Governing climate change for a just city: challenges and lessons from Maputo, Mozambique

As new forms of governance for climate change emerge in African cities, will they enable emancipatory and socially progressive transformations or will they exacerbate existing inequality, poverty and vulnerability patterns? This paper presents one of the case studies developed by UN-Habitat Cities and Climate Change Initiative in Maputo, Mozambique. The case analyses first, the production of urban vulnerabilities under climate change, and second, the existing governance arrangements for climate change in the city. Building on the lessons of the case study, the paper argues that to ensure that new forms of climate change governance lead to socially and environmentally just outcomes climate change interventions should, at least, meet two conditions: first, they should consider the close interactions between social and ecological elements and, specially, how patterns of urban inequality interact with environmental factors; second, they should recognise the opportunities in African cities through a broad notion of governance that looks beyond the government as the sole agent of urban change

Follow-up strategies for patients with gastrointestinal stromal tumour treated with or without adjuvant imatinib after surgery

Peer reviewe

The interdependence between urban processes and energy transitions: The Dimensions of Urban Energy Transitions (DUET) framework

This paper presents a framework to study the interdependence between urban processes and energy transitions – the Dimensions of Urban Energy Transitions (DUET) framework. The framework emerges from current debates about the need to incorporate systematically the spatial and political dimensions of urban energy transitions. We seek to develop a systematic framework that brings together well-established principles of transitions theory with insights from recent debates about how transitions unfold in urban contexts. Illustrated through a comparative meta-analysis of 29 case studies of urban energy transitions, the DUET framework provides an approach that considers simultaneously three dimensions of energy transitions: socio-technical experimentation, urban political processes, and socio-spatial (re)configuration. The three dimensions interact closely with each other and together enforce ‘transitions of cities’. From DUET framework, it argues that alignment between industry interests and territorial priorities is key to meaningful energy transitions

Spatiotemporal perspectives on urban energy transitions: a comparative study of three cities in China

This paper develops an integrated framework to study the socio-spatial and temporal dimensions of urban energy transitions to investigate the development and spread of solar energy technologies in urban China. A comparative analysis of three case studies of solar energy transitions in the cities of Foshan (in Guangdong), Rizhao (in Shandong), and Wuxi (in Jiangsu) demonstrates the framework’s applicability. The results map each city’s trajectory towards low carbon energy. Transitions result from dynamic interactions among central and local governments, solar manufacturers, solar installers, and residents. Alongside industrial strategies, locally-specific factors have a determining influence on the eventual outcomes

A culture-led approach to understanding energy transitions in China: The correlative epistemology

Transformations of the energy system are unfolding in China at an unprecedented scale and pace. The dynamics of China's energy transitions impact global trends of energy decarbonisation. Transition theories within the Anglophone academic tradition have been used to examine this process, but they tend to misrepresent the social, cultural, and political structures that shape energy transitions in China. This paper proposes a move from an analysis of energy transitions “with Chinese characteristics” to alternative thinking on energy transitions truly rooted in Chinese epistemological and philosophical constructs. The correlative epistemology refers to a Chinese tradition of social studies that describes the cosmos as a structured order of relations (guanxi). This tradition sees guanxi as the fundamental constituent of Chinese society. Such a relational focus enables a culture-led reading of China's energy transitions, thus responding to calls for transition theories “from elsewhere.” In particular, correlative interpretations of innovation and transition processes in China frame energy transitions within broader societal transformations, define the operation of transition governance, and reveal that pre-existing guanxi networks shape the activities of actors in transition processes

Emerging dynamics of public participation in climate governance: A case study of solar energy application in Shenzhen, China

Climate governance scholars have recognized the role of public participation in improving the outcomes of climate action. Nevertheless, increasing advocacy of environmental authoritarianism in the narratives of climate governance questions the need for and legitimacy of public participation. This study uncovers the emerging dynamics of climate participation in Chinese communities through a case of the implementation of solar energy. Our research challenges the general impression of nonparticipation in climate governance in China and argues that participation is taking a less visible form that we call “defensive participation.” Defensive participation occurs when communities mobilize to defend their interests. Just as other forms of public participation, defensive participation can play important roles in improving policy outcomes and accountability. More nuanced theoretical and empirical accounts of public participation in climate governance will improve current understandings of climate governance in China

From “transitions in cities“ to “transitions of cities“: The diffusion and adoption of solar hot water systems in urban China

© 2017. Urban China provides a unique setting to examine the urban energy transitions. Rizhao, the Chinese 'solar city' is known for the rapid spread and popularization of solar hot water systems since the 1990s. In this paper we seek to understand how the specific urban conditions in Rizhao have favored the adoption of solar hot water systems to the extent that we can speak of an urban energy transition towards solar energy. To do so, this paper introduces a novel framework - the Dimensions of Urban Energy Transitions (DUET) framework - building upon theoretical thinking of both transitions studies and urban studies. The Rizhao case illustrates the dimensions of the DUET framework, analyzing specially the dynamic interactions between urban development processes and energy transitions. The case of Rizhao shows that transition possibilities are continuously shaped by the ongoing conflicts and alignments between industry interests and territorial priorities

The homogenization of urban climate action discourses

The diversification of actors in global climate governance may entail risks, but it is also linked to enhanced democratic performance and opportunities for innovation. To what extent has this diversification fostered a parallel multiplication of perspectives in urban climate policy? To answer this question, we analyze the evolution of urban narratives based on 463 international policy documents issued between 1946 and 2020. Our analysis shows that, instead of leading to diversification, the proliferation of actors is accompanied by a growing homogenization of urban narratives. Language appears to become progressively uniform across organizations and over time, with approaches emphasizing multi-actor governance, integrated planning, and co-benefits becoming dominant. Three factors explain this homogenization. First, actors with a long history of involvement in international development exert a significant amount of influence. Second, there is a tendency toward language harmonization in international policy. Third, urban climate narratives stabilize through association with broader policy paradigms. In conclusion, the diversification of actors in international climate policy is mediated by processes of narrative alignment, which foreclose possibilities for divergent thinking