THE NEW URBAN AGENDA, THE INTERNATIONAL CIRCULATION OF URBAN POLICIES AND CHALLENGES OF A HUMANE URBANISM IN THE GLOBAL SOUTH

In many ways international circulation of urban policies is indispensable to the spread of planning regimes. Contemporary cities in the Global South are sensitive to global, local, relational and territorial geographies, flows and fixity and the increasingly diverse stakeholders. The gradual integration of major international references associated with sustainable urbanism into local interventions combining social, economic and environmental prevention exemplifies the pervasiveness of global approaches. On the other hand, the production of cities is seasoned by the complex state-society relations as the planning practice struggles to respond to the hegemonic urban planning that are time, scale and geographically specific.  Building on this background, this paper revisits the notion of the New Urban Agenda within the international circulation of urban policies, practices and models from the standpoint of cities in the Global South. It examines the push and pull in the global process for the inclusion of initiatives that respond to the needs of Southern cities. This paper sets to explore the New Urban Agenda within the current borrowing, adaptation and hybridization of planning practices and how it can contribute to the debate of localizing the Agenda towards humane urban policies fitting to the needs of the people. This paper identifies impediments to the attainment of the New Urban Agenda as it is circulated, sets to be adapted and taken up, and mutates. This paper contributes to two conversations within planning academics on the implication of the New Urban Agenda: to the international circulation of urban policies and the making of contemporary cities in the Global South and to the struggle facing cities towards a humane urbanism.

Earth System Governance in Indonesia: An Initial Investigation

Despite a growing scholarly interest internationally in the notion of earth system governance (ESG), the state-of-the-art of how the notion interacts in and with Indonesian academia has not been reviewed. The ESG notion is a paradigm that warrants the broader context of the Anthropocene and human-induced transformations of the entire earth system. Considering that Indonesia is one of the most important scholarly and empirical sites of investigation in Asia-Pacific, understanding the existing development of environmental governance with ESG can inform the corpus theory of sustainable futures. What does the notion mean in Indonesian academia? Which fields, disciplines, and networks have engaged with the notion? What are the alternative practices and directions of ESG emerging from and within the Indonesian academia? The chapter aims to offer an initial investigation by conducting a literature review with the following objectives: (1) to trace and evaluate the intellectual progression of the field of ESG from and within Indonesian academia, (2) to contextualize the theory and framework of ESG in the context of Indonesian academia, and (3) to identify gaps and offer reflections for future research. The chapter will review academic literature from the international database of Scopus and the Indonesian recognized national database of Garuda of the conceptual debates and discussion of ESG in the context of Indonesia. The chapter ultimately provides a summary, synthesis, and critical evaluation of the current body of knowledge about the ESG, within the broader context of environmental governance, in Indonesian academia and suggests future research

Governance transformation towards localisation of sustainable development goal 11 in India

Sub-national governments play an essential role in transforming existing governance to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with SDG 11 intrinsically linked to SDG localisation. The Indian government is reforming its existing institutional mechanisms, and a research gap exists in assessing these reforms and sub-national responses to changes at the national level. Drawing from a transition management approach, this study focuses on the localisation of SDG 11 in India through a systematic evaluation of the national-level changes, which are then used as a reference to examine sub-national responses. Our findings indicate that the governance transformation for SDG 11 localisation in India is optimistic but has yet to generate deep transformational reforms given its developing stages. First, the Indian governance system attempts to make cooperative and competitive federalism work complementary to SDG localisation. Second, the political impact of the SDGs on sub-national governance has remained primarily discursive. Third, there is an advantage to exerting the overlaps between SDG 11 and existing government schemes to discern governance adaptiveness and reflexiveness in monitoring and evaluation systems. Four, there are limitations to the usage of the SDG India Index and risks of over-reliance on scheme-based monitoring and evaluation frameworks. In analysing different governance changes around India's SDG localisation across its cyclical process (strategic, tactical, operational, reflexive), this study provides a nuanced understanding of the transition of the governance system in India towards a governance model for achieving the SDGs

Socio-Economic Drivers of Community Acceptance of Sustainable Social Housing: Evidence from Mumbai

The impact of socio-cultural outlooks on the acceptance of sustainability measures in a low-income context should be complemented by better understanding of socio-economic drivers to bridge the gaps between policy expectation and acceptance in social housing projects. The study attempts to explore the different aspects of well-being in determining the housing satisfaction of the residents of social housing under the slum rehabilitation schemes in Mumbai. Social housing offers considerably improved social and environmental sustainability components compared to slums; however, social acceptability remains low due to their location disadvantages. Using primary data collection from the sample of 298 households in Mumbai, the paper explores the varying levels of their housing satisfaction. The study found that economic opportunity is low in slum rehabilitation, mostly reflected in the job loss of the second earner, exacerbated by the change of work after shifting to social housing. Among other factors, location, accessibility of the building, household size and opportunity for social engagement play the most critical role in deciding the households’ perceived housing satisfaction with social housing compared to slums

Are households willing to adopt solar home systems also likely to use electricity more efficiently? Empirical insights from Accra, Ghana

The diffusion of renewable energy technology, such as solar home systems (SHS), has great potential to reduce GHG emissions. However, households’ energy efficiency (EE) and curtailment behavior (CB) play a crucial role in this process. This study examines the rooftop solar PV potential, households’ willingness to adopt SHS, and their EE/CB implications for mitigating CO2 emissions through SHS adoption. A survey of 216 households was carried out alongside rooftop solar PV potential analysis in a high-income gated estate and a middle-class neighborhood using secondary data. First, we find that rooftop solar PV has the potential to offset all grid electricity and its associated CO2 emissions for at least 63.5% of households. Secondly, the willingness to adopt SHS is lower in the high-income neighborhood than the middle-class ones. This dynamic is explained by the occupancy status, where most of those in the high-income neighborhood tend to be renters – a group known to have a low willingness to adopt SHS. Thirdly, our results affirm that energy-saving behavior is more common in a middle-class neighborhood where the propensity to adopt SHS is also high. Our results suggest that households willing to adopt SHS are more likely to engage in EE/CB. However, this tendency is common among middle-class households, who, in practice, may not be able to afford the SHS. Our findings underscore the need for more targeted policy interventions for SHS, and EE and CB among homeowners, high-income neighborhoods, and real estate developers

Solar Urban Planning in African Cities: Challenges and Prospects

This chapter aims to identify and evaluate the opportunities and challenges of solar urban planning in Africa’s cities. Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, 37 publications were selected and thematically analysed. It emerged that the vast solar energy potentials, formalised urban planning systems, declining costs, and rising acceptance of solar PVs are key opportunities for solar urban planning. Urban informality, inadequate technical expertise, regulatory bottlenecks, and noncompliance with building regulations are critical barriers to Africa’s solar urban planning. Research on the subject was found to be limited. Studies that explore decision support systems and strategies for integrating solar concerns into urban planning using multi-criteria assessments will be instrumental for realising this concept in Africa

Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh: An Inclusive Framework under Local Governments

To accelerate the implementation of SDGs at the national level, policymakers and practitioners are focusing on localisation, where the local government (LG) can play a critical role. This paper examines the LG’s capacity and its existing link with the implementation of SDGs at the local level in Bangladesh, and it offers an inclusive framework for the SDGs’ localisation. The data was gathered through an in-depth interview of 10 chairmen of the Union Council (lowest tier of LG) in Northern Bangladesh’s Nilphamari district. An SWOT analysis of the local government was conducted to determine the organisation’s effectiveness and capacity in light of its vulnerabilities, threats, strengths, and opportunities. The data indicate that while the majority of LG representatives have some knowledge, participation, and perceptions about the SDGs, they demonstrate a great desire to gain additional knowledge and participation. The study ascertains SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation) as the most locally important SDGs relevant to the LG’s actions, based on the opinions of the surveyed respondents. The LG’s strengths were identified in their familiarity with local problems and the environment, as well as the presence of potential local stakeholders, while their weaknesses included a lack of capacity, resources, funding, and a lack of decentralisation and empowerment of the LG. This study develops an inclusive framework for the localisation of the SDGs under the leadership of LGs based on the findings. To expedite the localisation of the SDGs in Bangladesh, the framework recommends forming an SIC (SDG implementation committee) by including all key local stakeholders, and asking the national government to increase local competence and resources through an appropriate decentralisation of the LG

Localisation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh: An Inclusive Framework under Local Governments

To accelerate the implementation of SDGs at the national level, policymakers and practitioners are focusing on localisation, where the local government (LG) can play a critical role. This paper examines the LG’s capacity and its existing link with the implementation of SDGs at the local level in Bangladesh, and it offers an inclusive framework for the SDGs’ localisation. The data was gathered through an in-depth interview of 10 chairmen of the Union Council (lowest tier of LG) in Northern Bangladesh’s Nilphamari district. An SWOT analysis of the local government was conducted to determine the organisation’s effectiveness and capacity in light of its vulnerabilities, threats, strengths, and opportunities. The data indicate that while the majority of LG representatives have some knowledge, participation, and perceptions about the SDGs, they demonstrate a great desire to gain additional knowledge and participation. The study ascertains SDG 1 (No poverty), SDG 2 (Zero hunger), and SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation) as the most locally important SDGs relevant to the LG’s actions, based on the opinions of the surveyed respondents. The LG’s strengths were identified in their familiarity with local problems and the environment, as well as the presence of potential local stakeholders, while their weaknesses included a lack of capacity, resources, funding, and a lack of decentralisation and empowerment of the LG. This study develops an inclusive framework for the localisation of the SDGs under the leadership of LGs based on the findings. To expedite the localisation of the SDGs in Bangladesh, the framework recommends forming an SIC (SDG implementation committee) by including all key local stakeholders, and asking the national government to increase local competence and resources through an appropriate decentralisation of the LG

Gender Mainstreaming in the 2030 Agenda: A Focus on Education and Responsible Consumption & Production

Gender equality is a cross-cutting issue that affects all dimensions of sustainable development; women must be at the centre of the 2030 Agenda. Despite the interlinkages between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the commitment to “leave no one behind,” progress on gender mainstreaming is uneven across the SDGs. This brief looks at two selected areas: education (SDG 4) and responsible consumption and production (SDG 12). Progress has been made on gender mainstreaming in both areas, but there are significant gaps and a holistic approach is lacking