Urban Policy Makers Research Articles

Analyzing the Contribution of Urban Land Uses to the Formation of Urban Heat Islands in Urmia City

An Urban Heat Island (UHI) is an important variable in climate and environmental studies. Nowadays, population growth and urbanization development are the most important factors affecting the temperature increase in urban areas, which cause the creation of heat islands in urban areas. (1) Background: This study explores the influence of major land uses on the creation of Urban Heat Islands in Urmia city, Iran. (2) Methods: To achieve the aim of this study, Landsat satellite data including Landsat 5 and 8 imageries from the time periods of 1990 and 2023 were used. With the series of data processing and analyses on vegetation cover and land surface temperature, the impact of main land uses on the creation of Urban Heat Islands and the intensification of their effects have been investigated. (3) Results: The analysis reveals that barren lands consistently exhibit the highest temperature, while garden lands show the lowest temperature across both periods. In addition, the spatial distribution of Urban Heat Islands demonstrates a clustered pattern throughout the study period, with hot spots mainly located in the northwestern and southwestern areas. (4) Conclusions: This study’s findings can be helpful for urban policymakers and planners to develop practical strategies to mitigate UHIs and improve climate resilience in cities.

Analysis of Energy-Related-CO2-Emission Decoupling from Economic Expansion and CO2 Drivers: The Tianjin Experience in China

Cities are key areas for carbon control and reduction. The study of the decoupling between CO2 emissions and gross domestic product (GDP) and the drivers of CO2 emissions in cities facilitates the reduction of CO2 emissions to safeguard the development of the economy. This paper first calculates the CO2 emissions in Tianjin, China, from 2005 to 2022, then uses the Tapio decoupling index to quantify the decoupling status, and, finally, explores the energy-CO2-emission drivers through the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) model. The findings indicate that (1) the decrease in CO2 emissions from industrial products and transport is the main reason for the decline. (2) During the period under investigation, the predominant condition observed was a state of weak decoupling. (3) Given the economic-output effect is the primary and substantial driver of energy CO2 emissions, it is essential to harmonize the interplay between economic-development approach and CO2 emissions to foster sustainable development in Tianjin. The industrial structure plays the most critical role in hindering the reduction of CO2 emissions; therefore, optimizing industrial structure can help achieve carbon reduction and control targets. These findings enrich the study of CO2 emission factors and can also interest urban policymakers.

Sustainable urban development policies and practices in the United States

Sustainability approaches have a special significance in terms of ensuring a long-term and balanced multi-dimensional urban development. The purpose of the study is to reveal and describe the main features of sustainable urban development in the United States in terms of urban policymaking and practical implementation. In the theoretical part of the paper, various interpretations of sustainable urban development and sustainable cities were discussed and summarized. Meanwhile, a brief description of the current state of global urbanization processes was given. Through secondary data analysis (governmental reports, descriptions of missions and target activities, legislative acts, etc.), comparison and generalization, the main actors (governmental bodies at federal level) and priorities of the U.S. urban policy with a special focus on sustainability were identified and discussed. In addition, the framework of the U.S. sustainable urban development policymaking was suggested and generalized. Different city rankings (based on sustainable development goals, green development, etc.) reveal the leading role of Pacific Coast urban areas, Washington D.C., Boston and New York City in terms of urban sustainability practices. Various urban innovations are implemented in the same and other urban areas, promoting the further development of smart sustainable city concept in the United States.

DILUTED POST‐SOCIALISM: Urban Policymaking in East Germany, Poland and Ukraine

<scp>DILUTED POST</scp>‐<scp>SOCIALISM</scp>: Urban Policymaking in East Germany, Poland and Ukraine

Challenges and Opportunities for a Local Government Implementing a Human Rights Policy in Australia

This article considers how a human rights culture in urban policymaking fits within wider theories of human rights cities. Specifically, it considers practical ways to bring together what local government officers consider the most important initiatives to enhance human rights in the city, and which initiatives are feasible to implement in the context of complex urban governance structures. It argues that principles of leadership, accountability, and operational capability are all integral to the successful implementation of a human rights approach in the city. This account is informed by empirical data from a research project undertaken in a city council located in Melbourne, Australia. This study used a mixed-methods approach combining conversations, focus groups, and a co-designed workshop with local government officers working in various departments in the city, local politicians, and community representatives. The workshop collected ideas on how to work successfully towards the implementation of a human rights policy in the city council and to understand how obstacles to implementation can be overcome by changing the culture in the organisation. The findings show that a lack of leadership, an overreliance on quantitative monitoring, and diffused operational capability hamper the implementation of a local human rights culture in this local government council. Recommendations are for councillors and CEOs in local governments to take a stronger leadership role and for residents to be more involved in the co-design of human rights initiatives in the community.

Analysis of Surface Urban Heat Island in the Guangzhou-Foshan Metropolitan Area Based on Local Climate Zones

Understanding the driving mechanisms behind surface urban heat island (SUHI) effects is essential for mitigating the degradation of urban thermal environments and enhancing urban livability. However, previous studies have primarily concentrated on central urban areas, lacking a comprehensive analysis of the entire metropolitan area over distinct time periods. Additionally, most studies have relied on regression analysis models such as ordinary least squares (OLS) or logistic regression, without adequately analyzing the spatial heterogeneity of factors influencing the surface urban heat island (SUHI) effects. Therefore, this study aims to explore the spatial heterogeneity and driving mechanisms of surface urban heat island (SUHI) effects in the Guangzhou-Foshan metropolitan area across different time periods. The Local Climate Zones (LCZs) method was employed to analyze the landscape characteristics and spatial structure of the Guangzhou-Foshan metropolis for the years 2013, 2018, and 2023. Furthermore, Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), Multi-scale Geographically Weighted Regression (MGWR), and Geographical Detector (GD) models were utilized to investigate the interactions between influencing factors (land cover factors, urban environmental factors, socio-economic factors) and Surface Urban Heat Island Intensity (SUHII), maximizing the explanation of SUHII across all time periods. Three main findings emerged: First, the Local Climate Zones (LCZs) in the Guangzhou-Foshan metropolitan area exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity, with a non-linear relationship to SUHII. Second, the SUHI effects displayed a distinct core-periphery pattern, with Large lowrise (LCZ 8) and compact lowrise (LCZ 3) areas showing the highest SUHII levels in urban core zones. Third, land cover factors emerged as the most influential factors on SUHI effects in the Guangzhou-Foshan metropolis. These results indicate that SUHI effects exhibit notable spatial heterogeneity, and varying negative influencing factors can be leveraged to mitigate SUHI effects in different metropolitan locations. Such findings offer crucial insights for future urban policy-making.

Intersecting social welfare with resilience to streamline urban flood management

Urban policymakers have long searched for stormwater management plans that incentivize stakeholders to adopt Green Infrastructure (GI) while effectively reducing the vulnerability of drainage systems. In this regard, our research introduces a novel framework to develop GI strategies that provide both hydrological resiliency and social acceptance. To achieve this, first, using a coupled Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm-II (NSGA-II), optimal alternatives for GI planning were generated. In the optimization process, we used a novel Simple Urban Flood Resilience Index (SUFRI) to consider the internal performance of the system in identifying resilient plans. Derived management strategies warrant runoff volume reduction and resilience improvement up to 31.3% and 55.1%, respectively. In the next step, Utilitarian-based Social Welfare (USW) was employed to clarify the socio-economic behavior of management strategies. Results indicate that while financial incentives significantly motivate developers to implement GI, they cannot guarantee high social welfare, and achieving a sustainable solution requires evaluating both SUFRI and USW layers under different subsidy levels. Visualizing the SUFRI layer revealed a critical failure in the resiliency trend of solutions that cannot be detected by evaluating simpler metrics, such as runoff volume reduction. This highlights the importance of the SUFRI method in conducting deeper evaluations and preventing financial waste. Finally, we navigated the intersection of USW and SUFRI measures to reach an ideal management plan with optimal supporting level. Our findings showed that the selected solution with the highest social acceptability can improve the resiliency of the system by 29 %. This study is a novel combination of the hydrological and social aspects of stormwater management, enabling decision-makers to take significant steps towards sustainable urban development.

Availability Problem of Drinking Water in an Urban Area - Effects of Family Size and Monthly Income: An Empirical Study

The availability of water is a major problem faced by the urban masses and policy makers. Bridging the gap between the demand for and supply of water is a major policy decision confronted by the urban authorities. The ever-increasing urban population and shift in occupational structure results in the increased demand which confronts with lagging supply of water which needs immediate policy attention. The present study is based on the survey of households in urban areas who have piped water connections in their homes. 600 households were selected at random from the total connections available. The data is analysed using the x2 test. The present study aims at examining the relation between size of the family and income of the respondents with that of severity of availability problem of water and comes to the conclusion that severity problem is not connected with the size of the family size but it is connected with the family income of the consumers.

Street-level built environment on SARS-CoV-2 transmission: A study of Hong Kong

Understanding the association between SARS-CoV-2 Spatial Transmission Risk (SSTR) and Built Environments (BE) is crucial for implementing effective pandemic prevention measures. Massive efforts have been made to examine the macro-built environment at the regional level, which has neglected the living service areas at the residential scale. Therefore, this study aims to explore the association between Street-level Built Environments (SLBE) and SSTR in Hong Kong from the 1st to the early 5th waves of the pandemic to address this gap. A total of 3693 visited/resided buildings were collected and clustered by spatial autocorrelation, and then Google Street View (GSV) was employed to obtain SLBE features around the buildings. Eventually, the interpretable machine learning framework based on the random forest algorithm (RFA)-based SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) model was proposed to reveal the hidden non-linear association between SSTR and SLBE.The results indicated that in the high-risk cluster area, street sidewalks, street sanitation facilities, and artificial structures were the primary risk factors positively associated with SSTR, in low-risk cluster areas with a significant positive association with traffic control facilities. Our study elucidates the role of SLBE in COVID-19 transmission, facilitates strategic resource allocation, and guides the optimization of outdoor behavior during pandemics for urban policymakers.

Enhancing Urban Sustainability: Developing an Open-Source AI Framework for Smart Cities

To address the growing need for advanced tools that enable urban policymakers to conduct comprehensive cost-benefit analyses of traffic management changes, the Urbanite H2020 project has developed innovative artificial intelligence methods. Among them is a robust decision support system that assists policymakers in evaluating and selecting optimal urban mobility planning modifications by combining objective and subjective criteria. Utilising open-source microscopic traffic simulation tools, accurate digital models (or “digital twins”) of four pilot cities—Bilbao, Amsterdam, Helsinki, and Messina—were created, each addressing unique mobility challenges. These challenges include reducing private vehicle access in Bilbao’s city center, analysing the impact of increased bicycle traffic and population growth in Amsterdam, constructing a mobility-enhancing tunnel in Helsinki, and improving public transport connectivity in Messina. The research introduces five key innovations: the application of a consistent open-source simulation platform across diverse urban environments, addressing integration and consistency challenges; the pioneering use of Dexi for advanced decision support in smart cities; the implementation of advanced visualisations; and the integration of the machine learning tool, Orange, with a user-friendly GUI interface. These innovations collectively make complex data analysis accessible to non-technical users. By applying multi-label machine learning techniques, the decision-making process is accelerated by three orders of magnitude, significantly enhancing urban planning efficiency. The Urbanite project’s findings offer valuable insights into both anticipated and unexpected outcomes of mobility interventions, presenting a scalable, open-source AI-based framework for urban decision-makers worldwide.

Management Strategy for Public Green Open Spaces in Medan City Using SWOT Analysis

Medan City, the third-largest city in Indonesia, faces significant challenges in managing its public green open spaces (RTH) due to high population density, rapid urbanization, and insufficient green space, which falls far short of the 30% mandated by law. This research assesses the management of public green spaces in Medan through a SWOT analysis, revealing internal strengths such as a Regional Spatial Plan and government commitment, alongside weaknesses like suboptimal management, lack of coordination between agencies, and inadequate regulations. External factors, including opportunities from NGO funding and potential land acquisition, contrast with threats like rapid population growth and misuse of green spaces. Through data collection methods, including focus group discussions, questionnaires, and interviews with key stakeholders, the research identified key areas for improvement in green space management. Strategic recommendations include strengthening policies, increasing public awareness, optimizing cross-sector collaboration, and promoting sustainable urban planning. Additionally, leveraging green spaces for economic growth through multifunctional uses can enhance their value to the community. This study concludes that public green open spaces in Medan City can contribute significantly to sustainable urban development and environmental balance if managed more effectively, with better coordination, stronger regulations, and resource allocation. The findings aim to provide valuable insights for urban planners and policy makers in achieving urban sustainability goals.

Polycentricity and TOD-ness synergy: A novel composite index for integrated development of employment centers and residential cores in transit-oriented neighborhoods

Proximity of transit-oriented development (TOD) goals to polycentric urban development in the field of controlling negative effects of urban sprawl reinforces polycentricity and TOD-ness spatial synergy. Furthermore, identification of transit-oriented neighborhoods that have high potential to become secondary employment centers (ECs) is one of the most important challenges facing urban transport planners and land use policy makers. This research explained integrated development of ECs and residential cores (RCs) in transit-oriented neighborhoods using a novel composite index. The index is designed based on TOD-ness and polycentricity measures using spatial statistical methods and helps urban planners and policy makers to better identify polycentric TODs as transit-oriented residential neighborhoods with high potential to become secondary employment centers. Research findings confirmed higher accessibility of polycentric TODs to public services and public and private transportation that have better integration in the development of urban facilities and transportation systems. Furthermore, the findings confirmed polycentricity and TOD-ness spatial synergies in polycentric TODs.

Bridging traditions: Placemaking and authenticity in architecture for city branding

Abstract This paper explores the symbiotic relationship between placemaking and the authenticity of traditional architecture in the realm of city branding, using Surakarta City in Indonesia as a pivotal case study. It posits that the conscious integration of placemaking initiatives with the preservation and celebration of traditional architectural authenticity can significantly amplify any city’s brand identity, rendering it distinct and resonant on the global scale. Surakarta, with its rich cultural heritage and commitment to preserving Javanese architectural motifs, exemplifies how traditional elements can coalesce with contemporary urban development strategies to foster a sense of place and community identity. Through a qualitative analysis of Surakarta’s urban planning and community engagement practices, this study underscores the transformative impact of authentic architectural preservation in placemaking processes. The findings suggest that such an approach not only enhances the aesthetic and cultural landscape of cities but also strengthens their branding, attracting tourism and investment by offering a unique narrative. The paper concludes with strategic recommendations for urban policymakers and planners, advocating for a balanced integration of cultural authenticity and innovative place-making to achieve sustainable and impactful city branding. This study contributes to the broader discourse on urban development, highlighting the indispensable role of architectural authenticity in crafting compelling city narratives.

Toward carbon neutral cities: A comparative analysis between Sentinel 2 and WorldView 3 satellite image processing for tree carbon stock mapping in Brussels

Because of the high costs associated with data sources, urban policymakers struggle to employ cost-effective remote sensing methods for evaluating trees and their potential contributions to atmospheric Carbon Stock (CS). While free data sources like Copernicus Sentinel satellite data could be explored, there are a few studies illustrating its potential for mapping urban tree C. Here, the Sentinel 2 (S2)-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to model CS for street trees in Brussels. In parallel, the WorldView 3 (WV3)-derived NDVI layer was also used for a similar study area to compare the CS mapping outcomes regarding dominant tree species. The accuracy level was around 90 % (R²=0.89, r=0.94, and RMSE= 97 kg) in the case of WV3 data, whereas it was about 60 % (R²=0.60, r=0.79, and RMSE = 189.6 kg), even with a coarse resolution regarding the S2 data. This study also shows the strength and scope of using S2 data over WV3 data, illustrating the convenience in terms of accuracy and cost-effectiveness compared to existing methods. The applied methodology could be utilized to monitor urban trees and predict the level of possible carbon sequestration, even considering a larger city like Brussels with a complex agglomeration. It could be a solid additional support for the authorities of European towns and developing countries, especially in terms of being cost-efficient and readily embraced by users.

Dissecting behavioral inertia in shaping different resident participation behaviors in neighborhood regeneration: A quantitative behavioral experiment

Research on resident participation in neighborhood regeneration provides valuable insights for urban policymakers in environmental governance. While previous studies have extensively examined various influencing factors, they often neglect the impact of behavioral inertia. To address this gap, this study conducts a behavioral experiment to quantitatively assess the presence and impact of behavioral inertia on residents' governance and financial participation behaviors. A total of 576 valid survey questionnaires were collected, and conditional logit model and ordered logit model were utilized for analysis. The study reveals that behavioral inertia is indeed observable in residents' governance participation and financial participation behaviors. Furthermore, the findings underscore distinct drivers of behavioral inertia for these two types of participation behaviors, with emotional reactions predominantly influencing governance participation, while short-term thinking largely shapes financial participation. Theoretically, this study uses the innovative concept of “behavioral inertia” to offer a new explanatory framework for aspects of behavior that cannot be solely explained by the attributes of regeneration plans. Furthermore, the behavioral experiments utilized in this study exemplify how the research framework of behavioral science can be applied to the study of urban governance in a broad context internationally. Practically, the research findings provide valuable insights for urban policymakers to tailor measures aimed at promoting resident participation and fostering sustainable urban development.

Phenology- and light-based parameterization of stomatal conductance model for urban woody species in northern China

Surface ozone (O3) poses a significant threat to urban vegetation health, and assessing the O3 risk across woody species is of vital importance for maintaining the health of urban infrastructure. In the present study, Jarvis-type stomatal conductance model was parameterized for ten urban species in northern China. Incorporating the effects of time of day and diurnal O3 concentration significantly enhanced the model performance. For different plant functional types (greening trees, greening shrubs, and orchard-grown trees), three parameterizations were established to estimate stomatal O3 uptake (POD1, phytotoxic O3 dose over an hourly threshold of 1 nmol m−2 s−1). The differences in POD1 between greening trees and shrubs were primarily due to the difference in their stomatal sensitivity to light. Orchard-grown trees displayed the lowest O3 removal capacity (lowest value of POD1) because of their shorter growing season despite of high stomatal conductance. These results indicated that plant phenology and light responsiveness determined stomatal O3 uptake, and the three parameterizations developed here could be applicable to various urban species in northern regions. Among climatic factors for O3 risk assessment, O3 concentration was the most important factor determining annual variation of POD1, which was primarily driven by air temperature. However, when O3 pollution decreased, O3 concentration exhibited less dependence on temperature and more dependence on light. These findings provide crucial insights for urban policy-makers and environmental scientists aiming to mitigate O3 pollution effects and enhance urban vegetation health.

The paradox of urban decline in India

Urban shrinkage has become a global challenge in the field of urban studies. Despite significant progress in understanding urban shrinkage in developed countries, further exploration is necessary to comprehend the recent emergence of urban shrinkage in developing countries. This study explores the spatial pattern of urban shrinkage and urban decline and examines the associated factors of population decline in Indian urban centers. The phenomenon of urban decline in India presents a paradox as the country witnesses a steady growth in urbanization, yet some urban centers are facing a decline in population. Results showed that every one in nine urban centers was declining, with one-fifth of them shrinking in terms of population. The urban growth rate and level of urbanization are major contributing factors to this decline, along with city-level characteristics such as small population size, low population density, low fertility, and a higher aging population. To address this rising threat, urban policymakers in India must plan for the growth and development of declining and shrinking cities through revitalization programs, capital investment, infrastructure development, and micro-regional planning. Further, encouraging inclusive development for small and larger cities can help achieve sustainable urban development in India.

Knowledge uptake from lived experience regarding sustainable groundwater management: complementing scientific knowledge in urban policymaking

Urbanization can pose water management challenges in cities while overlooking the possibilities of residents’ lived experience and collaborative action learning. We show how the conceptual model of the Lived Experience of Sustainable Urban Groundwater Level identifies several aspects of local knowledge development through an ex-post case study in Rotterdam’s Flower Neighbourhood (The Netherlands), where too low groundwater levels threaten house foundations. Three types of local knowledge development emerged: (i) performing and monitoring well measurements by residents, (ii) environment-specific insights collected by residents and shared with civil servants, and (iii) collaboration on groundwater management experiments, resulting in empirical groundwater data. Overcoming communication barriers, trust issues, and power dynamics are crucial for effectively retrieving and integrating lived experience into collective learning for urban sustainable development.

Cities facing the European green deal: Urban policy and locals’ perspective in the post-socialist area

The European Green Deal (EGD) is a comprehensive and ambitious strategy to achieve climate neutrality in the European Union. Cities play a crucial role as places of accumulation of resources, as well as increased consumption. This study attempts to respond to whether the largest cities in Poland (the main development cores of the country and, more broadly, Central Europe) address the development challenges of the EU articulated in the EGD and derived from the concept of a smart city.In this study, not only the theory behind the smart city concept but also the strategic documents of the largest Polish cities in that matter are analysed. The socio-spatial analyses identified the existing discrepancies between the perspectives of local authorities and inhabitants in implementing contemporary development concepts. There were indicated SHS (smart hot spots) - which are those located in the city centre and places that act as mobility hubs, as well as SCS (smart cold spots) - which are remote from the centre or degraded and decapitalised places. The crucial challenge for urban policymakers is to level internal environmental and socio-economic inequalities and prevent the formation of “emerald islands” in the city interior.The proposed inclusive approach offers a tool that could be used in many similar case studies, including the need for dialogue with local society, the special consideration of the local context, heterogeneity and greater attention to the new sources of knowledge, including GIS tools, enabling the building of a viable local system.

Personalization of the Car-Sharing Fleet Selected for Commuting to Work or for Educational Purposes—An Opportunity to Increase the Attractiveness of Systems in Smart Cities

Car-sharing services, which provide short-term vehicle rentals in urban centers, are rapidly expanding globally but also face numerous challenges. A significant challenge is the effective management of fleet selection to meet user expectations. Addressing this challenge, as well as methodological and literature gaps, the objective of this article is to present an original methodology that supports the evaluation of the suitability of vehicle fleets used in car-sharing systems and to identify the vehicle features preferred by users necessary for specific types of travel. The proposed methodology, which incorporates elements of transportation system modeling and concurrent analysis, was tested using a real-world case study involving a car-sharing service operator. The research focused on the commuting needs of car-sharing users for work or educational purposes. The study was conducted for a German car-sharing operator in Berlin. The research was carried out from 1 January to 30 June 2022. The findings indicate that the best vehicles for the respondents are large cars representing classes D or E, equipped with a combustion engine with a power of 63 to 149 kW, at least parking sensors, navigation, hands-free, lane assistant, heated seats, and high safety standards as indicated by Euro NCAP ratings, offered at the lowest possible rental price. The results align with market trends in Germany, which focus on the sale of at least medium-sized vehicles. This suggests a limitation of small cars in car-sharing systems, which were ideologically supposed to be a key fleet in those kinds of services. The developed methodology supports both system operators in verifying whether their fleet meets user needs and urban policymakers in effectively managing policies towards car-sharing services, including fleet composition, pricing regulations, and vehicle equipment standards. This work represents a significant step towards enhancing the efficiency of car-sharing services in the context of smart cities, where personalization and optimizing transport are crucial for sustainable development.