Promoting community economic development: an assessment of an experimental scheme in cleveland

Traditional economic planning policies do not, largely, benefit residents of run‐down inner city neighbourhoods. Planners have therefore begun to look at other ways to improve the economic well‐being of unemployed people in such areas. One such initiative has been the location of Community Employment Development Officers in economically depressed areas by Cleveland County Council — one of Britain's unemployment blackspots. Their remit is to encourage and initiate action to create jobs and this paper looks at the experiment, drawing out some of the lessons.     

The neighbourhood project for urban rehabilitation in France: a progress report

Serious social and environmental problems are encountered on many of the large post‐war estates of blocks of social housing (grands ensembles) surrounding French cities, as well as in many inner‐city districts. In 1981 the new Socialist administration set up a National Commission to foster grass‐roots schemes in order to improve housing and to attempt to tackle both the expressions and the causes of social problems. The resulting neighbourhood programme represents an innovative dialogue between the central State, the regions, local authorities and residents’ groups. Examination of a sample of projects from the provinces (Romans, Dreux, Les Minguettes) and the Paris region confirms that progress has been made by improving housing, open spaces and community facilities. Formidable problems of poverty, unemployment and racism remain on many estates.     

Evidence of the impacts of the national housing programme on the accessibility of the low‐income population in Rio de Janeiro

The Brazilian shift from a primarily rural to a more urban society has created major challenges that public policies must address. One of the most relevant challenges is deep social exclusion in urban areas, especially in terms of adequate housing and access to urban opportunities (e.g., jobs, housing, and services). In this context, land use and transport planning play a critical role in the sustainable development agenda. The work presented here analyses the accessibility of low‐income dwellings licenced under the Brazilian housing programme to the low‐income population. To evaluate the accessibility of the programme's target population, a case study was conducted in the city of Rio de Janeiro, where 58,000 homes licensed under the programme were analysed using GIS tools in terms of the present public transport network and the location of the homes. The amount of time it takes to access public transport on foot and the homes’ locations in relation to major urban opportunities were also analysed. Finally, the same analysis was performed for the future transport network, and the results of the two analyses were compared to identify the scope of the legacy generated by investments in preparation for the 2016 network.     

A review of methods of public land ownership and allocation for housing in Iran

In the aftermath of the 1979 revolution, the new administration adopted a number of policies to address the question of land ownership, supply and allocation in order to tackle the acute shortage of housing in the urban areas. In 1982, the Five‐Year Urban Land Act was passed by the Parliament. Subsequently a body called the Urban Land Organisation (ULO) was set up to co‐ordinate the process of land preparation and allocation. The 1982 Urban Land act empowered the government to: (a) expropriate certain categories of abandoned urban land, and (b) to set a temporary time schedule of five years during which the act's work will be monitored.

This paper sets out to examine the policies related to urban land which have been introduced and implemented in the 1980s in Iran.     

Government and voluntary policymaking for sustainability in mining towns: A longitudinal analysis of Itabira,Brazil

The socio‐economic fabric of single‐company mining towns needs to be carefully considered by both Government and companies in sustainability policymaking. Policy design and effectiveness in such towns are significantly impacted by the city's economic dependence on a single company. This paper explores the perceived effectiveness of government and voluntary private sector mining policies for pursuing sustainability in the historic mining town of Itabira, Brazil over a period of 20 years. Itabira serves as a worthwhile case study because it allows for an in‐depth and longitudinal analysis that can reveal valuable lessons to policymakers of different sectors and jurisdictions located elsewhere. Based on extensive face‐to‐face interviews and literature reviews, study results indicate that changes to the state environmental licensing policies in the 1990s led to significant socio‐environmental improvements in the area. The globalization of the mining company also contributed to an increase in the quantity and quality of voluntary industry policies. Recent technological improvements in the beneficiation processes of the mining company promises to extend the life of the mine to 2050. Although there are significant incremental socio‐environmental policies and programmes, sustainability remains an elusive vision in Itabira, with no clear objectives or monitoring and accountability mechanisms. The paper concludes by recommending a more formal integrated policymaking framework.     

A training consultancy for an Ethiopian I.D.A. urban programme evaluated

The author contributed to a short ‘in service’ course for staff engaged on a World Bank upgrading project for Ethiopian housing. The project includes both the building of new houses by self‐build co‐operatives on the periphery of Addis Ababa, and the upgrading of a dense inner city area in conditions of acute deprivation. The paper is a highly personal account of the author's impressions of the value of such initiatives.     

Constraints to managing urban and housing land in the context of poverty: a case of Epworth settlement in Zimbabwe

This paper makes a proposition that Epworth's current housing management policies, regulations and practices do not promote easy access to formal standard housing and secure tenure in peri-urban and urban areas for low-income groups. In constructing this paper, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies were used. The qualitative methods adopted include key informant interviews, observations of the environmental aspects of the study area and documentary analysis of secondary data housed in the local board (Epworth Local Board) offices. The major findings demonstrate the reasons for high levels of squatting in Epworth, the local board's housing and development control policy, the relationship between poverty and informal settlements, the informal settlers' capacity to meet the costs of planned and serviced stands and policy options for both the central government and the local board which can be adopted to alleviate poverty in informal settlements. Evidence on the ground points to the fact that perpetuated animosity among groups in a settlement hinders the growth and development of that place. Epworth is a victim of disharmony of the groups residing there. It is the group dynamics that are very influential in making or breaking development in a place. The government official position on Epworth in this study stands unconvincing regarding the jeopardy of bad stewardship by the so-called responsible authority.     

Renewable inequity? Women's employment in clean energy in industrialized,emerging and developing economies

Women are globally underrepresented in the energy industry. This paper reviews existing academic and practitioner literature on women's employment in renewable energy in industrialized nations, emerging economies and developing countries. It highlights similarities and differences in occupational patterns in women's employment in renewables in different parts of the world, and makes recommendations for optimizing women's participation. Findings reveal the need for broader socially‐progressive policies and shifts in societal attitudes about gender roles, in order for women to benefit optimally from employment in renewables. In some industrialized countries, restructuring paid employment in innovative ways while unlinking social protection from employment status has been suggested as a way to balance gender equity with economic security and environmental protection. However, without more transformative social changes in gender relations, such strategies may simply reinforce rather than subvert existing gender inequities both in paid employment and in unpaid domestic labor. Grounded interventions to promote gender equality in renewable energy employment – especially within the context of increasing access to energy services for underserved communities – are more prevalent and better‐established in some non‐OECD (Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development) countries. OECD countries might be well‐advised to try to implement certain programs and policies that are already in place in some emerging economies.     

Floods in the Douala metropolis,Cameroon: attribution to changes in rainfall characteristics or planning failures?

With urban populations worldwide expected to witness substantial growth over the next decades, pressure on urban land and resources is projected to increase in response. For policy-makers to adequately meet the challenges brought about by changes in the dynamics of urban areas, it is important to clearly identify and communicate their causes. Floods in Douala (the most densely populated city in the central African sub-region), are being associated chiefly with changing rainfall patterns, resulting from climate change in major policy circles. We investigate this contention using statistical analysis of daily rainfall time-series data covering the period 1951–2008, and tools of geographic information systems. Using attributes such as rainfall anomalies, trends in the rainfall time series, daily rainfall maxima and rainfall intensity–duration–frequency, we find no explanation for the attribution of an increase in the occurrences and severity of floods to changing rainfall patterns. The culprit seems to be the massive increase in the population of Douala, in association with poor planning and investment in the city's infrastructure. These demographic changes and poor planning have occurred within a physical geography setting that is conducive for the inducement of floods. Failed urban planning in Cameroon since independence set the city up for a flood-prone land colonization. This today translates to a situation in which large portions of the city's surface area and the populations they harbor are vulnerable to the city's habitual annual floods. While climate change stands to render the city even more vulnerable to floods, there is no evidence that current floods can be attributed to the changes in patterns of rainfall being reported in policy and news domains.     

Assessing London,Ontario's brownfield redevelopment effort to promote urban intensification

Intensification of existing urban areas is currently a major item on the policy agenda of the Ontario and Canadian governments. As part of the urban intensification drive, brownfield sites have become major candidates for redevelopment. Governments at all levels have initiated policies and programmes to encourage their remediation and redevelopment. This paper reports the findings of a qualitative exploration of brownfield redevelopment in London, Canada. Through in-depth interviews (n?=?17) with key stakeholders involved in brownfield redevelopment, the study explores the level of participation in brownfield redevelopment, barriers to brownfield redevelopment in the city, and perceptions about financial incentives in the city's Brownfield Community Improvement Plan. The study found that despite the availability of financial incentives, the overall private sector participation in brownfield redevelopment is low due to barriers such as competition from greenfield, risk, cost, negative public perception of brownfields, and complex remediation processes. The paper provides policy suggestions that may contribute to a more active participation in brownfield redevelopment in the city.     

邻避设施导致的资产损失评估研究——以南京市为例

随着居民环境和公众维权意识的提高,邻避冲突会逐步从感性的情绪表达过渡到理性的利益诉求。选择房地产作为度量邻避设施导致的资产损失的媒介,基于双重差分模型构建了邻避设施导致的资产损失评估方法。以南京市为例,选择55个有效住宅社区1980个样本作为处理组,选择25个商圈住宅社区900个样本作为对照组,研究了化工厂、污水处理厂、公墓和监狱四种典型邻避设施对周边资产价格的影响。研究发现:不同邻避设施对周边资产影响不同;化工厂、监狱、公墓和污水处理厂的影响程度依次为302、284、194和180;区域繁华因素等可以消除邻避设施的部分影响;邻避设施周边资产的市场表现仅满足"上涨时涨得少",而不满足"下跌时跌得多"的特点。     

日本的城市环境问题及其改善过程：政策和规划视角研究

日本是亚洲最先城市化的国家,目前已有86%的人口生活在城市行政区范围内。在城市化的进程中,日本曾出现过各种各样的环境问题,经过半个多世纪的努力,现在的城市生活环境不仅得到根本改善,而且在资源循环利用和低碳社会建设等方面也做出引人注目的成绩。本文从日本城市规划制度和环境政策演变角度,分阶段介绍自1950年以来的城市环境问题、环境法律和有关城市规划建设的政策,逐步展开日本改善城市生活环境、保护地球自然环境的过程,尤其注重从生态城市到低碳社会转型发展的最近政策动向。     

The urban governance of transport and the environment in the city of Kristiansand

This paper studies local institutions established for better co-ordination of environmental and transport policies. The empirical case is an institution called the Land-use and Transport forum (ATP) in the city area of Kristiansand in Norway, where municipal, county and state organisations have been brought together in decision making and implementation processes. ATP's relationship with private business organisations is also analysed. It is argued that the case is an example of how groups of actors and partnerships can shape new discourses. The paper shows that urban governance relations are changing from a sectorally focused mode of governance to a more open and inclusive style in Kristiansand.     

国家环境经济政策进展评估报告2019

本年度国家环境经济政策进展评估报告采用实地调研法和政策分析法,对2019年我国重点环境经济政策的进展进行了系统评估,总体结论认为环境经济政策在污染防治攻坚战和生态环境质量改善中发挥了积极作用,生态环境保护的市场经济政策机制在不断健全,但是环境经济政策体系尚需进一步完善优化,亟须通过深化改革助推生态文明和现代环境治理体系建设。     

The development of private sheltered housing in Scotland: a changing market

The provision of sheltered housing for sale in Scotland has experienced rapid growth since the opening of the first scheme in 1982. Development has been geographically concentrated in a small number of inner city and rural (coastal) areas. The expectation of continued rapid expansion is unlikely if recent trends of slower growth continue. This paper uses evidence from interviews with developers and owners of sheltered and mainstream housing, to examine the possible future contribution of the private market. On the basis of such evidence it raises questions about the relevance of some existing planning policies.     

Sustainability versus liveability: an investigation of neighbourhood satisfaction

Recent years have witnessed an increasing emphasis placed on planning systems in most advanced capitalist societies to develop a more sustainable urban development pattern, resulting in policies to increase residential densities. Although belief in the virtues of the compact city approach is now widespread among the policy community, questions remain relating to the ‘sustainability versus liveability’ implications of compact city environments. In this regard, while the public may support sustainability principles, there is a perception that high-density development poses too great a cost on individuals' quality of life. Combining both quantitative and qualitative research data, this paper evaluates the relationship between high-density living and neighbourhood satisfaction within the central city. Findings suggest that, in many instances, it is not high density per se that is the source of dissatisfaction for respondents, but rather other related factors such as environmental quality, noise, lack of community involvement, traffic and lack of services and facilities.     

THE LEVEE LOVE AFFAIR: A STORMY RELATIONSHIP?1

ABSTRACT: A history of flood control in the United States shows an undying affair with levees. This love affair, however, was put severely to the test by the record flooding in the summer of 1993. About 70 percent of levees in the upper Midwest failed during this time, leading to extensive damage to both farmland and urban areas. Consequently, there were repeated calls to re-assess the nation's floodplain management policies. The report of the Intera-gency Floodplain Management Review Committee is one outcome of this and it forms the basis of this commentary on levees. In many respects, levees are effective flood control measures, being relatively cheap to implement and easy to build. At the same time, levees have negative impacts, affecting the hydrological regime both up and down stream, and often exacerbating flooding in other places. Furthermore, technical weaknesses in design, planning, construction, and maintenance have all contributed to levee failures. While the report recommends changes in floodplain management to address some of these issues, it is difficult to see how these will materialize given the current political, economic, and social climate.     

Gentrification and housing improvement: the case of Nürnberg

A revival of interest among professional people in central and inner city residence appears to have occurred in West Germany since the late 1970s. In recent years, a selective programme of central area rehabilitation has successfully wedded public and private funding in Nürnberg, with consequent displacement of low‐income tenants. The further spread of upgrading and social change appears to have been halted in parts of the inner city designated as Urban Renewal Areas, where the federal and local authorities are apparently intent on stabilising and improving the much‐neglected housing and environmental conditions of the poorest “guestworker” communities.     

Urban economy or environmental policy? The case of Egypt

This paper shows how prevailing economic development paradigms over the last five decades have favoured an urban-based model of economic development at the expense of environmental considerations in developing countries. How the disjuncture between these competing agendas has been experienced in Egypt forms the focus of the paper. Tension between environmental and development/urbanization policies reflects their political encoding aimed at maintaining regime stability. The state has attempted to mediate between the domestic interests of an urban-based elite and the urban poor, international donor dominance of Egypt's economic and urban development strategies, and the country's limited institutional capacity to manage its developmental aspirations. In a policy configuration that buttresses macro-economic policy with urban development priorities, the unfettered role of market processes has produced vast but unregulated urban expansion with, now, increasingly severe environmental consequences. Despite attempts to reconcile the two agendas in the last decade, the paper concludes that the main issues endemic to the public policy domain in Egypt, and in many developing countries, remain: poor line ministry coordination, weak enforcement of environment law, resistance to participation, limited implementation capacity, conflicts between sectoral and cross-sectoral policy formulation, and dependency on external donors. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mixed land‐use patterns and the development of spatial structure of Nigerian cities

Differences exist in the spatial structure of cities in both the developed and developing world owing to the contradistinctive nature of their urban growth processes. The structure of Nigerian cities is characterised by the preponderance of mixed land uses resulting primarily due to the organic nature of city growth and more fundamentally, owing to the dynamics of informal urban economic activities. This paper examines mixed land‐use patterns in selected Nigerian cities and appraises their relevance in the general city growth process. By suggesting principles and speculative spatial patterns expressing desirable use combinations, an attempt is made to rationalise the utility of the concept such that its environmental impact is understood and given planning resolution.