A Short Note for Dr. Murakami’s Review in 1986

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-72
Author(s):  
Itsuki Nakabayashi ◽  
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Urban Development ◽  
Disaster Management ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Short Note ◽  
Natural Order ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Urban Disaster ◽  
Miyagi Prefecture

Dr. Murakami’s review reconfirms that Japan’s high economic growth following World War II did not realize the construction of urban areas robust against disaster, rather, the destruction caused by repeated natural disasters has triggered the development of disaster management measures. When all major Japanese cities but Kyoto were destroyed in the catastrophic American air raids of 1945, the urban development in Japan has begun. Among the disasters bearing valuable lessons in the need for disaster management was the 1959 Ise-Bay (Ise-Wan) Typhoon, which led to the 1961 Disaster Countermeasures Basic Act laying the groundwork for disaster management measures in Japan. This law obligated the central government and local organizations to take three measures: (1) preparedness against disaster to reduce damage before a disaster strikes; (2) measures against disaster to control the spread of damage and to promote emergency recovery; and (3) preparation of restoration plans transforming damaged urban areas into safer, more comfortable locales by repairing damage, reconstructing residences, and returning daily life to its natural order. Dr. Murakami’s paper shows how difficult it is to remodel already established but dangerous cities into safe ones. The 1964 Niigata Earthquake promoted measures in managing earthquake destruction in urban areas, as did the Tokachi Offshore (Tokachi-Oki) Earthquake of 1968 and the Miyagi Prefecture Offshore (Miyagi-Ken-Oki) Earthquake of 1978, which triggered revision of the Building Standard Law. These developments did not, however, mean that cities had become safe. If the lessons taught by disasters in the 1960s and 70s had actually been implemented in urban development, the tremendous damage precipitated by the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in Kobe in 1995 might have been reduced. What we should note here is that the efforts toward urban disaster management measures taken during this period have formed a firm base for current urban disaster management measures. Itsuki Nakabayashi Professor, Tokyo Metropolitan University

scholarly journals Managing Urban Transformations of Refugee Settlements in West Delhi from Camps to Nagars: The Story of Moti Nagar and Kirti Nagar

2015 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-240
Author(s):  
Prerana Chatterjee
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Urban Development ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Governance ◽  
Good Governance ◽  
Design Guidelines ◽  
New Delhi ◽  
Urban Dynamics ◽  
Contemporary World ◽  
Urban Transformations

Migration has become a common phenomenon in the contemporary world. In the Post World War II period, due to social and political unrest between conflicting and dividing nations, many countries across the globe saw migrations at different scales. The pressure created by the inflow and outflow of a huge population, within a comparatively short span of time, created various urban dynamics that have been reflected in the urban fabric of cities through largescale creation of camps, refugee colonies, workers’ and migrants’ colonies, urban villages and slums, many of which have survived due to good governance or political and urban development management systems. On the other hand, several others have fallen prey to various social distresses and suffered as underdeveloped or undeveloped archaic areas causing hindrance to development and prosperity of adjacent urban areas. The socio-economic condition that developed in New Delhi after the Partition in 1947 saw migration of millions overnight, with the creation of a l arge number of refugee camps in the city. This paper describes the courageous survival of one of these camps at Basai Darapur as well as the ambitious transformation of such camps to the colonies Moti Nagar and Kirti Nagar, over time, with proper management, through urban governance, socio-political aid, urban planning visions and urban design guidelines. The paper also attempts to discuss the possible holistic future of Moti Nagar and Kirti Nagar in coming times through careful urban management, considering opinions of different urban local bodies, real-estate stakeholders and public participations in different phases of urban development aided by the Delhi Masterplan 2021.

Urban Regeneration in London Docklands: A Five-Year Policy Review

1988 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Church
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Complete Solution ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Development Corporation ◽  
The Impact ◽  
London Docklands

An urban development corporation was established in London Docklands in 1981. Recently, central government has announced its intention to set up similar organisations elsewhere in Britain, and, therefore, a review of the impact of the London Docklands' initiative is appropriate. In this paper I outline the impact of the urban development corporation, in terms of economic regeneration and of the effect on local unemployment. It is argued that demand-led economic regeneration, based on the redevelopment of derelict land, has changed the nature of the local economy, although as yet it has not had any significant effect on the numbers of jobs in the local economy, because of continued decline in existing industries and because of pressures on firms to relocate. Local unemployment has gone on increasing, and evidence is presented to show that labour-market adjustment mechanisms and recruitment patterns severely limit the impact of economic regeneration on unemployment in Docklands. Even major developments, such as the proposed office complex on Canary Wharf, will have only a relatively small effect on local unemployment. Local labour-market intervention has been slow to occur, limited in its aims, and uncoordinated. Urban development corporations are useful policy devices for the encouragement of large-scale land redevelopment, but in their present form they do not represent a complete solution to the economic and employment problems of depressed urban areas.

Dynamics of Urban Disaster Risk Paradigm: Looking Through the Perceived Lens of the Residents of Informal Settlements in Khulna City, Bangladesh

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-77
Author(s):  
Mohammad Shahidul Hasan Swapan ◽  
Md Ashikuzzaman ◽  
Md Sayed Iftekhar
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Management ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Disaster Preparedness ◽  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Informal Settlements ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Urban Disaster

The integration of sustainability principles into disaster management research suggests a shift from traditional expert-driven assessment to a more community-driven process. However, most studies have focused on a generalized and regional assessment of perceived risk. Only a few of them have focused on informal settlements which belong to the most vulnerable communities facing the compound impacts of multiple disasters in urban areas. This raises concerns over the generalization of existing findings as informal settlements may add to spatial heterogeneity in disaster risk assessment. In order to contribute to this knowledge gap, we have surveyed 1,122 households of 93 slums of Khulna city in Bangladesh. We have investigated informal settlers’ perceptions of local and citywide hazard risks and their vulnerabilities from natural and anthropogenic hazards. It is found that low-income households are more concerned about the day-to-day inconvenience (e.g., waterlogging) rather than extreme weather events (e.g., cyclone and storm surge). This is mainly due to the degraded local environment and poor built form of their living places. The mapping of survey responses displays a spatial segregation of perceived disaster risk. The study highlights the importance of adopting spatial and risk-specific disaster preparedness policies and interventions. The results of the study would also be useful for tailoring appropriate disaster management policies to improve community resilience for poverty-stricken areas in developing countries.

Problems of Development of Small and Medium Russian Towns

2019 ◽  
pp. 24-29
Author(s):  
V V. Kafidov ◽  
V. N. Filippov ◽  
I. P. Filippova
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Physical Space ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Conceptual Approach ◽  
Fundamental Factor ◽  
New Buildings

The presented study addresses the problems of development of small and medium towns in Russia. Aim. The study aims to examine a town as a socio-economic environment where its residents exist and as the fundamental factor for the development of society.Tasks. The authors identify key problems in the development of small and medium Russian towns, which interferes with the historical appearance and has a negative impact on the living environment.Methods. Problems in the development of small and medium towns in Russia are examined using theoretical methods: systematic approach, statistical analysis, social and philosophical analysis.Results. The study identifies the main negative effects of the existing model of development of small and medium Russian towns, such as destruction of their historical and cultural appearance, distortion of the overall architectural motif, increased load on communications, and congestion of the transport infrastructure.Conclusions. At the current stage, efficient development of small and medium towns in Russia is impossible within the framework of the existing infill development. This chaotic process cannot be stopped without a new conceptual approach and changes in the legislative and normative framework of urban development. The only factor that determines the boundaries of the existing approach to urban development is the lack of physical space for new buildings in urban areas. The authors formulate proposals that would help to solve the problems of development of small and medium towns in Russia. 

scholarly journals An Optimized Approach for Extracting Urban Land Based on Log-Transformed DMSP-OLS Nighttime Light, NDVI, and NDWI

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 766
Author(s):  
Yuanmao Zheng ◽  
Qiang Zhou ◽  
Yuanrong He ◽  
Cuiping Wang ◽  
Xiaorong Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Vegetation Index ◽  
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Urban Land ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Land Use Patterns ◽  
Water Index ◽  
Nighttime Light

Quantitative and accurate urban land information on regional and global scales is urgently required for studying socioeconomic and eco-environmental problems. The spatial distribution of urban land is a significant part of urban development planning, which is vital for optimizing land use patterns and promoting sustainable urban development. Composite nighttime light (NTL) data from the Defense Meteorological Program Operational Line-Scan System (DMSP-OLS) have been proven to be effective for extracting urban land. However, the saturation and blooming within the DMSP-OLS NTL hinder its capacity to provide accurate urban information. This paper proposes an optimized approach that combines NTL with multiple index data to overcome the limitations of extracting urban land based only on NTL data. We combined three sources of data, the DMSP-OLS, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and the normalized difference water index (NDWI), to establish a novel approach called the vegetation–water-adjusted NTL urban index (VWANUI), which is used to rapidly extract urban land areas on regional and global scales. The results show that the proposed approach reduces the saturation of DMSP-OLS and essentially eliminates blooming effects. Next, we developed regression models based on the normalized DMSP-OLS, the human settlement index (HSI), the vegetation-adjusted NTL urban index (VANUI), and the VWANUI to analyze and estimate urban land areas. The results show that the VWANUI regression model provides the highest performance of all the models tested. To summarize, the VWANUI reduces saturation and blooming, and improves the accuracy with which urban areas are extracted, thereby providing valuable support and decision-making references for designing sustainable urban development.

scholarly journals Landscape Evaluation as a Complementary Tool in Environmental Assessment. Study Case in Urban Areas: Salamanca (Spain)

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (16) ◽  
pp. 6395
Author(s):  
Marco Criado ◽  
Antonio Martínez-Graña ◽  
Fernando Santos-Francés ◽  
Leticia Merchán
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Assessment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Territorial Planning ◽  
Assessment Study ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Study Case ◽  
Partial State ◽  
Landscape Units ◽  
Objective Methodology

In recent years, the landscape has become another environmental resource, so it is important to incorporate it into planning actions. However, its broad sense of study has made it difficult to develop methodologies that precisely diagnose the state of the landscape and its management requirements, especially in dynamic spaces like urban areas. In order to develop a method capable of providing information that can be incorporated into environmental assessment and territorial planning tasks so that the needs of the landscape are taken into account in the decision-making stages, an objective methodology is presented based on the study of different parameters (biotic, abiotic and socioeconomic) analyzed in the field and subsequently geoprocessed through Geographic Information Systems according to their influence on the landscape. Through the proposed methodology it is possible to determine the quality, fragility and need of protection of the landscape, as well as to identify the diverse landscape units that form the landscape of a territory. Based on these results, a landscape diagnosis can be drawn up to quantify its overall and partial state, carry out monitoring analyses and make comparisons between different landscape units, so that management measures can be adopted according to the obtained scenarios.

scholarly journals Nitrogen Mass Balance and Pressure Impact Model Applied to an Urban Aquifer

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitja Janža ◽  
Joerg Prestor ◽  
Simona Pestotnik ◽  
Brigita Jamnik
Keyword(s):  
Groundwater Quality ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Transport Model ◽  
Nitrate Concentration ◽  
Impact Model ◽  
Sewer System ◽  
Management Measures ◽  
Pressure Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

The assurance of drinking water supply is one of the biggest emerging global challenges, especially in urban areas. In this respect, groundwater and its management in the urban environment are gaining importance. This paper presents the modeling of nitrogen load from the leaky sewer system and from agriculture and the impact of this pressure on the groundwater quality (nitrate concentration) in the urban aquifer located beneath the City of Ljubljana. The estimated total nitrogen load in the model area of 58 km2 is 334 ton/year, 38% arising from the leaky sewer system and 62% from agriculture. This load was used as input into the groundwater solute transport model to simulate the distribution of nitrate concentration in the aquifer. The modeled nitrate concentrations at the observation locations were found to be on average slightly lower (2.7 mg/L) than observed, and in general reflected the observed contamination pattern. The ability of the presented model to relate and quantify the impact of pressures from different contamination sources on groundwater quality can be beneficially used for the planning and optimization of groundwater management measures for the improvement of groundwater quality.

Geo-Information Support in Management of Urban Disasters

2006 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-69
Author(s):  
Sisi Zlatanova ◽  
Peter van Oosterom ◽  
Edward Verbree
Keyword(s):  
Disaster Management ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Recovery Phase ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Technical Equipment ◽  
Fire Departments ◽  
Urban Disaster ◽  
Disaster Situation ◽  
Actual Response

Within the management of urban disasters, geo-information systems (GIS) are used in any of the phases of mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery as most of the required data have a spatial component. Examples of GIS-based decision support systems on mitigation are found in simulation models of floods and earthquakes. In the preparation phase all kinds of spatial observations and models can be used to predict which areas will be threatened. To prepare for adequately responding in case of an actual disaster, these systems are capable of developing realistic scenarios that are used within training and virtual reality (VR) systems. During the actual response phase geo-information is used intensively: for getting an impression of the environment, for routing, for obtaining up-to-date information about the actual situation, etc. In the recovery phase, there is often a high public and political interest to judge the situation - comparing the pre- and post-disaster situation - and to set priorities for the rebuilding. Despite this potential of GIS-based support for urban disaster management, the use of these systems or even the utilisation of geo-information itself is still very limited in countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The emergency management is usually done with paper maps that are seldom up-to-date. Useful systems to support decision makers in any of the phases of disaster management are nearly completely lacking. To improve the work of decision makers and rescue teams, different premises have to be archived in relation to: meta-information to provide insight on the availability and usefulness of the geo-information itself, the technical equipment of the rescue teams (i.e. communication devices and field computers), and the up-to-date information from the affected areas (images, observations, reports). This paper suggests a framework for “urban and urgent” disaster management to facilitate the work of police forces, fire departments, ambulances and government coordinators in disaster situations by extending and improving the utilisation of geo-information. Within a pre-disaster situation, geo-information support management further can assist planning for prevention and mitigation.

Afghanistan: Martial Society Without Military Rule

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Tarzi
Keyword(s):  
World War Ii ◽  
Soviet Union ◽  
19Th Century ◽  
Democratic Party ◽  
Central Government ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Soviet Union ◽  
Military Campaigns ◽  
The 19Th Century ◽  
The Military

Since its inception as a separate political entity in 1747, Afghanistan has been embroiled in almost perpetual warfare, but it has never been ruled directly by the military. From initial expansionist military campaigns to involvement in defensive, civil, and internal consolidation campaigns, the Afghan military until the mid-19th century remained mainly a combination of tribal forces and smaller organized units. The central government, however, could only gain tenuous monopoly over the use of violence throughout the country by the end of the 19th century. The military as well as Afghan society remained largely illiterate and generally isolated from the prevailing global political and ideological trends until the middle of the 20th century. Politicization of Afghanistan’s military began in very small numbers after World War II with Soviet-inspired communism gaining the largest foothold. Officers associated with the People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan were instrumental in two successful coup d’états in the country. In 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, ending the country’s sovereignty and ushering a period of conflict that continues to the second decade of the 21st century in varying degrees. In 2001, the United States led an international invasion of the country, catalyzing efforts at reorganization of the smaller professional Afghan national defense forces that have remained largely apolitical and also the country’s most effective and trusted governmental institution.

Approaches to Urban Noise Management in India

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neelima S. Naik
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Environmental Concern ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Urban Noise ◽  
Master Plans ◽  
The Past ◽  
Metropolitan Cities

Noise pollution in urban areas is recognized as a major environmental concern in India. The lack of infrastructure and fast paced life in major metropolitan cities of India has made the urban environment extremely crowded, busy as well as noisy and as a result the millions of people living in the major metropolitan areas are suffering from the impacts of noise pollution. Noise levels are escalating at such a rate that it has become a major threat to the quality of human lives. Direct links between noise and health have been established by research conducted over the past few decades. There are several causes for urban degradation such as population migration, environmental considerations not adequately being incorporated into master plans, uncoordinated and haphazard development, weak implementation of plans and laws and inadequate institutional competences and resource crunch. This paper discusses the causal factors, impacts and the different approaches adopted by the Central Government as well as some major State Pollution Control Boards to curb the urban noise problem and the need for looking into non-conventional solutions such as Ecocity programme to bring in visible environmental improvement.

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