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A growing number of cities are turning to green infrastructure as a way to manage climate change, nature recovery and unsustainable development. Although such an approach has been at the centre of thinking about development in many cities in the global North, there have been few interventions in cities of the global South. Only recently have scholars paid attention to how uneven land-use regulations in greening approaches toward informal settlements can exacerbate inequalities and result in green gentrification, residents' displacement and the relocation of informal communities. Eviction policies and the relocation of informal settlements have been justified by planning authorities under the banner of ecological improvement and climate adaptation. However, the eviction and replacement policies are often resisted by the residents of informal settlements. This paper builds upon and extends this nascent bank of knowledge by mobilising the conflicting rationalities framework to illustrate how green interventions conventionally are framed as a 'win-win' can exacerbate inequitable urban redevelopments, leading to exclusion and conflict. The paper qualitatively examines a case of greening plans in an informal settlement in Tehran metropolitan area, Iran. Thus, it also provides knowledge on a context that has received comparatively scant coverage in the academic literature on urban greening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban green spaces (UGS) are a central part of cities and offer multiple ecological and social benefits necessary for a higher quality of life of inhabitants. However, rapid unguided urban growth together with planning policies on rezoning can lead to transformation of UGS to commercial, residential, and other uses. These processes of land use change result in inequities in the distribution of UGS in the city. Yet, data and metrics that capture changes in the geography of UGS is scarce within African cities. This paper addresses this need by examining the spatio-temporal geography of UGS at the neighborhood-scale in Kumasi, the next biggest city in Ghana. Five (5) UGS distribution indicators were computed from remote sensing data for 2013 and 2020 and compared across neighborhoods. Further, a GIS network analysis method was deployed to analyse access to parks in Kumasi. The results showed that between 2013 and 2020, green spaces in Kumasi became fragmented and disconnected despite a slight increase in quantity. The level of UGS fragmentation was found to significantly vary among the neighborhoods. Fragmentation and depletion in UGS were profound at the outskirts of Kumasi while majority of the population cannot access the nearest park under 30-min' walk. These findings contribute to a complete and holistic understanding of the distribution and accessibility of UGS at the neighborhood level in cities and disparities in UGS exposure in the Global South. The findings provide important insights for urban policies while the data and methods serve as blueprints for local authorities, particularly in Ghana to track their progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 11, target 7. • This paper deploys remote sensing and network analysis to explore the changing geography of, and accessibility to, urban green spaces (UGS) in Kumasi. • Green spaces in Kumasi became fragmented and disconnected between 2013 and 2020. • Fragmentation and depletion in UGS were profound at the outskirts of Kumasi. • Most (58%) of the inhabitants in Kumasi are without access to parks within 30 min' walk range. • Recommendations to improve UGS provision and preservation are proffered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of Urban Heat Island (UHI) is harming people across megacities in the world. In Jakarta, the informal settlements are most affected due to the lack of adequate infrastructure to deal with the heat. The heat problem in the informal settlements was primarily exacerbated by overcrowding and a lack of access to cooling infrastructures. In this paper, we observe how residents of the informal settlements take on a cooling practice collectively. Our study is situated in five urban kampongs located in the most populated sub-districts (kelurahan) in Jakarta. Nine months of ethnographic fieldwork were conducted to unpack the residents' endeavor to mitigate the heat problem. To explicate the process and the role of these cooling facilities, we use the notion of social practice comprising three fundamental elements: competence, material, and meaning. "Social practice" aptly characterizes how the residents in each kampong worked together to build cooling places that also function as communal spaces. Our research discovered that despite limited resources and technical competence, each kampong recognized the necessity of communal spaces to maintain their cooling practices. These measures enabled them to engage in cooling practices while building social relationships through chilling outdoors. By demonstrating the capacity of residents in the informal settlements for constructing vernacular forms of cooling infrastructure, this paper offers a pluralistic view of heat mitigation in megacities of the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Sustainable development goals (SDG) aim for reducing poverty (SDG 1) and to upgrade all slums (SDG 11). The first indicator in SDG 11 describes the proportion of the urban population residing in slums. However, the currently available data is based on national estimates that follow globally varying methodologies and concepts. In this paper, a uniform approach is implemented to obtain slum population estimates in eight different cities from three continents. The approach relies on earth observation datasets on the spatial extent of the slums and one of the most accepted gridded population dataset: WorldPop. The results shed light on the distribution of population in slums around the world. Nevertheless, the question of the accuracy of these population numbers arises. Therefore, a broad range of literature data containing population counts is gathered for the cities investigated, for varying years and for different spatial scales. The literature data is compared to results obtained by the presented approach. The comparison yields a plausibility assessment for different cities, indicating varying levels of deviation. We find in all cities a clear bias in estimating the slum population - mostly underestimations -, even though some cities reveal a significantly better fit to the data. In conclusion, this study provides a methodology to systematically assess the accuracy of globally available datasets in the context of slums and thereby to highlight the large uncertainties which can empirically be observed. [Display omitted] • Definition of a uniform approach to estimate slum population. • Obtaining slum population estimates for eight cities in the Global South. • Plausibility assessment of population counts using a broad range of literature sources. • Results show significant underestimations of slums worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-suburban notion suggests the transformation of suburbs due to infrastructure expansion and connectivity between primary and smaller cities, which leads to polycentricity. This paper examines post-suburbanisation by examining commuting patterns, origin-destination, and commuters' socio-economic characteristics in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area (JMA). This study uses cross-sectional commuting survey data in 2014 and 2019 to investigate the post-suburbanisation process by three indicators; (i) spatial dependence of job and school activities to Jakarta is limited, (ii) maturity of sub-urban is higher in outer districts as it is more attractive for middle-upper class and older migrants and (iii) segregation as a higher share of commuters from adjacent districts. This paper contributes to the post-suburbanisation literature by highlighting the importance of commuting data and the dynamic of urban socio-spatial in a developing country that calls for multilevel institutional arrangements to manage the metropolitan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The failure of developing targeted and effective farmland preservation policies, especially in the developing world, are partly attributable due to a lack of local-level information on the local government's and the public's goals of farmland preservation. This paper sought to address this shortcoming from insights of ecosystem services (ES) trade-offs. Utilizing eight counties in Hubei Province, China, as the case study area, we uncovered each county government's and its public's goals of farmland preservation based on ES trade-offs and diagnosed the consistency between the two. The results showed that provisioning services are the key ES that the local governments prioritized. However, the public's goals of farmland preservation in each county involved only non-provisioning services (i.e., regulating services, cultural services, and supporting services), with emphasis placed on cultural services. The local government failed to account adequately for the public's various needs. Moreover, the government's and the public's farmland preservation goals and their inconsistency were spatially distinct across the eight counties. These findings point to the need for the local government to involve the public's requirements and adapt to local context when setting spatially differentiated goals of farmland preservation and developing corresponding policies. Furthermore, it is necessary to promote the transformation of farmland use for sustainable intensification to provide provisioning and non-provisioning services that meet the goals of the government and the public. • A framework for comparing the government's and the public's farmland protection goals was built. • Inconsistencies between government goals and the public goals are prevalent at county level. • Government and the public highlights provisioning ESs and non-provisioning ESs, respectively. • Strategies are provided for the government to optimize farmland protection goals. • Developing differentiated policies and promoting farmland use transition are necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing countries have been experiencing phenomenal urban growth within the last five decades, especially in urban areas. In fact, out of the anticipated 2.5 billion increase in world population by 2050, about 90% is expected to take place in just Asia and Africa. In Saudi Arabia, with urbanization rate of 83%, major cities are increasingly sprawling to carter for their increasing population. Dammam Metropolitan Area (DMA) is one of such cities that is witnessing the emergence of many large-scale residential development projects within the built-up areas and at the periphery. However, these projects have many implications on the sustainability of the built environmental. Based on review of official documents, maps and previous studies, this paper explores the nature, scale and unsustainable impacts of these projects. The present study found that there are 45 such projects covering about 32,807 ha of land in the study area, out of which about 11,740 hactares (or 35.8%) are infill into the Arabian Gulf. Other unsustainable features of these projects are exclusiveness, low density, single housing type and poor connectivity with the surroundings. The paper concludes with some recommendations towards sustainable urbanization in DMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor waste management in developing countries indicates that waste generation is mostly associated with the economic status of a society, their weak economy-social factors affected by the absence of proper environmental legislation, financial management and administrative capacities. Over the years, increasing amount of waste without any treatment is mainly disposed of on the existing dumpsites in the municipalities. This practice not allows the exploitation of resources from waste, and represents a huge loss of resources and threat to the environment and human health. Therefore, this problem is very complex and requires constant adjustment of the situation, fluctuations and the needs and demands of innovative solutions. This paper is focused on the drivers that have the biggest impact on waste management in Serbia and improvement of the system by changing the impact of the drivers. The objective is related to waste management drivers in the context of circular economy. This includes establishing baseline data on waste and assessment of the current waste management system, setting future goals, identification of issues, plans for integrated waste management and their implementation. The paper identifies bottlenecks that restrict Serbian’s sustainable development, such as low levels of reuse, recycling and recovery of waste, shortage of advanced technology, significant waste disposal amounts and weak economic incentives. The comparison is made with the Municipality of Ljubljana approach to Zero waste practice and circular economy. This analysis depicts real opportunities for more sustainable and efficient waste management in the municipalities and suggests a step forward towards the integrating best Zero Waste practices in the municipalities in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this paper is to examine, comprehensively, the factors which affect the performance and development of the construction industry (CI) and the building materials industry (BMI) in developing countries (DCs) with special focus on Sudan. This paper investigates the perception of the Sudanese construction industry (SCI) and the Sudanese building materials industry (SBMI) stakeholders towards the importance of factors which negatively influence the performance of both industries. It examines the interrelationship between factors influencing the performance of the SCI and the SBMI. The collected data is derived from a questionnaire which was circulated to different stakeholders of the SCI including consultants, contractors, real estate investors, clients, researchers, academicians, materials manufacturers and suppliers, financial institutions and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The results indicate that the socio-economic and political factors are of great importance to the performance of both industries. Therefore, the paper recommends that the government should lay the ground for the development of the construction sector through strategic planning and policy formulation. It also recommends establishing a central agency (Construction Industry Development Board) to be responsible for the development of the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates needs for revisions on educational land use policy in developing cities. It discusses the importance of educational spaces when they give services to many people and cover considerable areas of cities. It also states that present urban educational sites faced to problems such as lack of lands, disproportionate distribution in views of family needs, not consistent with other urban functions and lack of accessibility. The first aim is to analyze the distribution pattern of existing educational sites across a case study city and to examine an optimal model to redistribute the schools. The ultimate goal is to give a new map on the spatial distribution of educational sites in tune with new urban needs and development. This research uses an integrated spatial equity evaluation method, which is analytic and descriptive. It uses the Moran's I index to classify and analyze the collected data. This research uses ArcGIS and AHP (analytic hierarchy process) soft wares as well. The contribution of this research to the problem is twofold. One is highlighting the problems of the existing non-optimal distribution of the schools throughout the city. In addition, this paper proves the need for changes in the land use policy and for allocating adequate and suitable lands to educational spaces aiming at optimal schools' distribution in the developing cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid expansion of built-up land has been the major feature of land use changes in China and has led to built-up land vacancy and inefficient land use. This paper used a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) model to analyze the changes in built-up land efficiency in 336 cities in China from 2005 to 2012 during the implementation of National General Land Use Plan (2006–2020) (NGLUP). The results showed that the built-up land input–output efficiency of most cities declined, and more than half of the cities had excessive inputs of built-up land. Even in the most developed region of China, the built-up land efficiency was relatively low. The paper argues that the NGLUP failed to control the expansion of built-up land and to promote intensive land use. The allocation of built-up land designated by the Plan was not reasonable, and economic development has greatly relied on land inputs, which need to be improved. The paper finally suggests that the built-up land indices should be appropriately directed toward economically underdeveloped regions in central and western China, and the establishment of a withdrawal mechanism for inefficient land would better promote the efficient allocation of built-up land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world population is growing rapidly and much of that growth is happening in urban areas. In developing countries, this process is often accompanied by the formation and expansion of slums. A variety of slum upgrading projects have been implemented to improve the living conditions of slum dwellers however a wide study to investigate the objectives of slum upgrading projects highlighted that environmental features were of low priority compared to basic services and infrastructure. The paper deduces this to be a result of the dominance of UN's household-based definition of slums which lacks emphasis on the locational aspects. An aerial analysis of slums located near waterbodies emphasised the slums' dynamic nature brought about by location and therefore the importance of location itself. Taking cue from this, the paper recommends upgrading projects to be more location-specific that offer flexible yet customised solutions that build upon local knowledge to account for the dynamic and diverse nature of slums. Another inference from the study was that for various reasons – one of which is hazardous location – slums are perceived to be temporary and as a result, there is low incentive to invest in slums. Such a perception prohibits slum upgrading and pushes them into a negative spiral. Concluding that slums are, however, permanent features in the urban landscape, the paper recommends a change in perception and urges practitioners to accept this permanent nature of slums. The focus and findings of this paper are relevant in context of the Habitat III Conference in 2016 which has as its focus the ‘New Urban Agenda’ that recognises the ever-changing dynamics of human civilization and aims to bring together diverse urban actors to review urban and housing policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically examines the applicability of the planetary urbanization concept to understand the complexities associated with the rural-to-urban transformation process unfolding in India. It contributes to the rural-urban debate by investigating the role of non-urban spaces – here census towns – in accelerating India's process of urbanization. The Capital Region of India is taken as a study area and a mixed methods approach is used to establish concentrated and extended urbanization as interlinked processes in relation to the growth of census towns. The applied mixed methods approach helps to overcome the critiques of deploying Global North theories, here planetary urbanization, on the Global South context by not only establishing a general pattern and dynamics of growth but also by contextualizing the local characteristics of rural to urban transformation as census towns. The analysis established a dense network of transport and a high level of commuting for work between statutory towns and census towns in the urban periphery and hinterland overcoming the traditional urban and rural divide. This paper makes a methodological and analytical contribution to the concept of planetary urbanization, whereby growth of census towns can be explained as an interlinked process of concentrated, extended and differential urbanization. The political economy analyses established that the differences between statutory and census towns can be traced back to state rescaling and investment policies. In this process, rural areas are rapidly acquiring urban characteristics as census towns and to some extent perform better on socioeconomic and infrastructural aspects compared to statutory towns (official urban areas). • Concept of planetary urbanization applied to India's rural to urban transformation. • Concentrated and extended urbanization established as interlinked processes. • Rural areas are rapidly acquiring urban characteristics as census towns. • Mixed methods help overcome the critique of planetary urbanization concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID-19 initially spread among prominent global cities and soon to the urban centers of countries across the globe. While cities are the hotbeds of activities, they also seem highly exposed to global risks including the pandemic. Using the case of COVID-19 and the World Risk Index framework, this paper examines if the leading cities from the global south are inherently vulnerable and exposed to global risks and can they exacerbate the overall risk of their respective nations. Compared against their respective national averages, most of the 20 cities from 10 countries analyzed in this paper, have higher exposure, lower adaptive capacity, higher coping capacity and varied susceptibility. As this relative understanding is based on respective national averages which are often lower than the global standards, even high performance on certain indicators may still result in elevated predisposition. This paper concludes that the leading urban centers from the global south are highly likely to be predisposed to global risks due to their inherent vulnerability and exposure, and many of the drivers of this predisposition are related to the process of urbanization itself. This predisposition can enhance the overall exposure and vulnerability of the nation in which they are located. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to explore the rapid urbanization of Chinese cities with a focus on the plans for a new, ongoing urban sub-centre in the north-west of Shanghai: Zhenru Urban Sub-Centre. Information-rich urbanization is a defining feature of the 21st century, reshaping cities and communities in China and in developing countries around the world. The scale and pace of change requires a solid systems approach of urban development. In 2011, China announced that it has reached an urbanization rate of 50%. If we take rapid urbanization as a given and that it is already well underway, it is still widely unclear what research needs to be conducted and policy changes made to support municipalities of fast transforming cities and to avoid repeating the development mistakes that have occurred in industrialized nations, i.e. driving urban growth with high consumption patterns without fully considering the environmental and social needs and occupants'' behaviour and aspirations. This paper compares two cases of urban development patterns for new sub-centres for polycentric city structures: It relates to new urban sub-centres in Berlin (Germany) and Shanghai (China), and the relationship of these sub-centres to ‘Network City’ theory. Network theory is useful in this context as the ‘network’ metaphor and concepts of decentralization seem to have replaced the ‘machine’ metaphor which was based on efficiency based on the availability of cheap fossil fuels. As cities aim to move towards more resilient urban ecosystems and polycentric systems, the case of Potsdamer Platz Berlin, compared to Zhenru Sub-Centre in Shanghai, is discussed. Both are transport-oriented developments promoting mixed-use density and less car-dependency. According to documentation of the Shanghai municipality, Zhenru urban centre, which is currently in its planning phase, is supposed to become a ‘new sustainable sub-centre for a growing metropolis’. Based on the Potsdamer Platz experience, a series of careful recommendations are formulated for the design and development of such centres, knowing that it is rather difficult to translate from one case to the other. The conclusion includes five lessons (recommendations) from Potsdamer Platz for the urban design of new sub-centres to ensure a delivery of economical, social and environmental sustainable outcomes. A core finding is that drawing lessons from the German case study for Chinese urbanization seemed a useful tactic and gave a sense that there are underlying urban design strategies. However, the conversion of such strategies to another cultural and social context requires further research. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Recent resurgence of urban-bias and city-centric (development) thought is leading to two concurrent but contradictory trends: the foregrounding of the city as the epicentre of investment or ‘engine of development’ as well as the relegation of rural development to the backwaters leading to widespread rural neglect and poverty. In Africa and other developing countries where rural poverty is quite peaked, gross lack of capital and infrastructure often combine with severe shortage of active labour force to deepen this vortex of rural neglect and deprivation. Amidst what seems like a see-saw growth toggle between the urban and rural spheres, attention is naturally drawn to those compensatory mechanisms that act to alleviate the severe rural–urban development imbalance. In Africa, and perhaps some other non-Western societies, where kinship and community ties are extensive, circular migration and associated exchanges between the urban areas and the rural ‘hometowns’ are resulting in somewhat curious ‘culturally and economically integrated systems’. At the backdrop of the reification of rural–urban linkages approach by UN Habitat, the paper explores myriad dimensions of this persisting rural–urban ‘symbiosis’ in Southeast Nigeria. Specifically, the paper employs a case study of Ajalli–a small but aspiring local community in Orumba North Local Government Area (LGA) of Anambra State–to confirm whether or not the rural-centric trends orchestrated by circular (rural–urban) migration and the people’s associational life do contribute significantly to rural community development. While framing these self-help development initiatives as object cases of Public-Private-Community Participation (PPCP), the paper points the attention of urban planners to the evolving rural–urban nexuses and the new planning mandate they are instigating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Informal settlements provide shelter to millions of poor urban dwellers in developing countries. Using a literature survey, this paper reviews physical and socio-economic characteristics and the factors attributed to proliferation of the informal settlements and intervention approaches. The main objective was to establish how such settlements could be improved and hence the quality of life of majority of the urban population. Physical and socio-economic conditions found in informal settlements are generally hazardous to health and tend to exacerbate the severe socio-economic conditions of the urban poor as well as environmental pollution and degradation of the local ecosystems. Proliferation of the informal settlements, particularly in most cities of developing countries is as a result of market and public policy failure for a significant segment of the urban poor population. The intervention approaches starting back in the 1950s include strengthening of public institutions and creation of policies and legislations to address the living environments of the urban poor, reforming building codes and standards, involvement of the private sector in housing provisions and programmes targeting both rural and urban development. Critical examination of these measures suggests the need for self-determination. In addition to these programmes, particularly informal settlement upgrading, this paper advocates the need for building technologies that are responsive to the urban poor and their environment. These are technologies that empowers the urban poor communities to make their own contribution to the process of improving their living conditions and hence the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Landfill sites in the developing nations are endowed with waste resources which could be utilized as a potential revenue stream for the community that inhabit such sites. Many international aid agencies have started focusing on development of such landfill sites and also on improvements to the associated scavenger community. The paper analyses the barriers to such an intervention by aid agencies using Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM). ISM employs a systems approach to the decision making process and is used traditionally in management studies. The paper highlights the potential of using such techniques to understand and analyze urban planning issues. The case study of a US based organization’s proposed intervention in a Karachi landfill community is used to formulate a general model of the barriers and their interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Economic instruments (EIs) are increasingly used in the implementation of environmental policies. A theoretical rationale for their use is based on the need to internalize externalities, whether negative or positive. Because of the freedom and market-conforming nature of their use, EIs are preferred to command and control regulatory instruments for controlling pollution. Yet, developing countries are far behind in using EIs. Existing literature cites “political economy” constraints in this regard. This paper attempts to go beyond characterization of the problem at such an abstract level. In the case of Thailand''s use of EIs in wastewater management, the nature of a political economy constraint is revealed by investigating reasons for underutilization of the Environmental Fund created by Thailand in 1992, together with polluter pays principle introduced at the same time. The investigation was conducted in three cities at two levels: (i) at management level, to determine the constraints encountered in obtaining the fund given for construction of wastewater treatment systems and (ii) at household level, to determine the attitude of residents towards related charges. The research identifies that the problems of willingness to charge and of willingness to pay have become intertwined. The way out from this impasse, the paper argues, is for elected leaders to take a proactive role (a) to explain to the voters the potential gains of paying the charges, and (b) to provide information on the respective city''s management and on environmental issues. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The issue of poor solid waste management (SWM) is a challenge throughout the world, in both developed and developing countries. People always generate solid waste through their daily activities. This solid waste needs to be properly managed in a way that minimises risk to the environment and human health, which means storage, collection and proper disposal. At the same time solid waste creates livelihoods for the urban poor in terms of employment and business. This paper looks into one aspect of SWM, namely collection service. The importance of SWM is now recognised at international, national and community level. The Agenda 21 declaration of the United Nations [UN. (1993). The global partnership for environment and development: A guide to agenda 21 (pp. 88–94). New York: United Nations] addresses the issue of environmentally sound management of solid waste, with emphasis on the extension of solid waste service coverage to all urban and rural areas worldwide. SWM is a service for which local governments are usually responsible. However, due to inadequate capacity in the public sector, in many developing countries the private sector has stepped in to fill the gap in service provision. Dar es Salaam (DSM), Tanzania, is one such developing country city in which the private sector has become involved in solid waste collection services. The sector comprises Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Community-Based Organisations (CBOs), and local private companies [Kassim, S. M., & Ali, S. M. (2003). Private solid waste collection SERVICE, Dar es Salaam Tanzania. In Proceedings of the 29th WEDC international conference: Towards millenium development goals. Abuja Nigeria, Water and Engineering Centre WEDC]. The private sector in solid waste collection in DSM has been promoted by Sustainable DSM Programme (SDP) through Environmental Planning and Management (EPM) [UNCHS. (1994a). Sustainable Human Settlements Development: Implementing Agenda 21; UNCHS. (1994b). UNCHS (Habitat) Activities; New Envoy to UNCHS from the United Republic of Tanzania. Habitat News, 16, 1–3]. Contracting out of solid waste collection services to the private sector has emerged to fill the gap in service delivery. In 1991 the city was generating 1400 tonnes of solid waste per day out of which only 5% was being collected. Currently daily solid waste generation is estimated at about 2500 tonnes and approximately 48% of the total waste generated is collected. At present, privatisation covers 44 out of 73 city wards, and 45 1 [1] The data found during the study (Source: DSM City Council’ Local document, 2004). active registered private companies are involved [Chinamo, E. B. M. (2003). An overview of solid waste management and how solid waste collection benefits the poor in the city of Dar es Salaam. Solid waste collection that benefits the poor, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Collaborating Working Group on Solid Waste Management in Low and Middle -Income Countries (CWG)].This paper presents the findings of a study that explored the households’ perspective on solid waste collection services provided by the private sector. The study showed that the solid waste collection service by the private sector is greatly influenced by households’ attitudes and behaviour. Their participation, demand for service, awareness, satisfaction level and views on cost recovery are important in the sector. The study concludes that the above factors would be superior if customers (households) were more involved in the planning and decision-making. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Both public and private sectors are active in management of solid waste in developing countries. There is an emerging trend in encouraging the private sector to enter into solid waste management (SWM) operations, and attempts are being made to formally link the public and private sector operators. Such linkages may improve the efficiency of the entire sector and create new opportunities for employment. However, any change in the present order may inevitably affect the lives of millions of most vulnerable and marginalised population in the cities of the developing counties—both as users and providers of the service. It is worth revisiting the fundamentals of partnerships from the perspective of relevant theories. Two pertinent sociological theories, functionalism and general systems, view institutions as composed of interdependent parts that must adapt to survive in a changing world. The economic theory of property rights assigns rights of ownership as the reason for the private sector to excel. Economists also argue that hybrid organisations composed of both public and private sector hold a great deal of promise. These hybrid sector organisations provide a means to combine the efficiency and expertise of the business world with public interest, accountability and broader planning of government. These new organisations are important as alternatives, not replacing the existing order, but balancing the roles played by the public and private sector agencies. The competition theory of management science may be adapted to the concept of complementation in place of the traditional view of competition. This theory explores the values of co-operation among organisations to best exploit the comparative advantage of each. In the light of above theories, this paper analyses the possibilities for public/private partnership using the example of SWM as a sub-sector. The paper discusses necessary conditions for harnessing optimal benefits from this arrangement. Poorly designed attempts for partnership may actually worsen the situation by opening new avenues of inefficiency and corruption. Other caveats and barriers for integration are also presented. The paper concludes that partnerships will not be effective and sustainable unless proper incentives for both sectors are built into the design. Finally, the authors debate whether there is a need for a facilitating agency for designing and nurturing partnerships. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Of the three most prominent issues in governance discourse—the horizontal coordination of markets, government hierarchies and networks, global governance and multi-level governance—this paper argues that the last, developing and sustaining structures of multi-level governance, constitutes the most profound governance challenge for most developing countries.The paper identifies the major forces promoting change in favor of multi-level governance in developing countries. Using the growing literature and comparative national experiences (illustrated with the examples of India, the Philippines, Colombia and Nigeria), it highlights the key achievements of democratic decentralization as well as its nagging problems in these countries. Finally, the paper demonstrates the significance of these developments for democracy and development in these countries and shows some of the ways by which external partners—especially experts associated with the Geographic Information Systems for Developing Countries can assist and possibly benefit from this process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The 'sites and services' approach was conceived during the 1970s as a possible solution to tackle the issue of precarious housing in the global south. After providing land, infrastructures and services, the urban poor were allowed to incrementally build their dwellings. Despite initial criticism, the effectiveness of this approach has eventually been reconsidered. This paper aims to contribute to the long-lasting discussion on 'sites and services' projects by exploring their relationship with urban adaptability. Following the identification of the enabling conditions for adaptability at the neighbourhood scale, a fieldwork analysis has been conducted in the Indian neighbourhood of Charkop, located in the outskirts of Mumbai and first developed within a 'sites and services' programme. The results have shown that legal tenure, a hierarchical spatial plan aligned with the socioeconomic context, and a soft regulatory framework influenced by residents' associations and informal processes played a decisive role in the long-term project's success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous penetration of global networking and post-industrialism, the island rural spatial evolution becomes an important issue in comprehensive geography. Studying the microscale evolution and driving mechanism of island rural space is of great significance for promoting its reconstruction and revitalizing island rural communities. This paper constructed a classification system of island rural space from the production-living-ecological perspective. Taking Beigang Village located in China's southeast coast as an example, we analyzed the dynamic mechanism of island rural spatial evolution from traditional agricultural space to multi-functional composite space. The findings indicated that the drastic evolution and reconstruction occurred in the production-living-ecological space of Beigang from 2006 to 2021, manifested as the following aspects: production space was expanded to the outward tourist service space from inward agricultural production space, living space was evolved into commercial space from daily space to provide tourism services, and ecological space was constantly compacted and expanded in tourist development construction and ecological redline regulation. The island rural spatial pattern evolution was the result of the game among policy, capital, society, and organization, manifested as internal roles and external feedback of governmental policy guidance, tourism capital incentive, innovation of business philosophy, and grassroots organizational initiative. During the process, evolution characteristics from simpleness to complexity and from singleness to integration were present in island rural spatial functions. Meanwhile, tourism capital intervention was a key element to facilitate island rural spatial commercialization. A crucial way to avoid island rural spatial alienation and realize rural revitalization was to improve rural resilience. Overall, this study offered a model to delve into the island rural spatial evolution in China or even developing countries around the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial configuration and the dynamics of urban physical growth are important topics of analysis in contemporary urban studies. This paper examined urban land expansion and population distribution evolution and their coupling in seven major Iranian metropolitan regions (pop>1M), and it contributes to understanding diverse urban physical growth patterns in the vast Global South. The analysis is based on an innovative approach of integrating two growth indices: a) ULE (urban land expansion) and b) PPE (population pattern evolution), applied to the demographic data and satellite imageries from 1990 to 2020. The findings show that population decentralization and land consumption have been significant over the previous three decades, although spatial growth patterns varied significantly across the chosen metropolitan regions. Furthermore, Iran's urban physical growth pattern goes from monocentric to polycentric, which is largely associated with the parent city's dominance. In fact, urban physical growth follows a concentrated-decentralization trend, with the latter spreading quicker than the former. Despite expectations, the infill growth has not essentially exposed to higher population density. This study's findings can help readers understand the urbanisation pattern and occurrence in Iran, and may assist policy-makers in understanding the physical impact of conflicting national executive policies, such as mass housing supply projects in urban edges versus inner-urban regeneration projects. In addition, it gives a major knowledge of the evolution of urban physical growth patterns, intra-city interactions, and growth drivers. [Display omitted] • Over 30 years, population decentralized and land expanded. • Iran's urban growth shifts from monocentric to polycentric, linked to parent city's supremacy. • In Iran, urban growth: decentralization-concentration pattern with faster concentration. • Infill development failed to increase Iran's density despite expectations, despite compactness index links. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The implementation of inappropriate land use planning has negative impact on environmental quality, threatens food, health and residential security, and can even lead to regional environmental disaster. In this paper, a worst-case scenario based methodology using the land use environmental tolerance index (LETI) was proposed to assess the impact of land use planning on the environment. The land use planning environmental impact assessment (LUPEA) of Lianyungang City was performed as a case study to demonstrate the novel methodology. The inappropriate land use planning of the study area was spatially identified, and adjustments for the land use planning scheme to minimize the adverse impacts were accordingly recommended. Results show that the land use planning layout of the study area is fundamentally rational as most of the planned production and living land parcels are located outside the worst-case scenario areas, but the small fraction of the parcels in the worst-case scenario areas indicates a need for an improved land use planning scheme. This methodology provides a new perspective to evaluate the impact of land use planning on the environment, especially for densely populated countries which still suffer food, health and residential security issues and thus require much attention to environmental safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facing the challenges of city planning in the frame of rapid urbanization in the Global South, this study addresses the relationship between the urban development of Hanoi, Vietnam, and water supply including users’ perception of water accessibility and satisfaction of coverage, quality, and cost. Because sociospatial disparities are particularly pronounced in suburban areas, these spaces epitomize unequal water access and uneven water quality. Based on the premise that (sub)urban water flows embody and mirror development dynamics and urbanization patterns, the objective is to analyze access to water splintered within the suburban typologies of Hanoi. We analyze the current state of domestic water availability and quality throughout suburban areas and specifically between a new urban area and a periurban village in Hanoi. Through the debates of splintering urbanism and periurban water supply, this paper discusses the differences in water service provision in suburban Hanoi. At the same time, the article considers suburban areas as spaces which reflect a broader spectrum of water supply solutions. Lastly, it informs on how to alleviate the pressure of the increasing demand of water in urbanizing areas by supporting sustainable urban water cycles to improve distributional justice and social equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past forty years, rural China has undergone dramatic spatial restructuring, and its production functions have gradually become diversified. However, although several studies have examined factors affecting the distribution of rural settlements in recent years, few have focused on rural production functions. To fill this gap, this paper proposes an analytical framework to understand the impact of rural production functions on the spatial distribution of rural settlements and quantitatively analyzes the rural areas of Taizhou municipality by using the bivariate Moran's I method at the township level. In general, the results show that the spatial distribution of rural settlements has different correlations with each type of rural production functions. The distribution has the strongest correlation with agricultural production functions, followed by the industrial manufacturing and service supply functions, while the weakest correlation is with the ecological leisure function. Further, in the high-value areas of the agricultural production function and the ecological leisure function, the distribution of rural settlements is discrete, with low density, a large scale, and a long distance. In contrast, in the high-value areas of the industrial manufacturing function and the service supply function, the distribution of settlements is clustered, with high density, a small scale, and a short distance. Based on the correlations, this paper sketches four types of ideal town-villages construction pattern to guide the optimization of rural settlements layout, including the productivist-oriented evenness pattern, the transit-oriented axis pattern, the idyll-oriented corridor pattern, and the urbanization-oriented integration pattern. This research provides scientific guidance for developing countries in the spatial planning of rural territories and the optimization of rural settlements. • Spatial heterogeneity of rural production functions is explored in the township level. • There are certain correlations between different rural production functions and spatial distribution of rural settlements. • The four ideal town-village construction patterns are presented, applied to the different dominant production function. • The implication for rural spatial planning is conducive to promoting rural vitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Housing for all has been a key developmental agenda in India. Available housing stocks mostly target the higher and upper middle-income group; while supply of affordable housing remains neglected. When it comes to development of affordable housing, the built up area (BUA), cost of construction and land prices are reduced. As a result, more than often, the accessibility aspects are overlooked. Leading to non-acceptance and failure to attract target disadvantaged groups. This paper introduces a methodology to identify potential areas for the development of affordable housing as a part of rapid planning process in urban areas of developing nations. Two probable applications of this approach could be) to assess the current spatial proliferation of slums, and ii) to earmark zones of probable affordable housing. This model framework is based on the generation of chosen travel time isochrones around selected centres as nodes of origin. It is hypothesized that areas having maximum number of overlapping travel time isochrones are most accessible. Overlaying the travel time isochrones with the residential price map might enable in identifying potential areas, which will be suitable for the development of affordable housing. The methodology is then tested empirically in the Greater Mumbai region. The result shows that the city can be classified into well-patterned hierarchical zones of accessibility. It provides evidence of the growth and distribution of slums in these regions, and in the environmentally sensitive areas, as a sign of tradeoff between affordability and accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing complex and challenging issues entails access to credible systems information in the form of systems maps or diagrams. The purpose of our paper is to describe a participatory action research (PAR) systems mapping activity that was undertaken by an urban informal settlement community in a small Pacific Island Country. A total of 19 households participated in a systems mapping activity to map a household-level water or sanitation system. The individual household systems maps and related data were then used to construct a de-identified aggregated water, sanitation and hygiene (WaSH) marketing systems map (and accompanying narratives) for the informal settlement. We present the marketing systems map, which delineated a series of marketing exchanges, and report on how the map assisted the community to address a number of expressed needs. We conclude by suggesting that systems mapping is a valuable activity that communities could undertake to generate credible systems information to inform and empower collective planning and actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the trends of global urbanisation and the magnificent scale and rapid pace of urbanisation in developing countries, and the different characteristics of urbanisation trends in developing and developed countries. It presents the economic powers and opportunities of urbanisation. On the other hands, rapid urbanisation is triggering huge problems and challenges, such as urban sprawl, urban poverty, higher urban unemployment rates, higher urban costs, housing affordability issues, lack of urban investment, weak urban financial and governance capacities, rising inequality and urban crimes, environmental degradation and etc. It argues that policies and strategies should aim to optimise both the urbanisation process and urban functions and infrastructure. Policy responses should link to local conditions, and choose different tools and instruments such as regulatory tools, market-based tools, and spatial tools to achieve sustainable urbanisation and maximise the benefits of agglomeration economies and minimise the negative externalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Islands, which deliver a diversity of fundamental services, are subject to increasing pressure from urbanization and human activities, particularly in developing countries. This paper integrates socioeconomic drivers, topographic variables, and policy guidance to characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of urban expansion between 1980 and 2013 in the Zhoushan islands, China. Our results indicate that the Zhoushan islands experienced remarkable urban expansion and economic prosperity over that period, with a clear acceleration since 2000. The increase in built initially occurred in urban cores and then spread to peri-ocean areas over the last decade. These hotspots were the outcomes of co-occurrence of ports, harbors, and coastal industries or tourism establishments, suggesting a considerable disparity among islands with different functions. We further quantified the socioeconomic drivers of urban expansion using multivariable regression. Generally, the major drivers were secondary and tertiary industry growth because of the effect of governmental interventions and changing economic conditions on coastal industries and tourism development. Cross-sea bridges also served to accelerate island development, while population had a lesser impact. Compared with other successful cases worldwide, extensive development and inefficient land use are prevalent in the Zhoushan islands. Available land has become more rare on the islands and reclamation from the ocean has been increasingly applied to expand land area for construction. There are still large gaps in island sustainable development, suggesting that intensive and reasonable land-use planning should be prioritized over exploring the potential for urban development. The results of this study can inform ecological management, and provide a scientific case for urban development and contributed to sustainability of islands and coastal regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local governments throughout the world are facing fiscal constraints. At the same time, they face strong opposition to tax increases from their residents, who demand an increasingly higher quality of public infrastructure and services. The situation is further exacerbated in rapidly urbanizing developing countries that need to provide urban infrastructure at a fast pace. Such a situation has led many countries to actively seek new sources of local non-tax-based revenue such as the sale of development rights. This paper analyzes the sale of development rights to fund Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project in Rajkot, India; highlights the key success factors; suggests reforms that would increase the tools' effectiveness; and identifies the lessons learned from Rajkot's experience. Specific lessons include the following: the sale of development rights must be calibrated to the existing or planned capacity of infrastructure and services; the majority of revenues from such a sale are likely to accrue after the infrastructure project has been developed, while funds are needed beforehand to develop the project, therefore, this revenue-expenditure mismatch needs to be addressed; and the development rights' sale price must be indexed to inflation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's anti-poverty approach featuring a targeted poverty alleviation strategy has provided a model for global poverty reduction governance. This paper builds a conceptual framework that includes political contexts, policies and rural poverty alleviation outcomes, and emphasizes the response of rural households as micro subjects to the macro political and policy environment, aiming to explore the micro mechanisms of rural poverty reduction governance at the county and rural household levels. The results are as follows: (i) The poverty alleviation outcomes are produced by the stimulation of political and policy resources on rural households' own conditions. (ii) The individual differences in poverty alleviation outcome scores are obvious. The poverty alleviation collaboration mechanism, grassroots mobilization, life improvement, livelihood support, resource conditions and livelihood capacity are the leading factors affecting the poverty alleviation outcomes. (iii) The organic combination of political guidance, policy support and rural households' development conditions has made the poverty alleviation outcomes more remarkable. This study provides case support for the formation of an anti-poverty theory with Chinese characteristics, and serves as a reference for poverty reduction governance in developing countries. • We propose a conceptual framework that includes political contexts, policies and poverty alleviation outcomes, and emphasizes the response of rural households as micro subjects to the macro political and policy environment. • The poverty alleviation outcomes are produced by the stimulation of political and policy resources on rural households' own conditions. • Poverty alleviation collaboration mechanism, grassroots mobilization, life improvement, livelihood support, resource conditions and livelihood capacity are the leading factors affecting the effectiveness of poverty alleviation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Challenges between urban development and heritage conservation are more critical in developing countries since new constructions threaten historic urban areas. On account of vast developments in urban areas, the so-called cultural heritage of cities, may tolerate irreversible damages, thus striking a balance is essential. The opinions of stakeholders could be a reliable reference in maintaining this balance. Therefore, the perception of the public should complement the expertise required in the conservation of historic urban areas and the development of adjacency. This paper outlines the findings of a study conducted to identify visual preferences of international tourists toward the historic centre of Kuala Lumpur as a way of passive participation. Thanks to environmental psychology and by means of an in-situ photograph-based survey, six visual preference dimensions were recognized that influence the perception of tourists towards the study area. In the current study, these dimensions are entitled visual chaos , urban greenery , roadside heritage , historic architecture , connectivity and modernity . Each one of these dimensions contains influential elements and features. “Content Identifying Method” carried out to identify the favourable and repulsive contents resulted in high or low preferability of each preference dimensions, respectively. It is concluded that, the surroundings of historic settings show the most neglect from conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Tanzania like many developing countries, the private rental housing caters for the housing needs of the majority of low-income households where residential choices of tenants are associated with both risks and opportunities. One of the opportunities is proximity to workplaces which provide a means to save in terms of lower commuting costs and the ease with which domestic obligations can be attended. However, it is not clear whether workplaces are of prime consideration in residential mobility decision of tenants. This paper uses discriminant function analyses to predict tenants' preferences for workplace-residential proximity based on tenants' own attributes, housing and neighbourhood characteristics based on data which were collected in Kinondoni municipality in Dar es Salaam Tanzania in 2014. The results suggest that tenant mobility tend to relocate tenants away from their workplaces. The majority of tenants who are residentially detached from their workplaces tend to relocate towards wards which are located in-between the outskirt and the CBD, while those relocating to peripheral wards end-up working within their ward of residency. This pattern is explained by at least two factors; the first is the incremental nature of housing construction, which pushes tenants closer to areas of their intended housing construction (outskirt wards) and the second is tenure insecurity which motivate early tenant move-out towards outskirt wards so that they can either physically protect their acquired rights or be in a good position to purchase secure plots. Workplace-residential proximity in wards that are relatively closer to the CBD for non-mover tenants is significantly associated with low-income and lower rent which reflects the relatively lower quality housing and environmental amenities in those wards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2013, UN-Habitat released the State of The World's Cities 2012/2013 report introducing the City Prosperity Index (CPI) as a measure to guide urban decision makers. The report asserts that urban prosperity is one of the key human development issues facing the world. Transport is a basic component of urban infrastructure and is essential to urban prosperity. Urban transport system users in a given area comprise people with diverse background and socioeconomic characteristics including different ages, genders, income ranges, employment status, and experiential knowledge. Effective involvement of diverse urban populations is a necessary prerequisite to sustainable urban transport planning. This paper describes the development of a proposed framework, the Localized Sustainability Score (LSS), for screening urban transport projects based. Specifically, the framework assesses the relative importance of various locally applicable sustainability criteria and maps the ability of candidate urban transport projects to positively impact them. The development of the LSS is described via a case study in Accra, Ghana. Ultimately, the proposed LSS is seen as a useful means of relating transport infrastructure to various sustainability/urban prosperity measures. More specifically, the LSS framework can used to rank and priorities urban transport projects as part of a stakeholder-driven decision-making process. Development and application of the LSS framework does not require extensive collection of quantitative data; it is particularly suited to relating qualitative information (such as that contained in urban prosperity measurements) to the capabilities of urban transport projects to impact them. Continued development and application of the LSS can be used to develop richer understandings of various indices and how they reflect the lives of different demographic groups that make up an urban population. It is hoped that exploratory efforts like the development of the LSS and large-scale programs such as the CPI development by UN-Habitat will continue to draw attention to the need (and indeed capacity) to comprehensively approach urban development issues with a view to increasing urban prosperity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Despite the axiomatic desirability of community participation in planning within developing countries, citizens' motivation and participation in planning projects has remained consistently low. The paper examines reasons behind low-level of participation in developing countries by considering citizen and practitioners' perceptions. The study reports on the interviews of the citizens in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The empirical study identifies social-cultural factors that directly determine individual's tendency including individual's lack of awareness, discouraging perceptions about participation outcomes and most notably lack of trust in the planning system. A comparative picture of citizens and practitioners' viewpoints, however, indicate a gap between their perceptions in terms of highlighting the most important factor. This suggests that there could be significant improvement in the extent and effectiveness of community participation by motivating practitioners to the need to be more critical of and accountable for their dealings with the community. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A house is the center of socioeconomic activities for the resident family. More than that, it is part of the physical layout of the community, reflects the society's culture, and significantly affects the residents' behavior. Public housing (PH) programs or low-income and affordable housing are a large portion of the housing in developed and less developed countries. Thus, sustainable public housing (SPH) will promote the quality of life in those societies. This paper discusses the current situation of the PH programs in the USA and Libya from a sustainable perspective, focusing on the social aspect. Some social problems in PH programs in the USA are related to discrimination and isolation. In comparison, social problems in the Libyan PH programs appear to be related to a lack of cultural sensitivity while designing the residences. The study presented here evaluates the attempts that have been applied to provide potential solutions to these social problems based on comparing the two countries' PH situations. The study highlighted how both countries could benefit from each other's PH programs. It provides recommendations that decision-makers can use to improve the PH situations. It also provides application processes based on the traditional Libyan housing (TLH) and neighborhood features in both countries that could help improve the PH social environment for current and future projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural issues, such as land fragmentation, eco-environment destruction, industrial lag and rural hollowing, can be seen as the external manifestation of the imbalance between the supply and demand of rural land use functions. Land consolidation, by virtue of its important role in regulating rural land use functions, has been proven to be multifunctional and endowed with the connotation of relieving rural issues and promoting rural development. This paper theoretically and practically explored the modes of rural development promoted by land consolidation from the perspective of land use multifunctionality for the first time and discussed its internal mechanisms. Results showed that by changing the type and intensity of rural land use functions, land consolidation can exert important influences on industrial structure, living conditions, ecological environment, and cultural construction, thereby contributing to rural development. Although the modes of rural vitalisation promoted by land consolidation from rural land use functions can be divided into intensity-adjustment mode and type-conversion mode, these two modes in practice often coexist or interconvert as the research scale changes. The intensity-adjustment mode in Jinzhuang Village that far from a megacity is largely influenced by the bottom-up forces and market demands, while the type-conversion mode in Dongheng Village that near to a megacity is largely the result of the joint effect of the position advantage, policy, and local industrial foundation. Lessons learned and policy recommendations were proposed in light of these two case studies. These findings will provide new insight into micro-level land use for other rural areas in China and even other developing countries to address rural issues and facilitate urban-rural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Local government represents a key opportunity for implementing local adaptation to the impacts of climate change. The need for adaptation is most urgent in developing countries, yet most research has focused on the barriers to climate change mainstreaming in municipalities of the global North. This paper presents the results of a study that investigated barriers to action on climate change adaptation in eight municipalities in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Forty-seven municipal actors (officials and councillors) were interviewed regarding the experience of their municipality with climate impacts and adaptive actions (focussing on ecosystem-based adaptation), as well as their knowledge and belief on climate change and adaptation issues. Results show that multiple barriers affect the ability of municipalities to mainstream adaptation issues, from individual-level barriers (such as a lack of understanding of climate change and adaptation options) to regulatory/institutional barriers (such as the problems posed by party politics) to socio-cultural barriers (such as a lack of interest within municipal constituencies for climate change issues). These numerous barriers are not significantly different to those encountered so far in municipalities of the developed world, suggesting that across the globe there are common problems that national and provincial governments need to address in order to mainstream climate change adaptation at the local level (such as changing planning and other laws by which local governments operate in order to recognise climate change impacts). Our research draws attention to a couple of under-researched issues, that of the effects of party politics and councillor qualifications on local government operation and performance, and suggests that much further research should address these topics in both developed and developing countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Much of our conceptual understanding of homelessness is derived from studies underpinned by ideas and definitions developed in, and for, the industrialised world. It appears inadequate to help us address the growing phenomenon of homelessness in the Global South. Moreover, with a few exceptions literature on homelessness in the Global South tends to present good empirical understanding but to shy away from reconceptualising. We need, therefore, to build a new conceptual framework through which to understand homelessness in the Global South. Drawing on empirical research, this paper explores homelessness in the Global South through the window of ‘values’. It does so in an attempt to understand why some people fall foul of the major social, political and economic changes which are perceived to be the driving force behind homelessness while others do not. It also seeks to make some sense of why homelessness and homeless people are perceived differently in different locations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: While the fast pace of urbanization in India creates a strong demand for serviced urban land, the local governments, the entities responsible for providing this land, face strong opposition to compulsory land acquisition, the traditional method of acquiring land for planned development. Furthermore, poor fiscal health restricts local governments’ ability to provide high-quality infrastructure and services. Land Pooling and Reconstitution (LPR) offers a solution. This paper analyzes the use of LPR in the state of Gujarat, India, highlights the key success factors, suggests reforms that would increase the tool’s effectiveness, and identifies the lessons learned from Gujarat’s experience. Specific lessons include the following: use revenues from the previous LPR projects to fund infrastructure and services in the new projects using a revolving fund mechanism; delink the resolution of land ownership disputes from LPR scheme preparation and approval process; institute extensive grievance redressal process; and develop infrastructure early to garner landowner support for LPR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Cities are the major contributors to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. They account for about 75% of global energy consumption and up to 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions. With the ongoing rapid increase in urban population, expansion of middle class in urban centers in developing countries, and availability of cheaper vehicles such as Tata Nano and Bajaj RE60 in India, the demand for energy and associated emissions from cities are expected to grow rapidly. Though cities are in a better position to mitigate climate change, it does not necessary mean that there is a willingness on their part to capitalize on these mitigation opportunities. Climate change mitigation is not the priority for them because they face a number of competing priorities including local economic growth and development and service delivery. This paper suggests a range of policy tools that can help cities achieve both local priorities as well as reduce emissions, including GHGs. The suggested policies will be effective when used synergistically. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sustainability policies that have quantitative emission or carbon footprint measurements are important in view of climate change and current rapid urbanization in developing countries like Malaysia. Although sustainability policies are mentioned in national development plan as early as in the 1990s, many of these policies are piecemeal and expressed qualitatively. In achieving environmental sustainability, planning of city or a region can be more functional and implementable by using low carbon city concept. Planning a low carbon city uses sustainable development principles; this demonstrates a high level of energy efficiency using low carbon energy sources and production technologies. It also adopts patterns of consumption and behavior that are consistent with low levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the urban areas. The planning of the fast developing region of Iskandar Malaysia, which is located in southern part of Peninsular Malaysia, provides a good opportunity for urban managers to incorporate the ideas of low carbon cities in this proposed high growth urban conurbation. This paper aims to explore implementation of the concept and vision of low carbon scenarios and examine the strategies toward the reduction of CO2 emission. This study also prepares a quantitative scenario study on the establishment of low carbon urban development in Iskandar Malaysia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is important to understand the settlement morphology and its transition process in the rapid urbanization cities of developing countries. It is equally important to learn about the relationships between transport energy consumption and the transition of settlement morphology and its underlying processes. Finally, if the existing transportation technologies are already adequately meeting the environmental challenges of that sector then urban policies can serve as a guide to the transition of settlement morphology, especially for developing countries. Through the application of an integrated land use and transportation modeling system, TRANUS, the paper demonstrates that this transition will bring great changes to the urban spatial distribution of population, jobs and land use, and to residents'' travel patterns, thus resulting in different transportation energy consumption and CO2 emission levels, but that these changes can be managed through appropriate public policies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper introduces a special issue on Urban Futures, including selected papers from a joint conference of the Network Association of European Researchers on Urbanisation in the South (N-AERUS) and the GIS in Developing Countries network (GISDECO) held at the University of Twente, the Netherlands, from 12 to 14 September 2013. This conference focussed on the observation that current urbanization trends are leading to multiple futures affecting global development. One of the challenges is how to understand these uncertain processes from cross and multidisciplinary perspectives. Thus, the themes covered in the papers included 1.) Spatial information and urbanizing futures; 2.) Crises and futures: How cities and urban regions prepare to cope with socio-economic and environmental crises; 3.) Planning, policy and futures: How at local scale we design for better urban futures development; and 4.) Tales from the future: Innovative approaches both in methodological terms and theoretical perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"This paper has three aims. The first is to examine the reliability of the data base for the statistics which are used as the basis for commenting on urban change in 'the Third World'. The second is to explore whether valid generalisations about urban change can be made for the Third World. And the third is to examine the validity of United Nations projections for the Third World's urban future.", (excerpt)

"The paper presents a discussion of the economic justification for taking cities seriously, a section outlining the scale of urbanisation and some of the issues raised, a section that discusses the policy approaches, one that looks at the local agencies for the formulation and execution of policy, and a short final part on some of the implications for aid policy." The focus is on the importance of the urban sector for economic development in developing countries., (excerpt)