<p>Urban areas in all world regions are experiencing increasing heat stress and heat-related risks. While in-depth knowledge exists in terms of the urban heat island effect and increased heat stress in cities in the context of climate change, less is known about how individual heat perceptions and experiences differ between urban forms or with different vulnerability profiles of exposed people. It is crucial to identify and assess differences within cities relating to urban form and social structure, as both need to be considered when designing adaptation plans for heat-related risks. Here, we explore linkages between urban structure types (USTs), heat stress perception and different socio-economic groups' experiences in Berlin using a household survey, statistical and earth observation data. Our approach (1) quantifies perceived heat stress across USTs, considering characteristics such as, age, income, vegetation cover and shade, (2) characterises social dimensions of USTs to enhance their application in climate adaptation and (3) benefits from the synergistic disciplinary approach of the <i>urbisphere</i> project with rich social and physical datasets. Although heat stress exposure is higher in the inner-city ring, we find that a higher percentage of vulnerable groups in the outer city (6 to 18 km from the city centre), where 78 % of Berlin's elderly live. We underscore the need for attention in future adaptation plans based on the USTs, human vulnerability profile and adaptive capacities. For example, in densely spaced building blocks 67 % of respondents perceived high heat stress and fractions of vegetation and shade are comparatively very low. The method and findings can inform future adaptation strategies of other cities to consider different profiles of vulnerability and adaptive capacities within and between USTs.</p>
Ivan A. Antipin, Elizaveta A. Belousova, Elena A. Shishkina
Modern economic and social instabilities and resource constraints make it increasingly relevant to search for a new model of territorial development, which focuses on the quality of life, social well-being and environmental sustainability. The formation of a post-growth model for municipalities becomes a vital step towards a more sustainable and fair society and transforms the established processes of strategic planning by prioritising social and environmental well-being over economic growth. The article aims to study the theoretical, methodological and practical aspects of strategic planning of municipal development under post-growth. Methodologically, the research rests on the concepts of economic development, theories of strategic planning and management, regional and spatial development, and the systems theory. The methods include synthesis, comparative and structural analysis, content analysis and foresight. The evidence base covers municipalities’ strategic planning documents and the composite rating of their socio-economic development in the Sverdlovsk oblast. The authors have determined that, within the framework of the post-growth concept, the construct of economic well-being acts as an indicator for municipalities to assess their economic progress, and reflects the results of responsible development and conscious following to the principles and priorities of sustainability. The introduction of this construct changes the content of strategic planning priorities by emphasizing the preservation of human capital, population of the territory, its natural potential, awareness of and responsibility for its development and orientation towards qualitative indicators of economic progress. The results of the empirical analysis show that the municipalities most successful in the traditional sense of the growth economy have a greater ability to consider post-growth realities in their strategies.
Syamsidik, Hayyan Ghifarry Armaya, Anawat Suppasri
et al.
In the aftermath of the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, the Indonesian government implemented disaster mitigation measures through improved spatial planning, particularly in settlement areas. These efforts focused on reconstruction and sustainable development strategies to enhance safety while aligning with national and regional regulations. Sabang City, located in a tsunami-prone region, was also affected by the 2004 tsunami, necessitating further evaluation of its building resilience and spatial planning. This study aims to assess the spatial distribution of buildings in Sabang City to evaluate their suitability in tsunami-prone areas and their potential for residential development. A field survey was conducted between February and June 2023, identifying and classifying 14,104 building units based on the HAZUS methodology developed by FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency, USA). The buildings were categorized into six structural types: Reinforced Concrete (C1-La, C1-Lb, C1-M), Concrete Frame with Unreinforced Masonry (C3-L), Steel Frame (S1-M), and Wood Frame (W1-L). Spatial analysis examined settlement patterns in relation to land capability and disaster mitigation requirements. Findings reveal significant constraints in land development for residential purposes, particularly in tsunami-prone and low-capability areas. Of the total surveyed buildings, 6,726 units (47.7%) are located in low-capability zones, primarily influenced by the dominance of protected forests and buffer zones that restrict land availability. Moreover, Sabang’s rugged topography, characterized by steep slopes and hilly terrain, exacerbates land development challenges. These findings underscore the urgent need for strategic interventions, including relocating settlements from high-risk tsunami zones, updating spatial planning policies, and integrating tsunami risk assessments into urban development strategies. Strengthening these measures will enhance urban resilience and promote sustainable growth in Sabang City.
Study region: The Heihe River Basin, China. Study focus: Irrigation data are often from census surveys at coarse administrative or river basin scale, and as such, the amount of water used for agricultural irrigation difficult to quantify. We improve the Soil Moisture to Rain (SM2RAIN) method to estimate irrigation water use in the Heihe River Basin from 2003 to 2020 using thermal infrared and microwave satellite data. The results showed that this approach has satisfactory performance in estimating the annual irrigation water volume (mean volume=0.657 km3/year, R2=0.83, RMSE=0.03 km3/year) when compared with the field measurements at irrigation district administrative scale, due to its reliability in determining the infiltrated water around the root zone used by crops. New hydrological insights for the region: Through an analysis of irrigation water use trends, the results indicate that most farmland areas exhibited a declining trend in water use per hectare (-55 m³/ha/yr). Interestingly, we observed that while water use efficiency improved significantly at the field scale, overall irrigation efficiency showed a decreasing trend. This study reveals a paradox in the Heihe River Basin, where enhanced irrigation efficiency rarely translates into reduced total water consumption at river basin scale. Our study advances agricultural irrigation volume estimation and irrigation mapping across district and river basin scales in arid and semi-arid areas, which should assist in irrigation scheduling and water resource management.
Urbanisation across sub-Saharan Africa is transforming the spatial structure of secondary towns, often generating uneven and fragmented growth. A key manifestation of this process is intra-urban dualism, where well-planned, affluent neighbourhoods coexist with densely populated, poorly regulated settlements. This spatial divide undermines orderly growth, deepens inequality, and places pressure on urban infrastructure. In Kenya, intra-urban dualism is increasingly evident, yet limited research has explored how it influences land-use transformation and sustainable development. Addressing this research gap is essential to understand how spatial inequalities shape urban growth trajectories and to guide equitable planning interventions. This study examines intra-urban dualism and land-use transformation in Kisii town, western Kenya, focusing on the contrasting neighbourhoods of Milimani (a low-density planned area) and Jogoo (a high-density unregulated settlement). Land-use and land-cover changes from 2005 to 2024 were analysed and projected to 2044, using ArcGIS Pro and QGIS. Building density, plot size compliance, and coverage ratios were quantified and validated through a one-sample t-test. Results show that Milimani has largely retained its planned form, whereas Jogoo has undergone rapid, unregulated densification driven by weak development control and fragmented land ownership. The study recommends data-driven, geospatially informed development control supported by adaptive zoning, participatory monitoring, blockchain-based permitting, and resilience audits to promote sustainable, inclusive, and transparent urban growth.
Cities. Urban geography, Urban groups. The city. Urban sociology
Urban agglomerations are complex, open, and dynamic territorial systems that play a central role in spatial development, innovation, and societal well-being amid the challenges of globalization, environmental risks, and socio-political instability. In the context of war, forced displacement, and widespread infrastructure damage, urban agglomerations in Ukraine have emerged not only as centers of population concentration but also as crucial hubs for resilience, recovery, and strategic planning.
The purpose of this study is to conceptualize the urban agglomeration as a functional subsystem of the social and geographical system `and to develop a structural model that integrates internal subsystems with multilevel external environments. The research aims to identify key elements of internal interaction and external influence, explain the systemic logic of agglomeration dynamics, and determine the role of governance in ensuring sustainability and resilience. The methodological foundation combines a human-geographical approach with systemic, synergistic, and sustainable development paradigms, supported by modeling, typology, content analysis, and analytical synthesis.
Results. The paper presents an original structural model of an urban agglomeration comprising eight interconnected internal subsystems: social, economic, demographic, innovation-technological, architectural-construction, infrastructural-service, transport-logistics, and natural-ecological. These subsystems interact via synergistic mechanisms and form a cohesive internal environment capable of adaptive self-regulation. Particular attention is paid to the governance subsystem, which includes strategic (conceptual planning), executive (implementation of decisions), and monitoring (evaluation and feedback) functions. This subsystem plays a crucial role in managing complexity and ensuring long-term sustainability. The model also systematizes the external environment into three hierarchical levels: regional, national, and global. Each level generates specific political, legal, economic, cultural, and technological impacts that shape agglomeration development. Five types of interaction–internal systemic connections, adaptive feedback loops, energy exchange, resource flows, and information-communication channels–are identified as mechanisms that maintain functional integrity, enable adaptation to external shocks, and support sustainable development trajectories. The proposed model contributes to the theoretical foundation of urban agglomeration studies by bridging disciplinary gaps and integrating spatial, functional, and governance dimensions into a unified systemic framework. It offers practical utility for strategic planning, urban policy design, sustainability assessment, and post-war reconstruction. This framework is especially relevant for countries and regions undergoing crisis or transformation, where resilient urban systems must be built on principles of sustainability, inclusiveness, and interconnectivity.
The percentage of people who work from home (WFH) skyrocketed with the onset of Covid-19. Today, many workers continue to WFH, either completely or a few days a week. One reason for the popularity of WFH is a desire to minimize the commute and its associated costs in time, money, discomfort, and danger. In fact, workers with longer commutes should theoretically receive “compensating differentials” of benefits from their employers that offset their high commute costs. That said, working at a workplace may have advantages, such as stronger connections to coworkers and supervisors, better chances to learn on the job, and improved opportunities for career advancement. Using European Social Survey data, we examine whether commute durations are associated with workers’ perceptions of their job characteristics and desirability, as well as their happiness, or “subjective well-being.” We find that, among those who commute, commute duration is unrelated to wages, job satisfaction, and overall subjective well-being. Workers who WFH report more freedom in setting hours, but face greater stress at work, more work at night, and longer hours, the latter of which may exceed the time they save by not having to commute. Importantly, people who WFH tend to report being more satisfied with their jobs, as well as being well-connected to coworkers and supervisors and having a good chance for professional advancement. Employers and society should work to accommodate WFH with such steps as developing team-building strategies for WFH workers, addressing the “digital divide” where some workers may lack at-home information and communications technology, and adapting cities to WFH, for example by facilitating the conversion of office space to other uses and accommodating the need for more spacious homes.
Regions constitute key elements of the territorial structure of any country. Internal differences in regions permit to distinguish subregional and local units in them, where economic and social activities are undertaken. Despite the internationalisation and globalisation processes, the importance of local development concept is growing. There are several factors influencing the growing role of local units in socio-economic development of regions. In many countries, local communities have a great autonomy in creating local development strategies and policies. Local endogenic strategies and policies create an important complementary activity to sustainable regional planning. The aim of the work is to present a theoretical background of the local economy and local development. Using the subject literature, the theoretical concepts, definitions and the results of local development were presented. Selected models and paradigms of local development as well as interrelations between dimensions of local sustainability and links with regional planning were presented and discussed as well.
This paper presents important faunistic records obtained from the territory of the Czech and Slovak Republics in 2022. Two new non-native species, Lauria cylindracea and Mieniplotia scabra, were recorded indoors, and also two new non-native species Cochlicella acuta and Testacella haliotidea were found outdoors in the Czech Republic. New occurrences of the non-native species Ambigolimax valentianus, Corbicula fluminea, Cornu aspersum, Ferrissia californica, Helix lucorum, Krynickillus melanocephalus, Sinanodonta woodiana and Tandonia kusceri were confirmed. New records of several endangered species, e.g. Anisus septemgyratus, Gyraulus acronicus, Vertigo moulinsiana, Margaritifera margaritifera, Pisidium amnicum, P. hibernicum, P. globulare, P. pseudosphaerium, Pseudanodonta complanata, Sphaerium nucleus and Unio crassus, are also presented. Location data are published with all details in a supplementary table.
Northern Xinjiang is the center of gravity for Xinjiang's economic development, and "production-living-ecological space" (PLES) is of great significance to the optimization of regional territorial spatial structure. Taking northern Xinjiang as our study area, we analyze the spatial and temporal variations of the ecological and environmental effects of PLES evolution from 2000 to 2020. To do so, we apply the grid cell method, the ecological and environmental quality index, the global autocorrelation model, and the kernel density estimation. Additionally, we use a geographic detector model to reveal the drivers of spatial variation in ecological and environmental quality. Results show that from 2000 to 2020, PLES in the study area is mainly ecological accommodation land. However, there is an obvious trend showing a decrease in ecological accommodation land area and an increase in other land types. Production land and living land increased the most, among which agricultural land and industrial land were mainly converted from grassland ecological land and water ecological land, respectively. The quality of the ecological environment is basically stable during the study period, with an overall slight declining trend, which indicates the quality of ecological environment has decreased slightly. The spatial distribution of the eco-environmental effect shows a significant spatial autocorrelation pattern of "dense in the west and sparse in the east", along with a spatial clustering phenomenon. The main factor of spatial variation in ecological quality is elevation, and the interactions between the factors are mainly non-linearly and double-factor enhanced. The spatial differentiation of ecological environmental quality in the study area is the result of multiple factors. Exploring the ecological and environmental effects of PLES evolution and its driving factors can provide a scientific basis for the implementation of territorial spatial planning and ecological environmental protection in northern Xinjiang.
This study aims to determine the expenditure performance of the District Planning Agency. Majene in the Budget Realization Report regarding the difference between spending and the budget, spending growth, spending efficiency and how capital expenditures and operations are being carried out. This research is a quantitative descriptive study, the data used is secondary data in the form of a report on the realization of the Regional Planning Agency's budget for the 2018-2020 fiscal year in Kab. Majene. The analytical techniques used are analysis of spending variance, analysis of spending growth, analysis of spending efficiency, and shopping compatibility. The results of this study indicate that the results of the analysis of the expenditure variance in 2018 - 2020 expenditure performance are considered good even though in 2018 the level of budget realization is very low, which is only 22% compared to the following year. Analysis of spending growth in 2018 – 2019 increased by 362%. Meanwhile, in 2019-2020, it actually decreased by 37% percent from last year. Expenditure efficiency analysis in 2018 the level of budget efficiency is 22%, in 2019 the level of budget efficiency is 98%, and in 2020 the level of budget efficiency is 95%. Although in 2018 the level of budget efficiency is still relatively good because it does not exceed the total budget target or the level of budget efficiency is above 100%. The compatibility analysis, namely the analysis of capital expenditures on total expenditures, shows that in 2018 the level of capital expenditure was only 1%, in 2019 it was only 2% and in 2020 it was only 1%. As for the analysis of operating expenses in 2018 it was 99%, in 2019 it was 98%, and in 2020 it was 99%.
Indonesian’s government attempts to build internet infrastructure covering all rural areas of which most internet users are young. Youths refer to a generation who intuitively able to operate internet device and are supposed to take an important decision about their future careers, occupations, and living places. This study aimed to identify effects of internet on rural-to-urban migrating intentions of rural youths. The Structural Equation Model-Partial Lease Square (SEM-PLS) approach was applied. This study involved 866 of 15 to 24 years villagers of Tumpukrenteng Village, Malang Regency. This village reflects an ordinary village which is characterized high rural-to-urban migration. A randomized of 213 respondents were taken but 193 respondents were analyzed due to internet users. The independent variables covered internet infrastructure, internet usage, collecting information on prospective destination activity, and the dependent variable covered migrating intention. The results demonstrated that internet accelerated young villagers’ rural migrating intention. Internet allowed their users to access information of prospective destination. This research suggested young villagers to apply internet into economic benefits activity, such as e-commerce and to reduce adverse impacts of internet usage and rural youth’s emigration.
Increasingly, Chinese cities are proposing city-scale ventilation corridors (VCs) to strengthen wind velocities and decrease pollution concentrations, although their influences are ambiguous. To assess VC impacts, an effort has been made to predict the impact of VC solutions in the high density and diverse land use of the coastal city of Shanghai, China, in this paper. One base scenario and three VC scenarios, with various VC widths, locations, and densities, were first created. Then, the combination of the Weather Research and Forecasting/Single-Layer Urban Canopy Model (WRFv.3.4/UCM) and Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQv.5.0.1) numerical simulation models were employed to comprehensively evaluate the impacts of urban spatial form and VC plans on PM2.5 concentrations. The modeling results indicated that concentrations increased within the VCs in both summer and winter, and the upwind concentration decreased in winter. These counter-intuitive results could be explained by decreased planetary boundary layer (PBL), roughness height, deposition rate, and wind speeds induced by land use and urban height modifications. PM2.5 deposition flux decreased by 15–20% in the VCs, which was attributed to the roughness height decrease for it weakens aerodynamic resistance (Ra). PBL heights within the VCs decreased 15–100 m, and the entire Shanghai’s PBL heights also decreased in general. The modeling results suggest that VCs may not be as functional as certain urban planners have presumed.
Many rural communities across Canada are experiencing or anticipating climate change effects. Our study, a contribution to the limited social science research on adaptation in rural regions in this country, focused on a rural, forest-dependent, francophone region of New Brunswick on unceded Wolastoqiyik territory. In collaboration with a regional governance organization, we developed and administered a survey to gather the perspectives and experiences of rural community leaders on climate change adaptation. The study results are intended to provide a basis for discussion to support regional adaptation planning. They may also be used as a baseline for measuring future advances in climate adaptation efforts. Theories of new social movements, Indigenous resurgence, and organizational leadership informed our investigation and analysis. Our study focuses on three themes identified in the literature review critical to supporting environmental action: leadership, communication processes, and relationships. Our core research question is: To what extent are community leaders in the rural study region engaging in these functions? We conclude with reflections on how climate change adaptation is occurring in this rural region and the role of regional governance in this process.
Keywords: rural, climate, adaptation, leadership, Wolastoq
The raw water feasibility is based on three aspects, such as quantity, quality, and continuity. This study aims to assess the feasibility of raw water on Bintan Island in quantity and quality terms The method used is a comprehensive analysis of hydrological and hydrogeological functions and water quality. The result of study shows that rainwater abundance in study location is not optimally stored as ground water due to limited catchment area and storage capacity of aquifer media which are dominated by rock units with low to moderate graduation rates (80%). The hydrogeology of study site is also dominated by local low productivity aquifer areas (70%) which are indicated by shallow aquifer layers. Therefore, the existence of reservoirs or storage is very important. The calculations results in 2017 show that raw water production of PDAM Tirta Kepri is 3,521,855 m3/year. While the community needs on Bintan Island in the same year amounted to 7,957,803 m3/year. Quality aspect analysis shows that the quality of well is lightly polluted (WQI = 0.59), while surface water is moderately polluted (WQI = 1.01). The parameter that gives the difference from two sources is iron content. Gibbs diagram analysis results show the weathering process by rainwater which erodes the land surface of bauxite mine and dissolves iron and flows along with runoff and into reservoirs. The potential for high iron pollution will increase often as Bintan Island is designated as a Special Economic Zone. Industrial and service activities will trigger acid rain which will cause a decrease in the value of rain pH and the process of dissolving iron on rocks and soil surfaces will increase.
Since populations in the developing world have been rapidly increasing, accurately determining the population distribution is becoming more critical for many countries. One of the most widely used population density estimation methods is dasymetric mapping. This can be defined as a precise method for areal interpolation between different spatial units. In most applications of dasymetric mapping, land use and land cover data have been considered as ancillary data for the areal disaggregation process. This research presents an alternative dasymetric approach using area specific ancillary data for hilly area population mapping in a GIS environment. Specifically, we propose a Hilly Area Dasymetric Mapping (HDM) technique by combining topographic variables and land use to better disaggregate hilly area population distribution at fine-grain division of ancillary units. Empirical results for Sri Lanka’s highest mountain range show that the combined dasymetric approach estimates hilly area population most accurately because of the significant association that is found to exist between topographic variables and population distribution within this setting. This research is expected to have significant implications for national and regional planning by providing useful information about actual population distributions in environmentally hazardous and sparsely populated areas.
Compared to the literature on quantitative and statistical modelling, there is a lack of research on qualitative environmental-related modelling, which focuses on a conceptual-theory-based model. Therefore, this paper attempts to formulate a qualitative institutional-social-ecological model, by showcasing how the 10 steps modelling is relevant and is applied to the institutional-property-rights model of neighbourhood residential commons. Using an instance from one case study (i.e., Sabah, Malaysia), a conceptual problem-solution model describing local property-rights system tragedies of public open space (POS) governance and quality, and the emergence of self-governing collective action was demonstrated. Methodologically, the modelling procedures were specified as a 10-step process, starting with setting the objectives of the model and concluding with the validation of suitability and usefulness of the model. The validation was conducted using the experts’ opinion, via the semi-structured interviews with five public officials. With slight necessary amendments, the model was proven practical, useful, flexible, reliable and valid in serving its purposes in understanding and predicting the effects of local property-rights system tragedies on POS commons dilemmas, and the subsequent emergence and necessity of a self-governing solution. This local model provides policy insights to the local public officials, which facilitate their institutional-social-ecological decision-making process that helps improve local POS governance and quality.
Drug development has been globalized, and multi-regional clinical trial (MRCT) for regulatory submission has widely been conducted by many discovery based global pharmaceutical companies with the objective of reducing the time lag of launch in key markets and improve patient access to new and innovative treatments. Sponsors are facing several challenges while conducting multiregional clinical trials. Challenges under the heads statistics, clinical, regulatory operational, and ethics have been discussed. Regulators in different countries such as USA, EU-Japan, and China have issued guidance documents in respect of MRCT's. Lack of harmonization in the design and planning of MRCT is perceived to create a difficult situation to sponsors adversely affecting progressing MRCT in more and more discoveries. International conference on hormonisation (ICH) has initiated the process for having a harmonized guidance document on MRCT. This document is likely to be issued in early 2017.
Paddy field conversion occurs along with population growth followed by increased need for non-agricultural land. This research aims to formulate the direction control of paddy field conversion in Solok. Therefore it is necessary to analyze, they are scalogram analysis, and stepwise regression analysis. Paddy fields conversion in period of 2004-2014 in the Solok city 32,28 ha, mostly in the Lubuk Sikarah District. The threat of paddy fields conversion based of RTRW Solok city 2012-2031 is 403,60 ha (41,55%). Most of the villages in Solok belong to Hierarchy 1 except IX Korong with hierarchy 2 and Laing with hierarchy 3. The factors affecting of paddy field conversion in Solok city is land and building tax, land tittling, and the allocation of land for industrial, low density residential, high density residential, worship, and paddy fields allocation in the RTRW. Control direction of paddy field conversion in Solok city is to raise taxes on non-agriculture land, increasing the role of traditional institutions, community leaders and agricultural extension, zoning by setting RDTR of Solok city, determination of food sustainable agricultural land (LP2B) and repair damaged irrigation networks.