Sustainable Urban Development in the Age of Climate Change: People: The Cure or Curse

203 Pages·2019·1.98 MB·English

by  Ali Cheshmehzangi

Ali Cheshmehzangi
Ayotunde Dawodu
Sustainable Urban
Development
in the Age of
Climate Change
People: The Cure or Curse
Sustainable Urban Development in the Age
of Climate Change
Ali Cheshmehzangi • Ayotunde Dawodu
Sustainable Urban
Development in the
Age of Climate
Change
People: The Cure or Curse
Ali Cheshmehzangi Ayotunde Dawodu
University of Nottingham University of Nottingham
Ningbo China Ningbo China
Ningbo, Zhejiang, China Ningbo, Zhejiang, China
ISBN 978-981-13-1387-5 ISBN 978-981-13-1388-2 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-1388-2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2018952289
© The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2019
This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the
Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of
translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on
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The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this
publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are
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Cover credit: Ali Cheshmehzangi
Cover design by Tom Howey
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We dedicate this book to those who repudiate climate change and its impact
on humanity. We urge them to become smarter. It’s that simple.
We also collectively dedicate this book to youth around the world, on whom
we depend the most for building the future. We specifically mention the
youth of Nigeria, with the hope that your resourcefulness and vibrancy will
help to mitigate the failures of leadership.
Ali Cheshmehzangi:
For Amir and Sara, my two fellow travellers, whom I care about
unconditionally!
Ayotunde Dawodu:
For my parents: Dr Jaiyeola Dawodu and Mrs Omowunmi
Margaret Dawodu
For my siblings: Olayemi Dawodu and Oluwaseyi Dawodu
P
reface
Since around the start of the 1980s, and mainly since the inception of
Agenda 21, research from a number of disciplines has sought to develop
methods of sustainable urban development and to tackle the issues around
and impacts of climate change. They have particularly focused on innova-
tions concerning new patterns, paradigms and experimental scenarios that
relate to city transitions—eco, green, resilient, low carbon, smart and so
on. The framework of sustainable development goals (SDGs) established
by the United Nations also highlights the directions of transformations
and transitions, and is aimed at greater prosperity for all. One of the goals
is ‘sustainable cities and communities’, and most of the others are also
associated with the urban sustainability agenda. In an urbanising world,
this level of attention is inevitable. The implementation of SDGs is set to
have a significant impact on the global scale and is aimed at providing
substantial achievements by the year 2030.
In recent decades, much of the focus has been on finding sustainable
pathways for the development of a better society, a better future and a bet-
ter planet and this will continue. To date, there has been little attempt to
put together a set of people-oriented and bottom-up scenarios for transi-
tions; the type of initiatives that we regard as the correct direction for
sustainable urban development in the age of climate change.
Our planet is collapsing. Its resuscitation depends on us providing the
cure, and its degradation owing to our inaction is our inevitable curse. We
depend on the planet for our survival, and not the other way around. For
a long time, it has been advocated through religion that the afterlife is a
better place beyond this current existence. In this view, our expected
vii
viii PREFACE
saviours will not come to save this planet but will take us to a world
beyond. The new concepts that are appearing in our advanced civilisation
reconfirm this scenario with a different narrative and suggest a better
future on another planet. If we remain as the curse, this may just happen.
To become the cure, as we believe we should, we can become the life-force
that sustains our planet.
For this to take place, we have to start equipping future generations
with the tools that will allow them to help the generations that follow
them. Whether this takes place or not is our choice.
Ningbo, China Ali Cheshmehzangi
Ayotunde Dawodu
a
cknowledgements
We appreciate the efforts put in place regarding our initial case study
research, which was conducted by our graduating students of the
Architecture Bachelor’s degree programme (in 2017–18) at the
Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of
Nottingham, Ningbo, China (UNNC). We particularly thank our research
intern, Ryan Jonathan, and our editorial support, Megan Hau. We also
thank Bamidele Akinwolemiwa and Juan Yang for their insight and cre-
ative input on the various case studies. In terms of moral support, we
thank Olutoye Remi-John, Olawale Olanubi, Chinazor Ukwuegbu,
Maryam Dehbozorgi, XiKai Yang and YanAn Huang. We also thank the
International Doctoral Innovation Center (IDIC) and the Centre for
Sustainable Energy Technologies (CSET) for their consistent support over
these years.
More importantly, our special thanks go to many activists, individuals
and people-driven organisations that fight against issues of climate change
at the bottom of the pyramid. They inspire and encourage us and deserve
our highest gratitude.
Finally, we thank those who believe in what we do.
ix
c
ontents
1 I ntroduction: Climate Change and Cities—Perspectives,
Planning and People 1
1.1 A General Overview 1
1.2 Climate Change Matters 3
1.2.1 Global Temperature Rise 5
1.2.2 Warming Oceans 5
1.2.3 Sea Level Rise 5
1.2.4 Extreme Events 6
1.3 Three Pillars: Perspectives, Planning and People 7
1.4 Sustainable Development Goals: Cities, Climate Change
and People 9
1.5 Implementing and Achieving Sustainable Urban
Development 13
1.6 Sustainable Urban Development: A Trend or An
Alternative? 15
1.7 Cities and Facing Climate Change 16
References 20
2 Stakeholder Methods to Climate Change and Sustainable
Development 23
2.1 Introduction to Stakeholder Participation 24
2.2 Histories and Typologies of Participation 27
2.3 Key Typologies 31
2.3.1 Participation Based on Degree of Participation:
Arnstein’s Model 31
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xii CONTENTS
2.3.2 Participation Based on Theoretical Preference—
Consensus Versus Quality: A Normative and 
Pragmatic Outlook to Participation 33
2.4 Challenges, Benefits, Traits and Strategies 35
2.5 Pragmatism 39
2.6 Modern Categorisation and Methods of Participation 44
2.6.1 Various Participatory Initiatives used Today 45
2.6.2 Stakeholder-Based Initiatives 46
2.6.3 Science-Based Initiatives: Indicators and NSATs 49
2.7 Benefits, Best Practices and Challenges of Participation 53
2.8 Conclusions 61
References 62
3 Case Study Reviews: People, Perspective and Planning 69
3.1 Helsingborg, Sweden: Education-Based Project 70
3.2 Taichung City, Taiwan: Local Initiatives on Healthy Food 74
3.3 Betim, Brazil: Community-Based Local Action 78
3.4 Lima, Peru: Efficient Water Management 81
3.5 Kalahari, Botswana: Kalahari Rangelands Biodiversity
Project 85
3.6 Kitale and Nairobi, Kenya: Slum Development 89
3.6.1 Kitale: Building in Partnership—Participatory
Urban Planning Project 90
3.6.2 Nairobi: Kenyan Slum Upgrading Programme 91
3.7 Sydney, Australia: Sustainable Sydney 2030 93
3.8 Castleward, Derby, United Kingdom—Neighbourhood
Sustainability Assessment Tool (NSAT) 100
3.9 Dongxiaokou and Zhenggezhuang, Beijing, China:
Tale of Two Villages 104
3.10 Nigeria: Transition from MDG to SDG 108
3.10.1 Lesson Learned from the Challenges of Executing
MDGs in Nigeria 109
3.10.2 Lesson Learned from MDGs and Transition to
SDGs 116
3.11 Conclusions 121
References 125