Maksum Syahri Lubis, Yanhar Jamaluddin, Muhammad Bangun Siregar
et al.
This study aims to analyze the relationship between government digitalization and the enhancement of community participation in development in North Sumatra Province. Digitalization is understood as an effort to transform bureaucracy through information technology, manifested in official regional government websites such as sumutprov.go.id, which provide various public services online. However, the effectiveness of such digital platforms in encouraging active citizen participation has not been widely explored, particularly in non-metropolitan areas. This research employs a descriptive qualitative approach with data collection techniques including observation, documentation, and semi-structured interviews with ten informants from various regions in North Sumatra. Data were analyzed using the Miles, Huberman, and Saldana model, supported by NVivo 15 software for thematic coding and data visualization. The findings reveal that although the public has access to digital government services, the level of engagement remains low due to structural barriers (internet access and digital literacy), cultural factors (offline habits), and institutional constraints (limited bureaucratic responsiveness). Based on the Diffusion of Innovation theory, most of the population falls into the late majority and laggards’ categories, indicating that digital innovation adoption is not yet widespread. This study offers novelty by specifically mapping the forms of digital community participation based on direct experiences and identifying the dynamics of digital innovation adoption within the context of regional governance. These findings have significant implications for the development of a more adaptive, inclusive, and participation-oriented digital government strategy in regional development.
Urbanization and climate change are intricately linked, significantly influencing local and regional thermal environments. Kolkata, a rapidly expanding metropolitan city in India, has witnessed substantial shifts in urban thermal dynamics due to increasing land surface temperatures (LST), the urban heat island (UHI) effect, and heightened thermal discomfort. This article integrates high-resolution remote sensing data and a cloud-based platform via Google Earth Engine to assess spatiotemporal changes in thermal discomfort in Kolkata. The article employs the urban thermal field variance index (UTFVI) to estimate the urban thermal discomfort, while the Sen’s slope estimator and the modified Mann–Kendall tests are applied to assess long-term spatiotemporal trends in urban thermal conditions. Findings reveal that LST, UHI, and UTFVI are significantly increasing at the rates of 0.149 °C/year, 0.041 °C/year, and 0.0041 °C/year, respectively. The results further reveal that those areas with low vegetation cover experience extreme thermal stress, highlighting the critical role of urban greenery in mitigating heat-related discomfort. The article offers data-driven insights into Kolkata’s urban thermal landscape, with guidance for policymakers in developing sustainable urban planning and climate adaptation strategies, such as expanding green spaces, implementing cool roof technologies, and enhancing urban ventilation. By leveraging cloud-based remote sensing, this article provides a scalable framework for assessing and addressing urban thermal discomfort in other rapidly urbanizing cities worldwide.
Abstract We delineate metropolitan areas (MAs) in the Philippines using cellphone-based flow data as a proxy for daily commutes. The analysis reveals several large MAs not officially recognized but growing faster than administratively defined cities, and differing spatial extents for the three designated MAs. During the initial weeks of COVID-19, severe mobility restrictions causes MA fragmentation and contraction. As restrictions eased, many MAs quickly rebounded, with previously separated municipalities reintegrating. Regression analysis highlights that proximity, administrative boundaries, accessibility, and labor market complementarity between core and peripheral municipalities are important factors driving MA resilience. JEL codes: I18, O18, R12, R58
OBJECTIVE To establish temporal trends in household food and drink consumption in Brazil, taking into account the extent and purpose of its industrial processing. METHODS Data was obtained from Household Budget Surveys conducted in Brazil in 1987-1988, 1995-1996, 2002-2003 and 2008-2009. In all surveys, probabilistic samples of households in the metropolitan areas were studied and, for the last two surveys, the scope was national. The units of analysis were food purchases records of clusters of households. The purchased food items were divided according to the extent and purpose of their industrial processing into: 'in natura' or minimally processed foods, processed culinary ingredients and ready-to-consume, processed and ultra-processed food and drink products. The quantity of each item was converted into energy. For each survey, the daily availability of calories per capita and the caloric share of the food groups were estimated. For the national surveys, estimates were calculated by income quintiles. Temporal trends were assessed using linear regression models and difference of means tests. RESULTS The caloric share of ready-to-consume products significantly increased between 2002-2003 and 2008-2009 (from 23.0% to 27.8% of total calories), mainly because of the increase in the consumption of ultra-processed products (20.8% to 25.4%). In the same period, there was a significant reduction in the caloric share of foods and culinary ingredients. The increase in the ultra-processed products caloric share occurred across all income quintiles. There was an uniform increase in the caloric share of ready-to-consume products in the metropolitan areas, mostly in place of ultra-processed products, accompanied by a decrease in the share of 'in natura' or minimally processed foods and culinary ingredients. CONCLUSIONS The share of ultra-processed products significantly increased in the Brazilian diet, as seen in the metropolitan areas since the 1980s, and confirmed at a national level in the 2000s.
Resumo Apresentamos cinco grandes teses para entender a nova conjuntura mundial em que ingressam o capitalismo e a humanidade a partir de 2015-2020. Esse período se caracteriza pela crise do modo de produção e da civilização capitalista; pela crise terminal e desmonte da hegemonia dos Estados Unidos; pela bifurcação geopolítica da economia mundial em um bloco imperialista liderado pelos Estados Unidos e outro emergente centrado na China, na Rússia e sua ampliação para o Sul Global; pela crise ideológica do liberalismo global e a ascensão do fascismo e do socialismo como alternativas; pela crise do padrão de acumulação neoliberal e o esgotamento da fase expansiva do Kondratieff iniciada em 1994. Indicamos brevemente os efeitos dessas tendências sobre a América Latina.
Setiadi Setiadi, Asep Sumaryana, Herijanto Bekti
et al.
Floods have turned into an annual disaster in Indonesia, many metropolitan areas are affected by flood and require policies to deal with this phenomenon. This study was aimed to analyze the policy on flood control in Bandung City, West Java, Indonesia. Bandung City was chosen as a case study because it has the “Local Government Work Plan” (RKPD) document for flood control since 2020. Using a qualitative approach, this study involved informants from the governments, community, and academics to determine the implementation of the regulation. Data validation focused on triangulation of sources from interviews, literature reviews, and field observations. This research showed that the flood control policy is related to the planning documents, but there are several challenges that have hindered the accomplishment such as land conversion, poor waste, and drainage management, as well as critical watershed and illegal building. Potential strategies for strengthening flood control policy include the development of retention ponds, normalization and naturalization of rivers, watershed landscape management, strengthening disaster mitigation, as well as reinforcing bureaucracy and policy. Flood control in Bandung City requires a mutual awareness that disasters can be controlled by policies and the active participation of all parties.
Hanan Obaidullah Assaf , Abdul Raouf Hamid Al Yamani
Objectives: This study aimed to identify the attitudes of kindergarten teachers towards distance learning for children in the light of some variables.
Methods: The survey descriptive approach was followed, and in order to answer the study questions, a scale of kindergarten teachers' attitudes towards distance learning of children was prepared, which amounted to (46) items divided into three areas: teaching (implementation - evaluation), communication, and technology. An accessible sample of (approximately 30%) of (346) private kindergarten teachers in schools affiliated to the Amman Metropolitan governorate was selected during the academic year 2020/2021.
Results: The level of kindergarten teachers' attitudes towards distance learning for children in private schools was average in all areas of the study scale. and there were no statistically significant differences for kindergarten teachers' attitudes towards distance learning of children in private schools according to the educational qualification variable, and there were significant differences due to the variable Computer courses are in favor of two courses or more, and there are statistically significant differences according to the variable number of years of experience in favor of more than 10 years of experience.
Conclusions: Pay close attention to the paragraphs in which the trends of the parameters are medium and low.
Ramon da Silva Torres, João Bosco Moura Tonucci Filho, Renan Pereira Almeida
Resumo Este artigo busca compreender os contornos do processo de financeirização do imobiliário no Brasil sob a centralidade das operações de securitização, criadas no sentido de conectar o mercado imobiliário ao mercado de capitais. A análise fundamenta-se em uma amostra de dados sobre os Certificados de Recebíveis Imobiliários (CRI) emitidos entre 2005-2020, priorizando o mapeamento dos interesses e das interações entre os agentes envolvidos na cessão de créditos imobiliários. Constatou-se a baixa capacidade dos CRIs (e outros instrumentos) de financiar a habitação. Contudo, eles têm cumprido um papel fundamental para o setor financeiro: a aceleração do ciclo de reprodução do capital no setor imobiliário e a absorção crescente da riqueza imobiliária sob gestão dos fundos de investimento.
Yuko Itoh, Masahiro Kobayashi, Toru Okamoto
et al.
The impact of large cities on the environment is a concern not only on the environment of the urban area but also on the environment of the surrounding areas connected to the city and even the global environment. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the impact of large cities on the surrounding environment at various scales. Owing to human activities in megacities, various air pollutants are emitted into the atmosphere from fixed and mobile emission sources, causing severe air pollution problems. In particular, excessive anthropogenic nitrogen (N) emissions have become an urgent environmental issue that needs to be addressed globally. The impact of increased N emissions on a global scale also extends to forest ecosystems. The excessive N influx into forested areas alters the N dynamics of the ecosystem. To determine the impact of the Tokyo metropolitan area, one of the megacities in the world, on the surrounding environment, we investigated the influxes of N and sulfur (S) from bulk precipitation (BP) and throughfall (TF) at 12 forest sites surrounding the Tokyo metropolitan area. At the majority of the forest sites, atmospherically derived N and S influxes from TF were greater than those from BP. The N influx from TF in the forested area was equal to or greater than the amount of N deposited in the urban area. Air pollutants, mainly gases and aerosols, emitted from the Tokyo metropolitan area were transported to the inland forested areas by mesoscale meteorological and topographical factors. In addition, the forest canopy structure efficiently captured the dry deposition and accelerated the influx of N, particularly from the atmosphere into the forest ecosystems. The chronic and excess N influx due to human activities in the megacity has already resulted in high nitrate leaching at forested stream sites bordering the Tokyo metropolitan area.
Silvia Pili, Anastasios Mavrakis, Adele Sateriano
et al.
Urban and peri-urban agriculture is a pivotal issue in the debate on sustainable management of contemporary metropolitan areas. A multitude of projects are investing large Mediterranean cities such as Rome, Barcelona and Athens. Multiple solutions proposed in social, economic and environmental terms by the new models tested by urban agriculture are playing an important role in the planning’s practices of the open spaces. The investigated cities seem to reflect processes of redevelopment of the agricultural practices, through which new landscapes are cultivated, and new relations are created between farmers, communities and territories within peri-urban areas.
This study examines the spatial association between science- and technology-related entrepreneurship and neighbourhood walkability in eastern Nebraska, often referred to as the northern ‘Silicon Prairie’. Tech start-up firms are expected to gravitate toward more walkable or pedestrian-oriented urban locations to benefit from heightened social interaction, knowledge spillovers and a more vibrant, creative atmosphere. Data on start-up firms collected from the online database Crunchbase.com and a walkability index provided by the popular online service Walk Score® were used to evaluate the walkability–tech entrepreneurship nexus. The spatial relationship between walkability and firm location may have important implications for metropolitan areas seeking to incubate new firms and industries in situ, and potentially become leaders in new, innovative industries.
Regional economics. Space in economics, Regional planning
¿Existe la posibilidad de que los problemas de gobernanza de las áreas naturales protegidas se resuelvan a través del fortalecimiento de las redes de interacción social y comunicación? En el diálogo que genera la gobernanza ambiental en Ecuador, los mecanismos formales e informales de comunicación posibilitan manejar conflictos, fortalecer redes de interacción social, intercambiar conocimientos entre distintos actores, así como concertar objetivos comunes. Es con esta consideración que, bajo el enfoque de la gobernanza interactiva, este artículo analiza cómo funcionan las redes de comunicación del Área de Conservación y Uso Sustentable Mashpi-Guaycuyacu-Sahuangal, recientemente conformada en el Distrito Metropolitano de Quito. El estudio revela que las racionalidades ambientales heterogéneas que permean los grupos de interés en la zona no encuentran aún su engranaje, al existir vacíos en los procesos de comunicación, lo cual hace que la participación pierda legitimidad y eficacia.
Abstract
Is there a possibility that the governance problems of natural protected areas will be resolved through the strengthening of networks of social interaction and communication? In the dialogue generated by environmental governance in Ecuador, formal and informal communication mechanisms allow opportunities for conflict management, the strengthening of networks of social interaction, the exchange of knowledge among different actors, as well as to agree on common objectives. Under the interactive governance approach, this article analyzes the communication networks of the Mashpi-Guaycuyacu-Sahuangal Conservation and Sustainable Use Area, recently created in the Metropolitan District of Quito. The study shows that the heterogeneous environmental rationalities among the interest groups in the area do not yet find their gear, due to gaps in communication processes, which weaken the participation processes, its legitimacy and effectiveness.
Human ecology. Anthropogeography, Environmental sciences
This paper examines customer’s perception towards product quality of automotive SMEs operating in the Durban metropolitan areas and identifies how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in South Africa (SA) contribute significantly to job creation, wealth, social stability, economic growth and reduction of poverty. Product quality of automotive SMEs requires serious attention, as it can have ecological environmental impact leading to the negative economic growth contributed by the industry. The study is aimed to understand the factors affecting automotive SMEs in order to help entrepreneurs to improve product quality and examining the customer’s perception towards product quality. The study was conducted in Durban metropolitan areas using the survey method. The sample size of the study was 120 SMEs selected using convenience sampling with respondents completing the questionnaire. A combined method of both quantitative and qualitative techniques was employed, while the analysis of data was done using the Statistics Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) version 23.0. The findings of the study revealed that lack of managerial skills and development negatively compromises product quality of the automotive sector. Also the results revealed that the absence of financial support from financial institutions delays the improvement of stock in the business, as this is an obstacle resulting in the unsustainability of the SMEs. Further research with larger samples and the consideration of other cities is recommended.
A rapidly globalizing food system raises important questions of environmental sustainability, food security, public health, and nutrition. The local food movement has been arguing for localization and regionalization of the food system as an effective strategy to counteract the risks of a globalized food system and promote sustainability. However, confusion abounds about what constitutes a local food system, and to date little evidence exists regarding the capacity of local food systems to support major metropolitan areas in the global North. This paper quantifies the ability of the Philadelphia region to support the dietary requirements of that city's population. Food production data for three foodshed scenarios in the Philadelphia region is analyzed and compared to the dietary requirements of the population based on federal dietary guidelines and current consumption patterns in the metropolitan region.