Moving green infrastructure planning from theory to practice in sub-Saharan African cities requires collaborative operationalization

Breed, Christina, A.; Du Plessis, Tania; Engemann, Kristine; Pauleit, Stephan; Pasgaard, Maya

doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2023.128085

Cited by 9 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 35 publications

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“…Urban planners should embrace a comprehensive approach to planning, including environmental sustainability, social equality, and economic viability (Tauhid & Zawani, 2018). To take into account the wants, concerns, and ideas of citizens, it is important to include them in the planning process (Breed et al, 2023). Incorporating green infrastructure, such as parks, wetlands, and green spaces, into urban designs is crucial for improving environmental resilience and enhancing the overall quality of life (Shackleton et al, 2018).…”

Section: Guidelines and Recommendations For Urban Planners Policymake...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is essential to enforce coherent policies that promote urban sustainability, mitigate the release of greenhouse gas emissions, and enhance climate resilience. Breed et al (2023) argue that it is essential to promote openness, and accountability, and prevent corruption in urban project management. It is crucial to include the private sector in urban development while safeguarding public interests.…”

Section: Guidelines and Recommendations For Urban Planners Policymake...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Active involvement of citizens is crucial since they play a vital role as stakeholders in urban planning and development processes. International organizations can provide financial, technical, and institutional assistance for urban planning in Africa (Breed et al, 2023).…”

Section: Guidelines and Recommendations For Urban Planners Policymake...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Urban Planning and Green Infrastructure Under a Changing Climate in Africa

Dossa,

Miassi

2024

IJRD

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This article uses the PRISMA systematic review method to identify the challenges and opportunities of urban planning in Africa, with a focus on climate change. The article emphasizes the importance of sustainable financing, transparent management, and effective governance. It also highlights financial difficulties, privatization, short political cycles, and institutional limitations as some of the key challenges that need to be addressed. Cultural, religious, and socio-economic influences on awareness of green infrastructure are examined, advocating for the promotion of environmental awareness and education. Climate risks threaten the sustainability of green infrastructure, necessitating resilient planning. Legal gaps hinder urban planning implementation, underscoring the need for appropriate legal frameworks. Coordination between government levels and long-term vision is essential to addressing political and administrative challenges. Overall, the article suggests sustainable, human-centered approaches and effective resource management for balanced urban development in Africa. It also emphasizes a holistic approach and ongoing collaboration for sustainability.

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Section: Guidelines and Recommendations For Urban Planners Policymake...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Guidelines and Recommendations For Urban Planners Policymake...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Urban Planning and Green Infrastructure Under a Changing Climate in Africa

Dossa,

Miassi

2024

IJRD

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A transdisciplinary multiscaled approach to engage with green infrastructure planning, restoration and use in sub-Saharan Africa

Breed,

Engemann,

Pasgaard

2023

Urban Ecosyst

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The systematic integration of green infrastructure (GI) concepts in urban planning shows promise to reduce environmental hazards; while creating sociocultural benefits. However, cities in sub-Saharan Africa face rapid urbanisation and are challenged by the degradation of existing GI, increasing their vulnerability to climatic risks. This paper presents the findings of a transdisciplinary research project that investigated GI planning in the City of Tshwane, South Africa, over two years. The researchers conducted a community survey, an on-the-ground rapid assessment of multifunctional benefit provisions, first-hand observations of local stormwater systems, reviewed policy documents and conducted semi-structured interviews with metro officials. To integrate the above findings, four design studios and eight co-creation workshops were held that explored GI spatial planning in the city. The researchers examined the uptake of GI planning principles, and the challenges, opportunities and local proposals for GI applications, and here synthesised some main conclusions. Despite many well-known challenges, GI opportunities include creating socioeconomic incentives for stronger human-nature relations, providing for multifunctional benefits and anchoring GI in local communities. Interactive research can facilitate increased local awareness and engagement, but access to GI benefits is physically constrained and socially determined by knowledge, networks and safety factors. Based on the above findings, the researchers propose locally adapted planning strategies to enhance GI: creating opportunities for GI access and co-ownership, encouraging multifunctional, safe and flexible GI, supporting multiscale GI integration, and strengthening collaborative governance. A joint GI vision can reinforce city ownership along with flexible and creative design alternatives that are rooted in local communities.

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A transformative shift in urban ecology toward a more active and relevant future for the field and for cities

Frantzeskaki,

Childers,

Pickett

et al. 2024

Ambio

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This paper builds on the expansion of urban ecology from a biologically based discipline—ecology in the city—to an increasingly interdisciplinary field—ecology of the city—to a transdisciplinary, knowledge to action endeavor—an ecology for and with the city. We build on this “prepositional journey” by proposing a transformative shift in urban ecology, and we present a framework for how the field may continue this shift. We conceptualize that urban ecology is in a state of flux, and that this shift is needed to transform urban ecology into a more engaged and action based field, and one that includes a diversity of actors willing to participate in the future of their cities. In this transformative shift, these actors will engage, collaborate, and participate in a continuous spiral of knowledge → action → knowledge spiral and back to knowledge loop, with the goal of co producing sustainable and resilient solutions to myriad urban challenges. Our framework for this transformative shift includes three pathways: (1) a repeating knowledge → action → knowledge spiral of ideas, information, and solutions produced by a diverse community of agents of urban change working together in an “urban sandbox”; (2) incorporation of a social–ecological–technological systems framework in this spiral and expanding the spiral temporally to include the “deep future,” where future scenarios are based on a visioning of seemingly unimaginable or plausible future states of cities that are sustainable and resilient; and (3) the expansion of the spiral in space, to include rural areas and places that are not yet cities. The three interrelated pathways that define the transformative shift demonstrate the power of an urban ecology that has moved beyond urban systems science and into a realm where collaborations among diverse knowledges and voices are working together to understand cities and what is urban while producing sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges and envisioning futures of socially, ecologically, and technologically resilient cities. We present case study examples of each of the three pathways that make up this transformative shift in urban ecology and discuss both limitations and opportunities for future research and action with this transdisciplinary broadening of the field.

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Moving green infrastructure planning from theory to practice in sub-Saharan African cities requires collaborative operationalization

Cited by 9 publications

References 35 publications

Urban Planning and Green Infrastructure Under a Changing Climate in Africa

Urban Planning and Green Infrastructure Under a Changing Climate in Africa

A transdisciplinary multiscaled approach to engage with green infrastructure planning, restoration and use in sub-Saharan Africa

A transformative shift in urban ecology toward a more active and relevant future for the field and for cities

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