Abstract

Compared with medium-sized cities, megacities play an increasingly important role in the rapid urbanization process in China. Owing to the expanding scale of large cities, urban sprawl leads to unsustainable practices that cause ecological, social, and environmental problems. Urban planning and land use planning are major driving forces of land use and land cover change in China. However, the goals of these two types of planning are different, and coordinating them is a challenge for local government decision makers. Thus, we use the SLEUTH model to simulate the implementation scenarios of future urban growth in Nanjing in the Jiangsu province of China. Using the scientific simulation data of the model, we contrasted the alternative futures of the two planning types for local government decision makers to achieve sustainable urban planning. The objective of our study is to explore the problems and possible solutions for urban management in the context of a megacity in China. The results of our study confirm the value of SLEUTH, which provides extensive exploratory knowledge in evaluating the effects of possible local government decisions.

Abstract

High urban transport energy consumption is directly influenced by the level of transport energy dependence of urban forms and transport systems. Despite the introduction of new land use policies and vehicle technologies, dramatic reductions in urban transport energy dependence are not yet being observed. It is proposed that stricter land use regulations coupled with new GIS tools are required that specifically tackle the energy dependence issue. The objective of this project is to design a GIS tool that could be used within an urban development framework to dramatically reduce urban transport energy dependence. A tool was developed and named the Transport Energy Specification (TES). The TES measures urban transport energy dependency from travel behaviour, mode use and spatial data inputs. The TES is designed to be used as an energy based land-use regulation inside an urban development framework by specifying a maximum allowable energy dependency limit for land use modifications in existing urban areas and new developments. Implementation of the energy dependency land use regulation will be achieved through zoning and providing financial or other incentives for the specific desired land use activities (residential, supermarkets, kindergartens etc.). Trials were performed in Germany, New Zealand and Brazil, allowing different urban neighbourhoods and transport systems to be measured with the TES energy dependency measurement tool. The measurements confirmed similar findings from previous researchers regarding the benefits of high density areas and mixed activities in urban areas. Further analysis, trials and workshops with local governments will set in motion the process of including the TES into future urban development policy. O alto consumo de energia nos transportes urbanos é diretamente influenciado pelo grau de dependência energética das formas urbanas e dos sistemas de transportes. Como o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias veiculares e políticas de uso do solo ainda não foi capaz de produzir reduções significativas no grau de dependência energética dos transportes urbanos, defende-se aqui que uma legislação mais restritiva de uso do solo, combinada com novas ferramentas de Sistemas de Informações Geográficas, constitui-se em uma condição necessária para enfrentar a questão da dependência energética. O objetivo deste projeto é desenvolver uma estrutura conceitual em plataforma SIG, que possa ser usada como ferramenta de planejamento para o desenvolvimento urbano, capaz de reduzir drasticamente a dependência energética do transporte urbano. A ferramenta desenvolvida recebeu a designação Especificação de Energia para Transporte (ou TES, da sigla em inglês Transport Energy Specification), e destina-se a medir o nível de dependência do transporte urbano em relação a aspectos como o comportamento de viagens, escolha modal e aspectos espaciais dos elementos urbanos. A TES foi concebida para ser usada como elemento regulatório do uso do solo, sob o ponto de vista da eficiência energética, a partir da especificação de um valor máximo para o limite de dependência energética decorrente de modificações em áreas urbanas existentes ou em novos loteamentos. A implantação de uma estratégia de regulação de uso do solo baseada no conceito de dependência energética pode ser alcançada através de uma legislação de zoneamento e de incentivos, inclusive financeiros, para determinadas tipos de uso (residências, supermercados, creches, etc.). Estudos de caso com a ferramenta proposta para avaliação do grau de dependência energética foram conduzidos em cidades selecionadas na Alemanha, Nova Zelândia e Brasil, de forma a contemplar diferentes tipos de arranjos de vizinhança e de sistemas de transportes. Os resultados encontrados confirmaram os benefícios, já apontados por outros pesquisadores, de áreas com elevadas densidades e uso misto em zonas urbanas. Novas análises, estudos de caso e discussões com governos locais são necessários para fazer do TES parte de políticas futuras de desenvolvimento urbano.

Abstract

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is defined as an integrated and comprehensive approach to ocean governance. Planning has the potential to ensure ecosystem and biodiversity conservation and establish rational use of marine space, combining activities relating to extraction industries, maritime transport, fisheries and related services and infrastructure. This article looks at what part transnational and national marine spatial planning can play in the Arctic. There is no international convention on marine spatial planning, and there are no requirements under international law that marine plans, as such, should be prescribed by law. MSP-regulation in different jurisdictions is diversified. It is difficult to claim that the international rights and obligations of a state under UNCLOS, CBD or regional instruments such as OSPAR, need to be fulfilled through the instrument of marine spatial planning. The comprehensive EU approach to marine planning is thus of particular interest. The EU members Denmark, Finland and Sweden do not have coastlines bordering the Arctic. EU has no direct influence over the regulation of marine spatial planning in Arctic marine areas through its relationship to Greenland or Norway, states with a close connection to the EU. The status of marine spatial planning in the European Arctic is thus dependent on the policies of Norway, Greenland and Russia. It is an open question whether spatial planning will be used for preventive and precautionary purposes in the Arctic, before the area is overwhelmed by marine activities and spatial conflicts. publishedVersion Document type: Article

Abstract

Inland ports are becoming more important in enhancing hinterland accessibility of deep-sea ports. Their increasing size and number can however also pose a threat to quality of life in adjacent urban regions, for spatial conflicts between port and urban functions may arise. Therefore, inland port governance strategies are needed. The aim of this paper is to reflect on the findings of an international comparison of municipal governance strategies for inland port development in four different countries along the Rhine–Alpine Corridor. Our findings reflect the difficult position of inland ports relative to urban functions within a densely populated corridor. Sufficient capacity is needed to prevent the occurrence of bottlenecks on links and in nodes, which could limit flows on other parts of the corridor. Increasing inland port capacity should however also be aligned with policy measures in urban regions, to avoid the overlapping of inland port and urban functions which could lead to mutually exclusive land-uses. This poses challenges in terms of inland port governance. We observe that cases in which the port and urban administrations open up the policy process to relevant private stakeholders and the civil society, integrated governance strategies for inland port development are more likely to emerge.

Abstract

Lifelines play a crucial and essential role in human life and in economic development. The resilience of those systems under extreme events as earthquakes is a primary requirement, especially when large amount of toxic and flammable material are transported. In this work, the seismic vulnerability of buried gas and liquid pipelines has been analyzed, starting from a large number of damage data to pipelines collected from post-earthquake reconnaissance reports.Seismic fragility formulations and threshold values for the earthquake intensity with respect to the release of content from different types of pipelines have been derived. The main outcome of the work is therefore a novel seismic assessment tool which is able to cover the needs of industrial risk assessment procedures and land use planning requirements. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.