Fourteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

As urban populations rapidly increase in an era of climate change and multiple social and environmental uncertainties, scientists and governments are cultivating knowledge and solutions for the sustainable growth and maintenance of cities. In this light, our study leverages a qualitative content analysis of news media and interviews to expose if well-established sustainability principles are evoked during the nascent discourse of recently proposed urban waterway developments along forty-five miles of Arizona’s Salt River. Possible developments could incorporate the landscape alongside human use, increase residential wellbeing, and provide multiple uses of natural resources. Alternatively, they could cause community, political, and environmental harm in the name of economic development. Therefore, understanding which principles are or are not adopted as these propositions move from ideas to development not only connects theory to practice, but carries powerful implications for Phoenix’s future and other cities conducting restorations amidst rapid population growth.