Search

A growing concern about disasters triggered by natural phenomena and technological accidents is evident over the last decades. These disasters are increasingly common and severe nowadays, partly due to the impact of climate change, which is exacerbated by the continuing human pressure on the environment. Spatial planning is believed to play a key role in disaster prevention with discussions about the integration of risk analysis and management in spatial planning processes being discussed relevantly recently. Nevertheless, it is still inconsistent. This is a literature review paper about the integration of prevention and management of natural/technological disasters in spatial planning. The authors performed extensive research in scientific search engines, using relevant keywords in a combined way, for more targeted results. Following a bibliometric analysis of 382 documents/papers, some of the major findings are: the topic gained momentum after 2006, most of the literature examines topics of prevention combined with management, the most researched disaster is floods and disaster risk management is usually discussed in combination with urban planning. Only about 5% of the publications refer to maritime spatial planning and merely around 3% of the research is solely dedicated to technological disasters, indicating that these topics are suitable for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though vague and contested, the construct of the quality of life can play an important role in gauging the success of spatial governance. It is present in most spatial policy objectives and many scholars describe it as the ultimate goal of spatial governance. The question remains, however, whether the construct of the quality of life is explored in sufficient depth to understand its practical relevance within widely divergent African contexts. Africa is notorious for its low levels of life quality and many scholars argue that research on its difficulties is not focalized and conclusions are too often drawn without truly considering the unique African context. To discover the extent of the current knowledge base on African life quality, African-specific case study research was identified and analyzed. A systematic literature review was conducted following the textual narrative synthesis approach. The analysis revealed a geographically sparsely distributed knowledge base of urban African quality of life. Further to this, a wide variety of research themes were identified, ranging from socio-economic, physical, and environmental characteristics to strategic planning and sustainable development. This sparsely distributed knowledge base, along with the wide variety of research themes and the undefined nature of the quality of life, makes it difficult to compare the case studies. The paper, subsequently, calls for further case study research to enable a true understanding of the association and meaning of quality of life within the African context that would ultimately support appropriate development of measurements in urban Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conflation of challenges in border regions with those encountered domestically within national boundaries underscores the necessity for a focused examination. Despite growing scholarly interest, there remains a notable gap in comprehensively addressing these challenges. This study systematically reviewed 28 articles to identify spatial planning challenges in border regions. The analysis unveils intricacies, encompassing stakeholder conflicts, the imperative for adaptive strategies, economic disparities, institutional struggles and imaginary ideals discrepancies. The study offers context-sensitive approaches to address these challenges. This succinct synthesis contributes to a deeper understanding of spatial planning complexities, facilitating the formulation of effective strategies for border region development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates decision support within the European geographical area. A total of 21 tools have been analysed leading to the identification of a few emerging trends. Predominantly concentrated in the northern part of Europe, these tools aim to assist urban planners in different ways. Findings reveal issues with tools accessibility and a rather weak focus on hard-to-reach groups, including youth. This study underscores the importance of addressing these gaps to ensure inclusivity and effective engagement. Additionally, the study finds a prevailing emphasis on advanced Information and Communication Technology techniques over qualitative data representation, which poses certain limitations to informed decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the critical role of planning culture in shaping the built environment through spatial interventions influenced by political culture and planning history. It introduces a contextual framework, integrating the Culturized Planning Model (CPM) and path-dependency analysis, to explore the intersections within planning practices. By emphasizing historical trajectories and accumulative practices, the study seeks to understand planning culture and its underlying forces. Focusing on Turkish planning culture from the neoliberal shifts of the 1980s to contemporary practices, it analyses political decisions, legislative changes, and the roles of planning actors. The research incorporates in-depth interviews with planning professionals, reviews of planning documents, and assessments of regulatory frameworks. This approach uncovers how planning culture evolves through tangible and intangible elements shaped by historical and contextual experiences. The proposed framework serves both as an analytical tool and a foundation for further research, inviting comparative studies to explore the variations and dynamics of planning cultures across diverse contexts. By delving into these intricacies, the study contributes to a deeper understanding of how historical experiences and cultural influences shape planning practices globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effectiveness of spatial planning in guiding human settlements has come under scrutiny with the increasing occurrence and severity of climate-induced disasters. This study interrogates the role of spatial planning in promoting resilient settlements in growth points and rural service centres, often overlooked in favour of towns and large cities. Our study adopted mixed methods research and collected quantitative data from 1,161 households from the eight wards most affected by Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani District. We also collected qualitative data from key informants from Chimanimani District and the national government institutions. Findings show that the Chimanimani Rural District Council and the District Coordinator's office have institutional, technical, and capacity gaps to mobilise actors and guide spatial planning for resilient settlement in response to climate change-induced disasters. The district institutions are stifled by the direct planning and implementation of projects by the national government which bypasses and duplicates local efforts. The rigid spatial planning standards, the flouting of planning guidelines, the parcelling of land by the traditional leadership, and political interference contribute to poor district spatial planning for resilient human settlements. This study recommends an integrated development planning approach that coordinates stakeholders to develop resilient infrastructure for guiding sustainable human settlements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]