Rapid urbanisation and security: Holistic approach to enhancing security of urban spaces

Rapid urbanisation, particularly driven by rural-urban migration, can pose a wide range of security challenges in the global south and global north. The management of such a transition, in terms of the provision of social goods and quality of life raises significant challenges. Security of contemporary urban environments has become more complex due to a greater range of risk drivers, many of which can be exacerbated by the observed and portended impacts of climate change. This chapter outlines the phenomena underlying the transition to urbanisation - and the security challenges that have been exacerbated by these transitions. In doing so this work a holistic approach to security and highlights a gradual trend in the increased securitisation of issues (such as climate change) that in the past were not considered part of typical ‘security’ dialogues. It also introduces a decision support framework that can aid a broad range of stakeholders in making decisions about the enhancement of security of urban spaces in a context of multiple threats exacerbated by these new security challenges

Role of urban design and planning in disaster risk reduction

This article was published in the journal, Urban Design and Planning [© ICE Publishing] and the definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1680/udap.13.00011. Permission is granted by ICE Publishing to print one copy for personal use. Any other use of these PDF files is subject to reprint fees. The journal's website is at: http://www.icevirtuallibrary.com/content/serial/udap.Recent disasters in cities worldwide have highlighted the fragility of built environments to a range of hazards and increased concerns about the resilience of cities, with contemporary discussions considering how physical/protective interventions can be integrated into the built environment. It is important for the numerous stakeholders involved with the construction industry to take responsibility for integrating disaster risk reduction (DRR) activities into the planning, (re)design, construction and operation of the built environment. It is fundamentally important to understand which stakeholders should be involved and when their inputs are needed. Utilising two case studies in Jerusalem and Nottingham the role of key stakeholders in the integration of DRR activities into the urban design and planning process is evaluated. It is argued that there is a general lack of consensus regarding the roles of stakeholders and their levels of participation. This paper identifies the commonalities and differences between key stakeholders who should be responsible for integrating DRR activities into urban design and planning and emphasises the gaps in stakeholders' involvement. It is argued that there is a need to engage construction stakeholders with a wider range of stakeholders who are typically not extensively involved in DRR, and ensure interaction among them