludes that although policies have improved inclusivity, sustainability, and efficiency, addressing broader ethical concerns and governance challenges is essential for the transformative potential of Vision 2030 to be fully realized in reshaping urban governance in Saudi Arabia.

The South American (SA) region is particularly vulnerable to climate change and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events which threaten its economy and sustainable development. Therefore, climate adaptation is a regional priority. At least 6% of SA population live at low-elevation coastal zones (LECZ) exposed to sea-level rise, ENSO variability and storminess. This paper reviews some recent and current adaptation experiences in SA coasts focusing on (i) socioeconomic and vulnerability status, (ii) links between adaptation and sustainable development, and (iii) constraints to adaptation. Despite the regional economic growth and poverty reduction over the last decade, an adaptation deficit to current climate variability persists. Overall, SA countries show a poor link between public policies, adaptation, and theoretical-academic scope. Public adaptation efforts in coastal areas are mostly oriented towards risk assessment, vulnerability and reduction of impacts at urban and touristic settlements. Many experiences developed from the academy follow the community-based adaptation (CBA) approach mainstreamed into local plans. Adaptation constraints are linked with poverty, social priorities, allocation of resources and the multifaceted impacts of climate change. Two coastal CBA case studies in Venezuela and Uruguay based on scientific and local knowledge show that non-structural adaptation measures can improve the populations’ perception of risks, provided that stakeholders, mainly the community, are informed and integrated to define adaptation actions. There are lots of plans and less specific actions. We propose that the assessment of adaptation success has to rely on implementation and effectiveness criteria rather than solely on plans.

Subaltern forms of knowledge are required to boost local adaptation

In recent years, the territorial impacts connected to sea level rise have prompted a reflection on the responsibilities of policy makers in transposing these issues into urban agendas. The need also emerged to both broaden and update the skills of urban planners and to improve territorial governance tools, with the aim of developing feasible regeneration and resilience strategies to face climate change. In this paper, a methodology for the production of Flood Risk Maps is presented, as applied to the Municipality of Ravenna, Italy, by only considering the static component of inundation hazard, i.e., the projected Mean Sea Level Rise, as a first step towards increased preparedness. The resulting Flood Risk Maps represent, in fact, an innovation with respect to the current cognitive framework that supports local urban planning, by providing information on a potential risk that has so far been overlooked. The method combines sea level rise projections under the pessimistic RCP8.5 scenario with georeferenced territorial data, aiming to identify the physical consistency of the urban-structure components which are potentially at risk. For successive time horizons (2030, 2050 and 2100), our results show the progressive impairment and potential degradation of extensive urban areas that are disregarded in the urban planning regulations currently in force. This preliminary evaluation phase is aimed at prompting and supporting the necessary updating of the planning tools and regulations adopted by the public bodies responsible for territorial governance, by identifying priority areas for intervention, and helping define mitigation and adaptation actions.

As the world’s population is expected to be over 2/3rd urban by 2050, climate action in cities is a growing area of interest in the inter-disciplines of development policy, disaster mitigation and environmental governance. The climate impacts are expected to be quite severe in the developing world, given its urban societies are densely packed, vastly exposed to natural elements while possessing limited capabilities. There is a notable ambiguity and complexity that inhibits a methodical approach in identifying urban resilience measures. The complexity is due to intersection of large number of distinct variables in climate geoscience (precipitation and temperature anomalies at different locations, RCPs, timeline), adaptation alternatives (approach, priority, intervention level) and urban governance (functional mandate, institutional capacity, and plans & policies). This research examines how disparate and complex knowledge and information in these inter-disciplines can be processed for systematic ‘negotiation’ to situate, ground and operationalize resilience in cities. With India as a case, we test this by simulating mid-term and long-run climate scenarios (2050 & 2080) to map regional climate impacts that shows escalation in the intensity of climate events like heat waves, urban flooding, landslides and sea level rise. We draw on suitable adaptation measures for five key urban sectors- water, infrastructure (including energy), building, urban planning, health and conclude a sleuth of climate resilience building measures for policy application through national/ state policies, local urban plans and preparation of city resilience strategy, as well as advance the research on ‘negotiated resilience’ in urban areas

This study develops multiple evaluation indexes in the context of sustainable urban regeneration through introducing smart technologies/infrastructures and assesses 63 local urban regeneration strategic plans by using the content analysis method. A total of 107 indexes are developed based on the four aspects (economy, society and culture, environment, and livability) of sustainability. From our findings, the average plan quality score of 54 local governments’ plans is 17.5 out of 50, with the metropolitan governments’ plans averaging 16.8, which indicates that the plans currently sampled do not sufficiently reflect the basic concepts of sustainable and smart urban regeneration. The contents of most of the plans generally focus on specific sectors, such as society, culture, and housing, whereas smart technology-related information and policies are relatively deficient. Among the five plan components (factual bases, goals/objectives, policies/strategies, implementation, coordination) reviewed, the implementation component receives the highest score, while indicators related to action strategies are mentioned least often. In particular, the results reveal that indexes relating to the energy and transportation sectors are not frequently mentioned; as such, each municipality is recommended to work to increase awareness of smart technologies and policies. For urban regeneration projects to be sustainable, multi-faceted policies must be implemented by various stakeholders with a long-term perspective. The results of this study can be used as a base for local planners and decision-makers when adopting and supplementing existing regeneration plans, and can contribute to promoting more sustainable urban regeneration through actively adopting various smart technologies initiatives.

Unpacking principles of resilience mainstreamed in Ethiopia's local urban spatial planning documents: practices from Kombolcha, an urbanizing secondary city

In civil societies, urban movements are one of the tools in the process of spatial governance. In Poland, urban activism is beginning to develop together with a budding participation in public life. Therefore, there is a need to assess the scope and effects of the urban movements’ actions. The aim of the study was to determine and evaluate their impact on the spatial development in three Polish cities - Poznań, Gdańsk and Gdynia, especially in regard to the procedures in local urban planning and the process of participation. On the basis of the data collected during research and community interviews conducted in these cities, the following factors were analysed: the background and current profile of urban movements, the extent, regularity and effectiveness of their actions, the planning and spatial development initiatives undertaken, their cooperation with the local authorities and their contribution to the enhancement of participatory mechanisms.

This paper analyzes the concept of affordable housing and urban planning instruments that incentivize its development, especially in city centers. Considering the shortage of affordable housing in Zagreb, the research aims to identify contemporary urban planning practices that focus on the social function of housing and the role that local urban and housing policies have in ensuring access to it. By comparing the strategic documents for the housing development of the cities of Lyon and Barcelona and models of their implementation in the local urban plans for the areas of city centers and contact brownfield areas, the provisions incentivizing the development of the affordable housing (right of pre-emption, category of subsidized housing, inclusionary zoning, density bonus, and protection of residential use) are singled out. In the context of urban renewal of the historic center of Zagreb and of brownfield redevelopment in the contact zone of the city center, inclusion of the aforementioned provisions in local urban plans is examined, demonstrating the potential that such instrument has for the development of affordable housing in the city center.