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With the rapid development of the world city network, the traditional location theory has gradually been disproven, and the advantages of the flow space over the traditional vertical organizational structure are gradually being revealed. Therefore, from corporate branch networks and corporate investment networks, 21 cities in urban agglomerations of Guangdong are taken as case studies for this paper. Furthermore, in this paper, 5 representative types of corporate contact data (catering service, financial service, life service, sports and leisure and accommodation service) are selected, the social network analysis (SNA) method is used to quantitatively analyze the network structure characteristics of urban agglomerations, and a spatial interaction model is constructed to explore the factors influencing. The results indicate that secondary networks have developed in Guangdong. The financial service network is the most complex, followed by the life services, sports and leisure and catering networks. The accommodation service network structure is the simplest. Among all kinds of networks, Guangzhou and Shenzhen have the highest status. The catering and accommodation corporations in Yangjiang in the west have a relatively major external development. Shantou in the east has many branches of various types, while most of the capital exchange in the region is concentrated in Heyuan and Qingyuan in the north. The coefficients of geographical proximity and the urban development level play a significant role in promoting the development of networks. However, administrative capacity limits the attractiveness of origin cities to a certain extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is situated within the discussion of mega-urbanization, a particular urbanization process that entails a large-scale agglomeration. In this paper, our focus is on urbanization in Java, Indonesia's most dynamic region. We add to the literature by investigating the change and prediction of the land use/land cover (LULC) of mega-urbanization in Java. This research uses a vector machine approach to support the classification of land cover change dynamics, cellular automata-Markov (CA Markov), and the Klassen typology technique. This paper indicates that major metropolitan areas are still expanding in terms of built-up areas, generating a larger urban agglomeration. However, attention should be also given to the urbanization process outside existing metropolis' boundaries given that more than half of the built-up land coverage in Java is located in non-metropolitan areas. In terms of future direction, the projection results for 2032 show that the Conservative scenario can reduce and slow down the increase in built-up land on the island of Java. On the other hand, the Spatial Plan (RTRW) scenario facilitates a rapid increase in the LULC of built-up land from 2019. The urban spatial dynamics in Java raises challenges for urban and regional planning as the process is taking place across multiple administrative authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1971, remote sensing techniques have been used to map and monitor phenomena and parameters of the coastal zone. However, updated reviews have only considered one phenomenon, parameter, remote data source, platform, or geographic region. No review has offered an updated overview of coastal phenomena and parameters that can be accurately mapped and monitored with remote data. This systematic review was performed to achieve this purpose. A total of 15,141 papers published from January 2021 to June 2023 were identified. The 1475 most cited papers were screened, and 502 eligible papers were included. The Web of Science and Scopus databases were searched using all possible combinations between two groups of keywords: all geographical names in coastal areas and all remote data and platforms. The systematic review demonstrated that, to date, many coastal phenomena (103) and parameters (39) can be mapped and monitored using remote data (e.g., coastline and land use and land cover changes, climate change, and coastal urban sprawl). Moreover, the authors validated 91% of the retrieved parameters, retrieved from remote data 39 parameters that were mapped or monitored 1158 times (88% of the parameters were combined together with other parameters), monitored 75% of the parameters over time, and retrieved 69% of the parameters from several remote data and compared the results with each other and with available products. They obtained 48% of the parameters using different methods, and their results were compared with each other and with available products. They combined 17% of the parameters that were retrieved with GIS and model techniques. In conclusion, the authors addressed the requirements needed to more effectively analyze coastal phenomena and parameters employing integrated approaches: they retrieved the parameters from different remote data, merged different data and parameters, compared different methods, and combined different techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Events as urban development formats have been relevant strategies for cities for several decades. They may have diverse economic, political, social and ecological effects on the host cities and are accordingly used in a variety of ways and closely linked to urban development and renewal. Complex processes can be identified in the context of the application, planning, implementation and after-use of an event. Furthermore, the planning of events is subject to an extensive multilevel governance of actor constellations and interactions. Against this background, in this paper we introduce a multi-level governance phase framework for formats of event-led urban development in order to create a better understanding of the structures and processes involved. For this purpose, we first use regional garden shows as a case study, which are event formats with a focus on small and medium-sized cities in Germany and on the (further) development of urban green spaces. We then generalize the framework using the governance capacity concept for events and approaches of event-led urban development. The model is well suited to illustrate the relevance of different actors in the process as well as the complexity of diverse processes that occur in the course of event planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased urbanization and population lead to increased consumption of manufactured goods. This ultimately results in increased production of waste. Identifying its composition is crucial for planning an effective solid waste management strategy. This study assesses the characteristics and composition of the waste generated within the Uyo Capital City Development Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. This is to aid in developing a scientifically supported waste management pilot system for the state. Direct waste sorting and characterization were conducted on the municipal solid waste arriving at the landfill during the study period. Over 50% of the generated wastes are recyclables and composed of plastics, metals, and paper, while the fraction of organic waste is over 30%. Similarly, the waste generation per capita is 1.34 kg/person/day, while the generation forecast over the next ten years is estimated to increase by approximately 40%. Furthermore, over 9,000 surveys were completed by residents to establish a problem statement about the existing waste collection and disposal system, and possible solutions. Importantly, a majority of survey respondents were willing to source-separate their wastes and supported paying a fee for adequate waste collection. This strongly indicates that an integrated waste management system could be established to generate value from the collected waste. Supplementary revenue can be generated through composting, recycling, and land reclamation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one of the four major bay areas in the world, the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is a highly integrated mega urban agglomeration and its unparalleled urbanization has induced prominent land contradictions between humans and nature, which hinders its sustainability and has become the primary concern in this region. In this paper, we probed the historical characteristics of land use and land cover change (LUCC) in the GBA from 2005 to 2015, and forecasted its future land use pattern for 2030, 2050, and 2070, using a cellular automata–Markov (CA–Markov) model, under three typical tailored scenarios, i.e., urban development (UD), cropland protection (CP), and ecology security (ES), for land use optimization. The major findings are as follows: (1) The encroachments of build-up land on the other land uses under rapid urbanization accounted for the leading forces of LUCCs in the past decade. Accordingly, the urban sprawl was up to 1441.73 km2 (23.47%), with cropland, forest land, and water areas reduced by 570.77 km2 (4.38%), 526.05 km2 (1.76%), and 429.89 km2 (10.88%), respectively. (2) Based on the validated CA–Markov model, significant differences are found in future land use patterns under multiple scenarios, with the discrepancy magnified over time and driven by different orientations. (3) Through comprehensive comparisons and tradeoffs, the ES scenario mode seems optimal for the GBA in the next decades, which optimizes the balance between socio-economic development and ecological protection. These results serve as an early warning for future land problems and can be applied to land use management and policy formulation to promote the sustainable development of the GBA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase models of gentrification play a prominent role in German-language urban geography textbooks and in shaping discussions on urban gentrification. Their empiric validity however, remains a topic for debate. To contribute to this debate, we conduct a comprehensive literature review of English- and German-language gentrification research over the past 40 years, with a specific focus on phase models. We examined 4,262 papers on gentrification, employing keyword searches and forward citation to pinpoint those that reference the phase models. Out of these, 223 papers mentioned the phase models or relevant key terms, but upon closer examination, only 56 directly addressed the model, forming the basis for our qualitative content analysis. We then assess the evolution of scientific discourse on phase models and their empirical validation. Despite their widespread reference, our study reveals that only a small fraction of gentrification research explicitly engages with these models, with limited empirical evidence to support their comprehensive validity. We argue that, although these models offer a framework for understanding gentrification, they are not universally applicable and neglect important elements such as, amongst others, supply-side factors and the diversity of gentrification trajectories. We advocate for a more nuanced approach to gentrification studies, calling for empirical research that encompasses a wider array of socio-ecological factors and recognizes the heterogeneity of gentrification patterns. Furthermore, there is a need for improved integration of urban research findings into educational materials, proposing a more critical presentation of gentrification models in school textbooks to reflect their limitations and the complex realities of urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

TiO2-based building materials possess air purification, self-cleaning, and sterilization functionalities, making them innovative green building materials with significant potential for future energy-saving and emission-reduction applications. However, the transition from laboratory-scale to practical applications poses substantial challenges in improving the photocatalytic efficiency and stability of TiO2-based building materials. In recent years, researchers have made considerable efforts to enhance their efficiency and stability. This paper provides a concise overview of the photocatalytic principles employed in buildings for air purification, discusses preparation techniques for TiO2-based building materials, explores strategies to improve their efficiency, outlines key factors influencing their performance in practical applications, analyzes limitations, and discusses future development trends. Finally, we propose recommendations for further research on photocatalytic buildings and their real-world implementation as a valuable reference for developing highly efficient and stable photocatalytic building materials. The aim of this paper is to guide the application of TiO2-based photocatalysts in green buildings towards creating more efficient and stable low-carbon buildings that support sustainable urban growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate-related hazards, urban development and changing vulnerability patterns compel cities across the world to deal with new and emerging forms of risk. Academic literature and recent international policy documents suggest potentials of conceptually and practically linking the fields of climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) and emphasize the need to mitigate climate-related risks at local level. However, there is limited knowledge on how this link is established at local levels and the role of ground-level actors and practices therein. Using the case of recurrent and disastrous floods, this paper discusses the significance of linking DRR and CCA in Mumbai. It analyses policies, plans, institutions and interventions related to DRR and CCA and uses interviews and a field study to assess flood risk governance at the level of municipal wards and neighbourhoods. The findings suggest that although flood risk governance has been significantly strengthened, three gaps exist: First, a lack of a comprehensive plan for Mumbai that anticipates future risks and vulnerabilities and integrates CCA and DRR down to local level. Second, a lack of an overarching and decentralized institutional framework across sectors and scales that recognizes the multiplicity of formal and informal actors. Third, the potential of civil society and informal actors for disaster risk management and adaptation planning has not been tapped into sufficiently. The paper argues that potential exists to reconceptualize flood risk governance in Mumbai by focusing on future risks and vulnerabilities and by recognizing the work of informal actors like emergent groups at local level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The advent of 4.0 technologies allows a footloose location for firms and people, apparently suggesting a "flat world." In this perspective, cities lose their attractiveness and undergo an urban decline. The aim of this paper is to reflect on urban growth opportunities provided by 4.0 technologies, detaching the analysis from a narrative and speculative explanation. The paper revisits the well‐known Baumol model on urban crisis, and all its criticisms and refinements, introducing the adoption of digital technologies in the theoretical reasoning. Expectations arise in favour of a re‐launch of urban economies in a spatial income distribution setting. An econometric analysis on Italian provinces proves the validity of the expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Investigates benchmarked performance of global and emerging knowledge cities. [•] Introduces a knowledge-based urban development performance assessment model. [•] Applies the assessment model into an international comparative study. [•] Reveals insights on scrutinizing the development perspectives of knowledge cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban carbon emissions are an important area for addressing climate change, and it is necessary to establish scientific and effective carbon emission prediction models to formulate reasonable emission reduction policies and measures. In this paper, a novel model based on Lasso regression, an ARIMA model, and a BPNN is proposed. Lasso regression is used to screen the key factors affecting carbon emissions, and the ARIMA model is used to extract the linear components of the carbon emission sequences, while the BPNN is used to predict the residuals of the ARIMA model. The final result is the sum of that from the ARIMA model and the BPNN. The carbon peak, carbon neutralization time, and emissions were analyzed under different scenarios. Taking Suzhou City as an example, the results show that the electricity consumption of the whole population is one of the key drivers of carbon emissions; the carbon emission prediction accuracy and stability of the ARIMA-BPNN combined model are better than those of the single model, which improves the reliability as well as the accuracy of the model's prediction. However, under the constraints of the current policies, the goal of achieving carbon peaking by 2030 in Suzhou City may not be realized as scheduled. This novel carbon emission prediction model built was validated to provide a scientific basis for low-carbon urban development. This study presents an important reference value for predicting carbon emissions and formulating emission reduction measures in other cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of global urban development, there are urgent ecological security and environmental pollution problems, green development is the fundamental way for urban sustainable development, economic transformation and mitigation of ecological and environmental problems. Based on the panel data of 283 cities at prefecture level and above in China from 2003 to 2017, this paper analyzes spatial–temporal evolution characteristics of urban green development efficiency (UGDE) and the peer effects of UGDE between cities of different grades. It is found that during the study period, in terms of temporal evolution, the average UGDE in China increased from 0.47 in 2003 to 0.61 in 2017, with a cumulative growth rate of 29.79%, showing a rising trend in general. In terms of spatial evolution, the number of low-efficiency cities and medium-efficiency cities continued to decrease. The eastern region has always been the main distribution area of higher-efficiency cities and high-efficiency cities; in the central region, UGDE in most cities improved significantly; in the western region, UGDE has always lagged behind that in the eastern and central regions. In addition, the center of gravity of UGDE presented a trend of northwest migration in general, with a total displacement of 100.07 km, and UGDE showed a spatial dispersion trend. The empirical results indicate that the improvement of UGDE in large cities has a driving effect on that in neighboring medium cities and small cities through the positive peer effect, and the growth of UGDE in medium cities has a promoting effect on that in neighboring small cities through the positive peer effect; the increase of UGDE in medium cities has a positive peer effect on that in neighboring large cities, and the growth of UGDE in small cities has a positive peer effect on that in neighboring medium cities; UGDE promotes each other between large cities through the positive peer effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the world's rapid urban development, it has been observed that space for sociability has decreased. To overcome the impact of the same, streets should develop as an urban space along transit corridors. These spaces encourage meaning and identity creation by offering visual quality to everyone. This paper focuses on assessing parameters through which an urban streetscape along transit corridor can be analyzed to enhance visual quality. The authors suggest nine essential parameters based on literature review and expert interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of air quality monitoring for analyzing impact on public health is growing worldwide. A crucial part of smart city development includes deployment of suitable air pollution sensors at critical locations. Note that there are various air quality measurement instruments, ranging from expensive reference stations that provide accurate data to low-cost sensors that provide less accurate air quality measurements. In this research, we use a combination of sensors and monitors, which we call hybrid instruments, and focus on optimal placement of such instruments across a region. The objective of the problem is to maximize a satisfaction function that quantifies the weighted closeness of different regions to the places where such hybrid instruments are placed (here weights for different regions are quantified in terms of the relative population density and relative PM 2.5 concentration). Note that there can be several constraints such as those on budget, the minimum number of reference stations to be placed, or the set of important regions where at least one sensor should be placed. We develop two algorithms to solve this problem. The first one is a genetic algorithm that is a metaheuristic and that works on the principles of evolution. The second one is a greedy algorithm that selects the locally best choice in each iteration. We test these algorithms on different regions from India with varying sizes and other characteristics such as population distribution, PM 2.5 emissions, or available budget. The insights obtained from this paper can be used to quantitatively place reference stations and sensors in large cities rather than using ad hoc procedures or rules of thumb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper applies Fuzzy Cognitive Maps (FCMs) to understand the diverse behavior of municipal governments in Ecuador to find common elements that influence the well-being of citizens in the short and long term. Information gathering was conducted in two stages: in the first one, a group of 16 national experts was consulted to develop the initial FCM; in the second stage, local experts from 220 municipalities were interviewed to collect information on the general validity of initial FCMs and specific values given to concepts and relationships in their municipalities. Results show the importance of certain concepts for long-term municipal performance, such as the need for a competitive entrepreneurial sector, improving human resources in the municipality, and, particularly, having a competent mayor with leadership skills and a forward-looking vision that enables the development of municipal projects required to reach an efficient and equitable coverage of goods and services throughout the city. Through the application of genetic algorithms, the FCM was calibrated to ascertain the long-term dynamics of municipal development and the optimal values of the concepts that would optimize the attainment of the set objectives. The derived outcomes suggest the desirability of the maintenance of, in principle, unwanted structures like financial transfers from the central government and the need to exploit natural resources to attain urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China has experienced significant urbanization during the past 40 years, which exerts impacts on regional climates through changing land surface properties. Previous studies mainly focused on the Pearl River Delta, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei areas, while less attention has been paid to central China. In this paper, the regional climate effects of urbanization around the greater Wuhan area were investigated using the WRF model. High resolution, satellite-derived, impervious datasets were used to generate two realistic scenarios representing urban surface states of the years 1986 and 2018. By comparing the simulation results of two sensitivity experiments from 1 July 2015 to 12 July 2015, the spatial and diurnal changes in surface air temperature, surface skin temperature, and surface energy budget were analyzed. Our results reveal that urban expansion leads to 2 m air temperature and surface skin temperature increases by approximate 0.63 °C and 0.83 °C, respectively. Surface sensible heat flux increases, while latent heat flux decreases, with much greater effects in daytime than nighttime. The planetary boundary layer height (PBLH) increases with its maximum value over 100 m, and a 2 m water vapor mixing ratio decreases with a peak value around −2 g/kg. These findings provide knowledge to improve the understanding of land–atmospheric interactions and pave the way to studying urban expansion effects under future climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As cities continue to evolve and face new challenges, the principles of smart cities - technology integration, data utilisation, sustainability, and community engagement - will remain vital in shaping the future of urban development. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of these principles, highlighting their relevance and impact on enhancing the well-being of urban residents. This paper explores the evolving landscape of smart cities in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, delving into how cities are reimagining urban development to address the challenges they face. It examines the pivotal role of technology, data-driven decision-making, and sustainability in shaping the future of cities. Through a comprehensive analysis of key trends and best practices, this paper offers insights into how smart cities are navigating the post-pandemic era to create more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive urban environments that enhance the well-being of their residents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The empirical literature examining the determinants of city size almost exclusively uses the closed city version of the Mills–Muth model, in which population is exogenous. The closed city approach is particularly useful in that it yields a single equation empirical framework easily estimated with ordinary least squares (OLS). The general theory, however, offers the open city as an alternative, where population and possibly income are endogenous. The open city, in contrast to the closed version, yields a system of equations that should be estimated with seemingly unrelated regression (SUR). This paper finds that population and income are endogenous for broad samples of small and large American urbanized areas and explores the extent to which the empirically preferred open city SUR approach yields empirical results that resemble the closed city OLS model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of smart cities and destinations heavily relies on geospatial technologies and intelligence. Geospatial aspects encompass location-based data and tools and are of significant importance in governing smart tourism destinations. This paper investigates the geospatial elements involved in the development of smart tourism destinations, by analyzing smart projects implemented in Novi Sad, Serbia. The theoretical framework draws upon the fields of geoinformatics, urban planning, and smart city development. Research conducted in Novi Sad reveals that the majority of smart initiatives, solutions, projects, and practices are geospatially oriented. To enhance the governing of smart cities, the paper introduces a comprehensive and adaptable catalogue of smart projects, which is easily navigable and comprehensible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro-level discourses on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) firmly establish China as the sole agent in driving infrastructure development. This article contends that often obscured from view by the discourses on China's dominance are the host country authorities' exercising of agency in infrastructure development under their own jurisdiction. The paper focuses on the actions of the local host country authorities in developing an infrastructure megaproject as a part of the BRI in northern Myanmar's Kachin State. Currently under suspension, the Myitkyina Economic Development Zone (MEDZ, also known as Namjin Industrial Zone) would make an ambitious spatial intervention with wider implications and risks. The paper scrutinizes the 'strategies' by the local authorities in 2019-2020 in their attempts to move the project forward covertly. These include exploiting the project's designation as an economic developing zone to conceal its scale and the inclusion of a major urban development, lack of transparency, and alleged abuse of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically discusses the Hanoi Metro and its role in contemporary urban development processes in Hanoi. It aims to disentangle the complex interplay between the state's urban development goals, local mobility patterns, and Sino-Vietnamese relations that influence discourses surrounding the Hanoi Metro. This paper argues that the Hanoi Metro project demonstrates that mobility infrastructures serve as an arena for state-society negotiations in Vietnamese cities. Rooted in the state's vision of modernity, the metro is promoted as offering an alternative to individual motorized transport, improving urban traffic and mobility for all residents. However, controversies regarding corruption, safety, and Chinese involvement in the financing and construction of Line 2A have negatively affected public perception of the project during its construction period. The potential impact of the Hanoi Metro on urban mobility in a setting dominated by motorbikes is discussed using the mobilities paradigm, with a focus on local mobility practices and experiences. The findings are linked to broader discussions on Chinese investment and historically-rooted notions of modernity and civilization in the context of the long-term development goals of municipal authorities and rising anti-Chinese sentiments in Vietnamese society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses issues pertaining to the future of work and sustainability through the lens of a case study of ecological deterioration and how it destroys and creates green jobs in a forest village of Istanbul. As elsewhere in major urban centres of developing countries, the hyper-expansion of city regions due to authoritarian developmentalism fosters the state-led construction sector in Turkey. Growth-driven economic policies continue to have adverse effects on the environment, resulting in deforestation among an array of ecological damage. Based on a qualitative analysis of oral history interviews and observations informed by a larger interdisciplinary research project, we observe resilience in the forest village under scrutiny as certain types of work are abandoned, and new forms are created by adaptation to the ecological and social conditions. The perceptions of changing conditions by locals vary across existing ethnic, gender, and class hierarchies in the local community. Moreover, our findings indicate that the types of work available in the village prior to urban transformation were not all decent or green. In face of ongoing ecological deterioration in a (formerly) forest community, participatory micro-initiatives, and grassroots, utilizing local community projects emerge that nevertheless pursue a green and just transition. We focus on one such initiative, the Community Fungi platform, to demonstrate the possibility of working towards a collective imagination of a green future inspired by past but unforgotten sustainable communal practices, in the context of the forest village under scrutiny in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the call of the New Urban Agenda—Habitat III for a reinvigoration of long-term and integrated planning towards sustainable urban development, this paper presents an empirical comparative study of planning practices based on the "satellite city" and "new town" concepts in Tokyo and Shanghai to examine from a long-term perspective how well they have guided polycentric urban development at a time of massive population growth. We aim to deliver evidence-based contributions to boost the knowledge transfer between the Global North and the Global South. The paper adopts a multi-dimensional framework for the comparative analysis, including a review of long-term urban development policies and an inspection of the population distribution and extent of built-up areas using time-specific categorizations to map the spatiotemporal changes based on GHSL data. The comparative analysis shows that urban plans in Tokyo and Shanghai based on satellite cities and new towns as steering instruments for polycentric urban growth management have not lived up to the original aspirations. In fact, the intended steering of population distribution has essentially failed, despite the practical steps undertaken. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Omiš is characterised by an exceptional layering of its natural environment and historical architecture, which is why its modern achievements have not been fully researched so far. The aim of this scientific paper is a more comprehensive study of the modern architecture of Omiš of the second half of the 20th century. Its architectural corpus has remained in the shadow of modern architectural realisations of the nearby city of Split, which belongs to the same prominent protagonists of modernity. Work methods in this paper have included the analysis of primary and secondary sources and research of the current situation in the field. This work, for the first time, gives a systematic presentation of the modern architecture of this picturesque town while the elements of the author's expression integrate features of modern architecture and reinterpret the tradition of life in the Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mega-structures and sport mega-events have been attractions in many mega-cities representing their identity to the rest of the world. Such phenomenon has also taken place in Jakarta by the existence of the newly erected Jakarta International Stadium and the recently held Formula E and both have gained attention and stimulated conversations in Indonesia. So have both been known as a green stadium and a green race. Integrating sustainability to urban development has been a global trend and Jakarta attempts to take advantage of such trend to create branding. This research aimed to describe the rationale of greening the stadium and race by the Jakarta regional government within its city branding policy. This research employed the qualitative method and descriptive analysis in addition to the concept of para-diplomacy and city branding. This research found that both green stadium and race were utilized as symbols or promotional value to promote green development in the city. City branding by the Jakarta regional government was a diplomatic practice bringing a message about the city transformation to be a green and global city. This paper provides a perspective that city branding is para-diplomacy itself or one form of para-diplomacy practices. This paper argues that through city branding, cities should be able to not only widen their specific needs locally but also pave their global role in addressing the global challenges like climate crisis. This paper benefits those who are interested in or are studying today city para-diplomacy and global urban politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In line with the European Commission's target, land take in Germany has to be reduced to net zero by 2050. This not only presupposes greater inner urban development and more efficient development outside existing settlements, but also puts a greater planning and political focus on renaturation. The aim of this paper is to investigate the implementation of no net land take policy using the example of the highly dense and urbanised federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Germany. Based on an online survey, the current and potential use of (planning) instruments to implement this policy in all 396 municipalities in North Rhine-Westphalia was investigated. The findings suggest that the municipalities are not yet in a position to consistently implement no net land take. Particularly in the field of renaturation, this is often due to a lack of experience and uncertainties in the use of the existing (planning) instruments, but also to lacking awareness of the problem and a lack of political and social acceptance for higher housing densities. Since the necessary instruments are defined in current legislation and the concepts for implementation are generally known, it is important to support municipalities in using the available instruments and concepts even without direct pressure to act. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principal objective of this review paper was to study the impact of gentrification phenomena in Thailand using a research methodology combining a review of the existing literature and a desk analysis of case studies, focusing on two main interconnected contributions to debates on gentrification. First, understanding gentrification phenomena by examining the existing literature required a perspective on not only gentrification but also its stages and consequences. Second, particular attention was paid to the desk analysis of case studies of gentrification phenomena in Thailand to provide an overview and critical analysis. The results of this research show that gentrification has accelerated across the globe to become a central engine of urban development. Gentrification is a complex process that has significant and multifaceted impacts on urban communities. Gentrification can have positive impacts, such as improving the urban scenery by revitalising the neighbourhood's blighted places and raising property values by making buildings more appealing and contemporary. However, gentrification can also have negative impacts due to critical issues that are neglected such as the displacement of original inhabitants, particularly vulnerable populations; the loss of tangible and intangible cultural heritage; social inequalities; environmental vulnerability; and inappropriate land consumption. All of these factors contribute to the fact that urban development in Thailand still runs into issues or roadblocks that keep it inefficient and unable to fully accomplish the intended objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examined the dynamics of urban land use and land cover change, and their implications for livelihoods in peri-urban Tamale, Ghana. The study employed household data and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) for 1986, Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM +) for 2004 and Landsat 8 Operationalised Landsat Imager/Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLIS/TIRS) for 2019. The findings show that the urban expansion process witnessed a transition from agricultural livelihood to a more complex and monetised urban economy, which presented mixed impacts on the livelihoods of the peri-urban households. We argued that the horizontal expansion of urban areas into prime agricultural lands could be halted by promoting vertical development in the form of multi-storey buildings rather than the horizontal multiplication of individual housing units. Supporting the peri-urban households to diversify their livelihood portfolios by venturing into beekeeping, poultry farming, and livestock keeping, which do not require large tracts of land is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses Baidu migration data to obtain the intercity trips between cities in China. Taking intercity travel as a functional connection between cities, taking into account the internal and external intercity travel connections of urban agglomerations, an improved rank scale distribution method was used to quantitatively measure the form and function of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, Pearl River Delta, middle reaches of the Yangtze River, Chengdu-Chongqing, Central Plains, Guanzhong, and Harbin-Changchun urban agglomerations. It is found that, firstly, there are differences in the Functional Polycentricity presented by the internal and external connections of urban agglomerations, which are related to the economic development of urban agglomerations and central cities. Secondly, there are differences between Morphological Polycentricity and Functional Polycentricity of the eight urban agglomerations measured by the internal and external connections, indicating that the external connections have a significant impact. The internal and external connections of urban agglomerations are important functional connections of urban agglomerations. The study of urban agglomerations should not ignore the internal or external connections, and the overall consideration can more comprehensively reflect the polycentric characteristics of urban agglomerations. The internal and external connections of urban agglomerations are important functional connections, and the study of urban agglomerations should not ignore internal or external connections. Overall consideration can better reflect the polycentirccharacteristics of urban agglomerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the Carolingian conquest of the Lombard Kingdom in 774, the Duchy of Benevento became an independent principality. Duke Arechis (758–787) proclaimed himself princeps gentis Langobardorum, thus opposing the political authority of the new King of the Lombards, Charlemagne. During the second half of the 8th century, Arechis refounded Salerno as the second capital city of Lombard Southern Italy by building a palace which stood as a marker of his political authority within the urban landscape. When the competition between two factions of the Beneventan aristocracy led to a civil war (839–849), Salerno became first a gathering place for members of the faction opposing Prince Radelchis and then the capital city of a new Lombard principality. By considering both written and archaeological sources, this paper focuses on the social and political aspects that led to the urban development of Salerno and challenged the role of Benevento during the 8th and 9th centuries. Some final considerations contextualise the rise of Capua as a third capital city in Lombard Southern Italy during the 9th and 10th centuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing and controlling "land take" of agricultural and natural land for urbanisation is the target of European and national policies. Although this objective seems to be increasingly understood among the actors, the prioritisation of issues and the measures taken by governments to achieve it are very heterogeneous. The practices of local public and private actors do not necessarily follow the directions established at national level by the instruments. This paper examines the concrete forms, in France, of collective action in the field of spatial planning to limit land take, particularly in French cross-border areas that are experiencing strong urban growth. The survey is based on 60 semi-structured interviews with public actors involved in the spatial transformations of the cross-border regions around Geneva, Lille-Kortrijk-Tournai, Luxembourg and Strasbourg-Karlsruhe. The survey shows that collective action in spatial planning is very diverse in France, depending on the regions and municipalities concerned, even if the legal rules are the same. Local public actors play strategically with the rules and adapt them. Moreover, the organisation of collective action to limit land take is marked by interdependencies between regions, and in our case between neighbouring countries, which are often left unexamined in national planning policies and instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Planning practice is confronted with seemingly contradictory challenges, such as the qualitative and quantitative provision of housing paired with reducing land consumption. To address this apparent dilemma, legislators are increasingly relying on densification. However, a fundamental prerequisite (and often a significant challenge) for this is the availability of the land required. Recent planning law reforms in Germany and Switzerland aim to increase the effectiveness and speed at which land is made available for inner development, thus meeting the seemingly conflicting planning policy goals. This paper compares recent legislative efforts in Germany and Switzerland using the comparative law method. The German Building Land Mobilization Act includes amendments to the Building Code (Baugesetzbuch) and the Building Use Ordinance (Baunutzungsverordnung), intended to enable faster activation of building land and the creation of more affordable housing. To this end, the amendment expands existing instruments for the activation of building land and introduces simplifications to the planning law. In Switzerland, the Spatial Planning Act has been partially revised to achieve inner urban development through precise regulations on the expansion of building zones and instruments to ensure the implementation of zoning plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the abstracts of several research papers on geography in the U.S. in 1925. Beet sugar industry of Nebraska as a response to geographic environment; Physiographic stages in the evolution of the San Juan Mountain region in Colorado; Urban development in the Kentucky mountains.

This article takes the concept of gated communities to represent a special form of securitised housing, developed in the United States in the 20th century and popularised around the world in later years, and examines it as such. The neo-liberal society is an especially fertile ground for the development of this concept due to the unequal distribution of wealth, growing social stratification, poverty and segregation. Often, the surrounding roads are privatised and access to public areas is restricted for the purposes of these settlements, which leaves entire complexes within cities inaccessible to the majority of citizens. All these processes are in conflict with the democratic concept of the open city and the model of mixed housing, nurtured in the welfare state. The segregation of citizens, and their marginalisation and displacement (gentrification), along with the endangerment and privatisation of public spaces significantly reduce the democratic capacity of urban communities. The main concern of this research is the examination of the reasons which contribute to the expansion of gated communities, and the effects they have on the spirit of the urban community (alienation) and the democratic capacities of cities. The aim of the paper is to examine the notion of gated communities on a sample of cities in the Anglosphere (USA, Canada, New Zealand), and to analyse their specific effects. The analysis of the existing research and case studies concerning gated communities in the world often consists of the use of statistical methods, regulatory change analyses, and the interviews and surveys of tenants, managers, politicians and officials. The comparative method, used in this paper, focuses on the similarities and differences of gated communities in different countries, which enabled us to draw conclusions on better housing and urban development policies (synthesis). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous expansion of urbanization, the problem of human settlements has become increasingly prominent. Green, economical, intelligent and livable cities have become the urgent needs of future urban planning. The evaluation of urban livability is not only one of the judgment criteria of urban competitiveness, but also an important factor affecting the speed of urban development. Among them, the safety factor of the city is the important guarantee of other aspects, so this paper intends to design a high-precision face recognition algorithm to make efforts for the safety construction of livable cities. Aiming at the shortcomings of the standard support vector machine (SVM), combined with the quantum-behaved mechanism, a quantum-behaved genetic algorithm–SVM (QBGA–SVM) is proposed in the paper. The experimental results for the human face databases show that QBGA–SVM is superior to the comparison algorithms in both accuracy and stability. Finally, QBGA–SVM is applied to face images of the real world, and the results are better than the other algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding and connecting the impact of anthropogenic activities on mangrove food webs is a research challenge. Has research on the subject been able to find answers using stable isotopes? The present opinion paper analyzed the utility of stable isotopes in tracing the impact of anthropogenic activities on mangrove food webs and if the research questions raised could be answered using these chemical markers. Representative research papers (16) focused on the use of stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S, δ2H, δD,206Pb/207Pb, and 208Pb/207Pb) to evaluate the effect of anthropogenic activities (Sewage discharge, timber harvesting–deforestation, metallurgical activities, hydrological disruption, aquaculture ponds, and urban development) on mangrove food webs were selected. Each article included at least one group of consumers (invertebrate or fish). Publications only focused on water quality or primary producers were not included. Most studies managed to determine the effect of the anthropogenic activities on the food web's stable isotope values. Based on the above, we concluded that these markers are an effective tool to determine affectation patterns on the structure and function of mangrove food webs. The results obtained herein facilitate the correct management of mangroves and their derived resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The volume of residential travel with different purposes follows relatively stable patterns in a specific period and state; therefore, it can reflect the operating status of urban traffic and even indicate urban vitality. Recent research has focused on changes in the spatiotemporal characteristics of urban mobility affected by the pandemic but has rarely examined the impact of COVID-19 on the travel conditions and psychological needs of residents. To quantitatively assess travel characteristics during COVID-19, this paper proposed a method by which to determine the purpose of residential travel by combining urban functional areas (UFAs) based on machine learning. Then, the residential travel structure, which includes origin–destination (OD) points, residential travel flow, and the proportion of flows for different purposes, was established. Based on taxi trajectory data obtained during the epidemic in Nantong, China, the case study explores changes in travel flow characteristics under the framework of the residential travel structure. Through comparison of the number and spatial distribution of OD points in the residential travel structure, it is found that residential travel hotspots decreased significantly. The ratios of commuting and medical travel increased from 43.8% to 45.7% and 7.1% to 8.1%, respectively. Conversely, the ratios of other travel types all decreased sharply. Moreover, under Maslow's hierarchy of needs model, further insights into the impacts of COVID-19 on changes in residential psychological needs are discussed in this paper. This work can provide a reference for decision makers to cope with the change in urban traffic during a public health emergency, which is beneficial to the sustainable healthy development of cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of air quality monitoring for analyzing the impact on public health is growing worldwide. A crucial part of smart city development includes deployment of suitable air pollution sensors at critical locations. Note that there are various air quality measurement instruments ranging from expensive reference stations that provide accurate data to low-cost sensors that provide reasonable air quality measurements. In this research, we use a combination of sensors and monitors, which we call as hybrid instruments and focus on optimal placement of such instruments across a region. The objective of the problem is to maximize a satisfaction function that quantifies the weighted closeness of different regions to the places where such hybrid instruments are placed (here weights for different regions are quantified in terms of the relative population density and relative PM2.5 concentration). Note that there can be several constraints such as those on budget, minimum number of reference stations to be placed, set of important regions where at least one sensor should be placed and so on. We develop two algorithms to solve this problem. The first one is a genetic algorithm that is a metaheuristic and works on the principles of evolution. The second one is a greedy algorithm that selects locally best choice in each iteration. We test these algorithms on different regions from India with varying sizes and other characteristics such as population distribution, PM2.5 concentration, budget available, etc. The insights obtained from this paper can be used to quantitatively place reference stations and sensors in large cities rather than using ad hoc procedures or rules of thumb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid growth of urban populations and the environmental concerns associated with this growth challenge city planners and developers to consider more sustainable building systems. In Japan, the recent change in the law governing building standards and introduction of cross-laminated timber (CLT) offer the prospect of a further extension of the height of timber buildings to the high-rise category. Because of that, many researchers have begun to research the possibility of hybridizing CLT with steel-framed structures to increase the performance of buildings utilizing CLT. This paper presents the test and numerical results of cyclic loading experiments performed upon CLT shear wall infilled hybrid steel frames with concealed metal plates and drift pin (DP) connections. For the failure modes of the tests, shear failure of CLT at around 1/50–1/30 rad were observed in almost all specimens, except the specimen with slender steel beams, which led the CLT to out-of-plane deformation. The load sharing effect between two components were also evaluated, showing that the steel and CLT infill worked closely together to resist the lateral load. After the experiments, a numerical model was developed using the nonlinear finite analysis software SNAP V7.0 to predict the results of the experiments. The model was developed based on the results of element tests conducted previously, was validated using the test results, and can potentially serve as the basis for an appropriate form of methodology with which to design future CLT-steel hybrid structures for service in seismically active regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mountainous areas, urban development often takes place on slow-moving ground, which over time may inflict severe damage on buildings and infrastructure. This process can be accelerated significantly by new construction near existing structures. Although for stable ground conditions the problem of excavation-induced damage has been studied extensively, for slow-moving landslides the question of how to reduce damage to neighbors remains open. This paper presents a general finite-element modeling procedure which allows for a full-scale investigation of the landslide excavation problem. The evaluation of structural damage follows an existing approach, in which the effect on the neighboring buildings is deduced from greenfield displacements, using the limiting tensile strain method, correlated with damage categories. The results of the study, which was inspired by real landslide cases, show that failing to estimate the correct compression state of the landslide can lead to significantly higher damage to close neighbors than in the case of a stable slope. Designing the anchors close to the true in situ earth pressure reduces the damage potential, but can result in enormous anchorage costs, if situated in a compressed landslide zone. Excavating farther from neighbors allows for a significant reduction in the required anchor support, which the proposed procedure helps to quantify. Another distinctive feature of excavations within landslides is the development of considerable compressive strains in the sliding direction along the lateral sides of the excavation. It is shown that these compressive strains also have the potential to damage neighboring buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent developments in remote sensing provide very high-resolution imageries that are partially in competition with aerial images. This paper presents an evaluation of using IKONOS-2 and WorldView-2 satellite imageries for monitoring the growth of the built-up areas in the southern part of Assiut City between 2006 and 2016. In addition, a comparison between aerial orthoimage and satellite imagery was carried out. Also, a set of satellite imagery was downloaded from the Google Earth Pro application and used in this study to determine the rate of spatial growth in the southern part of Assiut City between 2011 and 2022. The results of this study show that: Most map features can be detected and manually recognized from WorldView-2 imageries at a good level, while building detection was perfect. The applied change detection technique using IKONOS-2 imagery and WorldView-2 imagery shows that the growth of the built-up area in the south part of Assiut City between 2006 and 2016 is 783499.2 m2, representing about 16.89 % of the total test area. Recent satellite imageries from open sources such as Google Earth were used successfully to determine the rate of spatial growth of the southern part of Assiut City in the period from 2011 to 2022. The spatial growth in this period was found to have increased dramatically, especially between 2014 and 2016. Remarkable negative changes were found in the agricultural lands due to the spatial growth of the built-up area in the south direction of Assiut City. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

E-learning is increasingly used in modern educational institutions, especially since the pandemic COVID-19. By examining the role of gender, education, and urban growth in e-learning, we can learn more about possible differences and digital divides within and between EU countries. To successfully address inequality in education, legislators need to understand the causes of inequalities. The paper aims to examine e-learning inequality across European Union (EU) countries, comparing the most developed EU countries (namely the EU-15) with other EU countries. To avoid the possible biases that could occur due to the COVID-19 infection, we focus on two years before the pandemic, 2017, and 2019. To account for gender, education, and urban development differences, we compare the usage of e-learning among the individuals belonging to these groups. The results show that the EU-15 countries consistently perform better compared to the other EU countries. This suggests that the digital divide is difficult to overcome, as it persists despite the EU's strong efforts under the Digital Europe umbrella to align its member countries by technological level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objectives: Addressing climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions have emerged as shared global objectives. Enhancing the development performance of low-carbon cities has become an urgent and widely acknowledged concern for both government policy-making departments and academics. Drawing upon the complex grouping perspective and resource allocation theory, this study investigates how varying conditions related to technology, organization, and environment in Chinese low-carbon pilot cities can effectively allocate resources to shape the governance performance of low-carbon cities. Methods and data: This paper employs a comprehensive grouping analysis perspective, treating the research object as a combination of various ways between condition variables. It integrates the advantages of case studies and variable studies, and investigates the collective relationships between elemental groupings and outcomes using the fsQCA analysis method. This approach facilitates the understanding of multiple concurrent causal relationships within the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, accounting for different performance levels in Chinese low-carbon pilot cities, as well as addressing complex causal issues such as asymmetry and multiple scenario equivalence. Data from 30 representative low-carbon pilot cities in China were employed to validate the TOE theoretical framework. Conclusion: No single element alone can be considered a necessary condition for low-carbon city governance performance. However, environmental enhancement plays a more prominent role in the governance performance of low-carbon cities. Additionally, the presence of "multiple concurrent" technical, organizational, and environmental conditions leads to a diverse range of governance performance in Chinese low-carbon pilot cities. In other words, the driving paths of low-carbon city performance exhibit distinct pathways. Contribution: The findings of this study can assist low-carbon pilot city managers in generating effective governance ideas, facilitating the successful implementation of low-carbon city pilot projects, and drawing valuable lessons from the experience of low-carbon city development in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban morphology exhibits fractal characteristics, which can be described by multifractal scaling. Multifractal parameters under positive moment orders primarily capture information about central areas characterized by relatively stable growth, while those under negative moment orders mainly reflect information about marginal areas that experience more active growth. However, effectively utilizing multifractal spectra to uncover the spatio-temporal variations of urban growth remains a challenge. To addresses this issue, this paper proposes a multifractal measurement by combining theoretical principles and empirical analysis. To capture the difference between growth stability in central areas and growth activity in marginal areas, an index based on generalized correlation dimension Dq is defined. This index takes the growth rate of Dq at extreme negative moment order as the numerator and that at extreme positive moment order as the denominator. During the stable stage of urban growth, the index demonstrates a consistent pattern over time, while during the active stage, the index may exhibit abnormal fluctuations or even jumps. This indicates that the index can reveal spatio-temporal information about urban evolution that cannot be directly observed through multifractal spectra alone. By integrating this index with multifractal spectra, we can more comprehensively characterize the evolutionary characteristics of urban spatial structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the cultural identity expressed by The XII Travelers Memorial of the Southwest in El Paso, Texas, USA. According to the monument's statement, the memorial is an ongoing regional project formed by "... 12 heroic bronze monuments celebrating the multicultural contributions of both men and women to the development of the Southwest." The paper's argument is threefold. First, it argues that the XII Travelers project could be regarded as a collage that incorporates different historical and cultural references into a single narrative. Secondly, by doing this, the memorial blurs spatial scales and builds a regional history with El Paso at its center. Finally, the paper suggests that the construction of this heroic and multicultural regional identity must be understood in relation to growing tourist activities and the expectations that visitors have about a Southern border area in USA. The research is based on a critical review of the material produced by The XII Travelers Foundation and the examination of the characters and monuments of Fray García and Juan de Oñate, the only two approved travelers of the proposed list. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper researches the impacts of the housing problem of younger population on the demographic trends in the city of Zagreb. Housing problems in the city of Zagreb are marked by an increase of housing prices and rents, mainly in the uncontrolled market, and they differ from other parts of the country. In the context of the challenges of housing policy development in transition countries, the housing standard, housing tenure, the housing market and the rental housing market in Zagreb are analysed. Regarding the research methodology, the paper is based on a survey, analysis of statistical data and other, relatively scarce literature. The analysis of the housing market and the uncontrolled housing rental market speaks of the key problem of housing affordability. Social programs in this area are residual in nature and do not provide housing for vulnerable groups. An important contribution of the paper is a survey in the population aged 18 to 39 years. The results of the research show that less educated immigrants who come to Zagreb for employment cannot afford decent housing. The unsustainable status of tenants in the uncontrolled private market makes this population socially excluded. The affordability of decent housing mediated by financial problems and other factors has negative effects on childbearing. In addition, such forms of social deprivation are proving to be triggers for emigration from the country. Certain methodological innovations are proposed for future research in this area. In addition to the negative effects on demographic trends, the unaffordability of decent housing also affects labour mobility, and thus the social and economic development of the city of Zagreb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is written in the form of a scientific essay. The method used was the analysis of historical and contemporary planning materials, starting from the interwar period. Extensive specialist literature has been studied, especially that which raises the issue of the urban, architectural and cultural values of Zamość. It provides an analysis of the "Draft of the Zamość Development Plan of 1939" ("Szkicowy projekt planu zabudowania Zamościa z 1939 r.") by the architect Jan Zachwatowicz and the urbanist Władysław Wieczorkiewicz. The paper also describes the circumstances leading to the foundation of Zamość. It draws attention to the elements missing from the contemporary urban development plans of the town, which were present in the excellent pre-war planning work. It also underlies the importance of municipal public transport, which should always be the basis for the delimitation of functional zones. It also includes a brief discussion of the 1994 "General Local Plan for the Spatial Development of the City of Zamość" („Miejscowy plan ogólny zagospodarowania przestrzennego miasta Zamościa z 1994 r."), which, according to the author, is the best planning document produced after the Second World War. The aim of the study was to highlight those elements that coincided with the idea of the 1939 plan sketched by Jan Zachwatowicz and Władysław Wieczorkiewicz. The paper uses the method of footnotes, which refer the reader to the relevant source material and may also provide additional commentary on the presented content. The three illustrations are photographs of maps (charts) of the 1939 plan. They are also included in the 2018 scholarly monograph "Cartographic zamostiana" („Kartograficzne zamostiana") by Wojciech Przegon and Jakub Żygawski. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increasing number of devices and their communication with each other generates huge amounts of data. The efficiency of processing such large and heterogeneous data is crucial for extracting the reliable and consistent information that is needed for the effective management of smart cities within the field of transport. Data heterogeneity and volume as well as its integration and analytics are big challenges for decision-makers. The development of urban agglomerations is largely dependent on the proper management of such data. Therefore, this paper explores the role of these data repositories, their acquisition from different sources, and the ways to combine them. The main goal of this paper is to propose a concept of Smart City management based on Big Data Analytics and technology related to UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) which may reduce costs and resource consumption. The presented concept includes successive data generation and collection, data type identification, problem and requirement identification, filtering, classification, pre-processing, and data optimization, as well as decision support analysis. A key part of this analysis utilizes computer algorithms, such as Speeded Up Robust Features (SURF) and Thresholding and Blob detection, to develop a multi-camera image recognition system for freight transport management and logistics in smart cities. The objective is to design a system that optimizes the route planning and time of vehicle passage on selected road sections, ultimately leading to the reduction of emissions. During the study, data obtained from multiple sources were compared, and the analysis uncovered different results for the same assumptions. We discuss the reasons for these variances. Overall, the results obtained in the analysis indicated that it is necessary to correct the predictions of the multi-camera image recognition system with additional methods and algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in understanding development processes and opportunities in small and medium-sized towns that so far did not attract much attention in mainstream urban theory. Conventional growth-oriented approaches fail to capture the complexity of local development and policy-making processes because they prioritise production factors and underrate the role of discourse and place-based identity. This paper aims to explore the linkages between narratives, place identity, and local development. As local actors try to make sense of a place's past and future, they select, contribute to, and mobilise various local narratives. Multiple narratives feed into and are part of a place's identity that defines a frame for possible development options. The paper uses the case of Zeitz in Saxony-Anhalt (Germany) to analyse the evolution of local development narratives from the 1970s until today. The paper concludes that: i) narrative-making is not a linear process; narratives, spatial imaginaries and local identity are complex, dynamic, and interconnected with each other; ii) local narratives help to construct a coherent imaginary of a place and are mutually intertwined with local development and policies; and iii) local narratives are interdependent with external events and strategies requiring a multiscalar relational perspective on local development processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]