The peri‐urban Pacific: From exclusive to inclusive cities

Abstract

As the Pacific Islands continue to urbanise, existing models of governance and planning are coming under greater pressure and scrutiny. Both the city council approach and the 'good' urban governance agenda of donors have weaknesses in the region, especially in dealing with peri-urban settlements where the most rapid urban population growth is occurring. This is resulting in increased social discontent and conflict. This paper critiques the ways in which Pacific Island towns and cities are governed and calls for an approach which is more inclusive (and less hierarchical) and informed by concepts of citizenship and social justice. Indeed, policy makers will need to broaden their concepts and practices of governance if many Pacific cities are to be socially, politically, and environmentally sustainable. However, the political-economy of urban development in the region is not proving conducive to consensus, with conflict a more likely outcome in the foreseeable future.

Photometry of Variable Stars From Dome A, Antarctica: Results From the 2010 Observing Season

“…These conditions enable new or extended observation windows in the infrared and sub-milimeter regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, as well as improved conditions at optical and other wavelengths. The resulting gains in sensitivity and photometric precision over the best temperate sites can reach several orders of magnitude (Storey 2005(Storey , 2007(Storey , 2009; see also Tables 2 & 4 and Figures 7-11 in Burton 2010). The long "winter night" that occurs at these latitudes and the minimal daily change in elevation for any given source make the performance of a polar site equivalent to that of a sixsite network at temperate latitudes (Mosser & Aristidi 2007).…”

Migration, Informal Urban Settlements and Non-market Land Transactions: a case study of Wewak, East Sepik Province, Papua New Guinea

“…In Papua New Guinea (PNG), it is likely, given present growth rates, that within the next 20 years Port Moresby's population will reach half a million, up from about 10 000 in the 1950s (Ward 1971) (see Figure 1). Growth projections for Greater Noumea indicate that the population will double in 20 years and for Port Vila it is estimated that population doubling time is 8 years (Storey 2003).…”

Powers of Exclusion in Melanesia

“…Some of the areas now defined as 'peri-urban' areas result from the expansion of a single urban space beyond the limits of these boundaries (Storey 2003), but these new urban areas are still officially designated as parts of a surrounding rural area. This does not mean that urban or peri-urban areas can be defined in material terms by the exclusion of land-based livelihoods.…”