JournalTOCs

Environment and Urbanization Asia
Journal Prestige (SJR): 0.305

Number of Followers: 4

Hybrid journal (It can contain Open Access articles)
ISSN (Print) 0975-4253 - ISSN (Online) 0976-3546
Published by Sage Publications

[1097 journals]

Editorial
- Authors: Debolina Kundu
  Pages: 179 - 182
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Volume 11, Issue 2, Page 179-182, September 2020.
  
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-09-30T12:40:38Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320946002
  Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2020)
Spatial Structures and Trends of Cities in Europe and Asia: A Joint
Methodological Approach Based on the Global Human Settlement Layer
- Authors: Debolina Kundu, Andre Mueller, Volker Schmidt-Seiwert, Regine Binot, Lukas Kiel, Arvind Pandey
  Pages: 195 - 217
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Volume 11, Issue 2, Page 195-217, September 2020.
  Human civilization reached a milestone in the first decade of the 21st century, when the global urban population became higher than rural for the first time. However, the process of urbanisation is not uniform across the globe, and striking differences exist in the spatial structure and trends of urbanisation in developed and developing regions because of varying rates of demographic and economic growth. The success of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends on addressing urbanisation challenges with comparative knowledge of the spatial structure and growth pattern of the cities across regions. In this context, the present study examines the spatial structures and urbanisation trends of cities in Asia and Europe through standardised data and visualisation, with particular reference to India and Germany. The results show that ‘shrinking cities’ are more common in Europe and particularly in Germany. In contrast, Indian cities have registered an overall increase in population of cities, although at a slower growth rate. Also, the rate of growth of the built-up areas is relatively higher in India than Europe. However, both these geographies are experiencing higher growth of built-up areas as compared to population. A detailed analysis of the built-up areas in select cities of Europe and India in different time-periods reveals the cities’ growth pattern to be aligned with transport routes. The study concludes that developing a common methodological approach to study the spatial structures and trends of different geographies is a crucial prerequisite for achieving the goals set under SDGs and the New Urban Agenda.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-09-30T12:40:51Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320958850
  Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2020)
An Evaluation of the Influence of Environmental, Social and Cultural
factors on the Socialization of Traditional Urban Spaces (Case Study:
Iranian Markets)
- Authors: Jamaloddin Mahdinezhad, Bahram Saleh Sedghpour, Rana Najjari Nabi
  Pages: 281 - 296
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Volume 11, Issue 2, Page 281-296, September 2020.
  The ‘bazaar’, or the marketplace has been one of the most influential bases of the city in terms of social, political and economic development, and is considered as an active public space for initiating fundamental changes in society. Across Islamic cultures and civilizations, as well as their historical precedents, the marketplace has occupied a broad and complex social meaning, especially in Iran. In this research, the marketplace is considered from a socio-commercial point of view. In order to improve the efficiency of public spaces, it is necessary to identify their effective parameters of socialization, and utilize them towards the future design or improvement of built environments. While the socio-cultural influence of a bazaar determines the development of human relationships around it, its environmental components are also effective in responding to ‘physical needs’ of a populace, that is, the provision of necessities such as food and clothing as well as repair services. The relationship between environmental, social and cultural elements is found to be the most influential factor in increasing the sociality of the public space. In order to analyze bazaar socialization, the research methodology employed in this article comprises a descriptive survey that uses Delphi and Q methodology. According to the results, six key factors were identified: activity-behavioural-movement (ABM) components, physical-functional qualities, enviornmental impacts, physical components (PCs), cultural values (CVs), social cohesion and integration, diversity and spatial attraction. Crucially, the study also finds that the socialization of space is formed through the interaction between human experiences in place and the prevailing cultural forms within it, that is, the regional customs, traditions and overall ‘way of life’ of the native populace. Therefore, the cultural features of urban spaces are another important factor in their development. Studying these factors opens the possibility for facilitating greater levels of interaction and participation in public spaces in a manner that also accommodates different groups of people and their varying subcultures.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-09-30T12:40:37Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320946004
  Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2020)
Book review: Surajit Chakravarty and Rohit Negi. Space, Planning and
Everyday Contestations in Delhi
- Authors: Darshini Mahadevia
  Pages: 342 - 345
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Volume 11, Issue 2, Page 342-345, September 2020.
  Surajit Chakravarty and Rohit Negi. Space, Planning and Everyday Contestations in Delhi (New Delhi: Springer India), 2016.
  DOI 10.1007/978-81-322-2154-8. ISBN 978-81-322-2153-1; ISBN 978-81-322-2154-8 (eBook).
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-09-30T12:40:38Z
  Issue No: Vol. 11, No. 2 (2020)
Methodological Dimensions of Delineating Peri-urban Areas: The Case of
Kolkata Metropolis
- Authors: Dinabandhu Mondal, Sucharita Sen
  First page: 183
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Ahead of Print.
  In the past few decades, due to urbanization and spatial expansion of cities beyond their municipal boundaries, complex interactions between the city and its surrounding rural areas have occurred, resulting in the formation of peri-urban spaces or zones of transition. There is a plurality of definitions for these peri-urban spaces, due to their diverse character in terms of land and water use, livelihood shifts, demographic and social transitions. Most peri-urban areas, specifically those around large metropolitan cities, are increasingly assuming complex characters, which call for governance structures beyond rural–urban binaries. For any administrative intervention of a serious nature in peri-urban areas, a standard methodology for demarcation of these spaces is required. This article is an attempt to develop and apply such a methodology beyond the existing ones, using government sources of data, in the case of Kolkata Metropolis. This article uses socio-economic and land-use characteristics to achieve this objective. It finds that peri-urban spaces do not necessarily develop uniformly around the city; instead, they are fragmented and could be located both near or relatively far from urban areas.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-08-23T09:23:54Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320938519
Neoliberal Urbanity and the Right to Housing of the Urban Poor in Dhaka,
Bangladesh
- Authors: Lutfun Nahar Lata
  First page: 218
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Ahead of Print.
  In Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh with a population of 18 million, nearly one-third are living under the threat of eviction without resettlement due to lack of tenure security. This occurs despite the Bangladesh government’s ratification of multiple international conventions as well as provisions within the national Constitution with regard to people’s rights. Within this context, drawing on Lefebvre’s theorization of space and using the right to the city (RTC) framework, this article explores the urban poor’s right to housing in the context of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Findings suggest that the local and central government officials categorize slum dwellers as encroachers and criminals, who pose a direct threat to an orderly, clean and green city. Hence, they cannot be allowed to exist in the city. Additionally, the state has shifted the development of land and housing markets to real estate developers, following a neoliberal economic model. Consequently, a few powerful developers control Dhaka’s land and housing markets, only supplying housing for the growing middle class. Access to these houses is far beyond poor people’s reach. Thus, the urban poor’s housing rights are denied both by the state and by the market in Dhaka.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-08-19T06:08:47Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320938520
Slum Rehabilitation Through Public Housing Schemes in India: A Case of
Chandigarh
- Authors: Namita Gupta, Kavita
  First page: 231
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Ahead of Print.
  It is a widely accepted fact that sustainable development cannot be achieved without sustainable human settlements. Cities cannot be made sustainable without ensuring access to adequate and affordable housing to all and improving informal settlements. According to the Census of India (2011), 13.75 million urban households, that is, 65–70 million people live in informal settlements and about 1.77 million people were homeless in India. The goal of sustainable cities cannot be fulfilled with such a large number of populations still being deprived of their basic right to adequate housing. Chandigarh is one of the first planned cities of modern India and has the second highest percentage (89.8%) of urban population to its total population among all the states and union territories in India. This article endeavours to analyse the adequacy and affordability of public housing for urban poor in the Union Territory of Chandigarh.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-08-23T09:23:55Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320938536
Extending Urban Development on Water: Jakarta Case Study
- Authors: Rukuh Setiadi, Joerg Baumeister, Paul Burton, Johanna Nalau
  First page: 247
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Ahead of Print.
  This article introduces the concept of ‘Sea Cities’ to emphasize a range of tactics to acknowledge the relationship between the sea and cities. This concept is critical for the possibility of integrating future aquatic-based urbanism to address climate change, and in particular, the issue of rising sea levels, which is currently faced by the majority of coastal cities. We compare and assess the tactics of four sea cities (i.e., to fortify, accommodate, release, and floating) against the case study of Jakarta. Jakarta is deemed to be among the metropolitan cities most vulnerable to sea level rise, owing to overpopulation alongside the fact that its land is sinking rapidly due to massive urban development. In order to understand the prospects and pitfalls of each tactic for Jakarta, we analyse scholarly literature on the subject, official government reports and documents, as well as policy briefs released by governments at the national level. This study finds that massive hard structural solutions are not only insufficient but also ineffective towards solving the challenges of climate change in Jakarta, especially the rising sea level. At the same time, it also identifies that while the combination of accommodating and floating tactics has never been considered as future a planning option, this could enable more resilient and adaptive solutions for the future development trajectory of Jakarta. In doing so, it could also provide important transferrable lessons for other coastal cities, especially those within developing countries.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-08-23T09:23:56Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320938539
Role of Psychosocial Factors in Effective Design of Solid Waste Management
Programmes: Evidence from India
- Authors: Vidya Pratap, Maurya Dayashankar, Seena Biju
  First page: 266
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Ahead of Print.
  The critical need for behavioural change for effective solid waste management is well known. However, policies and programmes continue to underemphasize this crucial component in their design, especially in developing countries such as India. Further, empirical research on the psychosocial factors in solid waste management in developing countries is limited, including within India, where a large national programme for solid waste management is currently being implemented. Using a household survey based on the theory of planned behavioural change, we examine the psychosocial factors towards household waste segregation. We find that more than knowledge and attitude, consequences to behaviour play a critical role in intention as well as actual behaviour towards household waste segregation. Based on our findings, we draw implications for redesigning the national programme and contribute to empirical evidence on the role of psychosocial factors in solid waste management in the context of developing countries.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-08-23T09:23:57Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320938518
Consumption of Green Product as a Means of Expressing Green Behaviour in
an Emerging Economy: With the Case Study of Malaysia
- Authors: Osarodion Ogiemwonyi, Amran Bin Harun
  First page: 297
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Ahead of Print.
  This article examines ‘green products’ as a means of expressing ‘green behaviour’ in an emerging economy. The empirical evidence focused on green awareness, behaviour and green culture as a contributing factor. A self-administered questionnaire was run to collect data from consumers (n = 280) approximately 93 per cent of urbanite in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. SmartPLS3.0 was used to analyse the measurement and structural model assessment. Findings suggest that attitude and the green culture had a higher influence on green behaviour. However, the evaluation of green behaviour is not dependent on economic development. Perceived behavioural control (PBC) was found to be insignificant among Malaysian citizens. In particular, awareness interaction between behaviour and culture were insignificant, not sufficient to predict behaviour. The study suggested it is important to educate Malaysian citizens from grassroots about the significance of environmental education and put forward actions to improve green behaviour status and promote green marketing.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-08-23T09:23:56Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320938538
Housing Affordability of Ready-made Garment Workers in the Dhaka
Metropolitan Area
- Authors: Shahana Sultana, Nurul Islam Nazem
  First page: 313
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Ahead of Print.
  Generally, it is assumed that the poor in cities cannot afford to own a house. Thus, real estate developers hardly consider them as potential buyers. Despite the fact that the government has framed favourable policies towards housing the poor, the poor cannot own houses due to the inadequacy of institutional supports. This study examines the affordability of owned or rental accommodation for the poor, taking ready-made garment (RMG) workers in Dhaka as a case in point. Data from across 138 households have been gathered for this study. The study shows that if the rent increases further than the minimum standard for a dwelling unit, then about half of the RMG households become unable to afford their rental houses. An analysis of home ownership shows that only 28 per cent of families can buy a house of 300 sq. ft. on the basis of existing loan structures, and only if the loan covers the total property value, particularly at the periphery of the city area. If the loan structure for housing finance is changed by lowering the interest rate and increasing the loan repayment period, then more workers would be able to afford to own a small house of moderate standard.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-08-23T09:23:55Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320938581
A Pilot Test to Analyse the Differences of Pedestrian Thermal Comfort
Between Locals and Internationals in Malacca Heritage Site
- Authors: Golnoosh Manteghi, Tasneem Mostofa, Hasanuddin Bin Lamit
  First page: 326
  Abstract: Environment and Urbanization ASIA, Ahead of Print.
  The present study aims to establish a correlation between the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and subjective thermal sensation in the Tropics, assessing their impact on local as well as international pedestrians. The pilot test was conducted in six scenarios in the Malacca region of Malaysia. The RayMan model calculated the PET, which is further used to synthetically evaluate the thermal environment for six scenarios, each with a different river width and pavement material. The independent t-test and regression analysis determined the correlation between human thermal comfort acceptability and the thermal environment indices of outdoor spaces. Most of the outdoor thermal comfort assessments have been carried out focusing on local urban residents, while the same assessments on tourists are limited. This research provides necessary insight into the perception of outdoor microclimatic conditions in the Malacca heritage area and also identifies the perception on a few important psychological factors of these two demographic groups. An awareness of such issues would be fruitful for architects, planners and urban designers engaged in the process of designing and planning tourist destinations.
  Citation: Environment and Urbanization ASIA
  PubDate: 2020-09-15T09:40:56Z
  DOI: 10.1177/0975425320946311