Building Understanding
Regional Spatial Justice: Role of Urban Typologies Surrounding Core City in Kolkata Urban Agglomeration View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Tazyeen Alam
Cultural awareness and inclusive city design increase urban health and well-being. Mesoscale urban planning studies have gotten less attention than macroscale ones, where urban forms are dense, diverse, and multilayered. This is particularly true in India. India's economy ranks fifth in the world despite major differences in social stratification, built space quality, and infrastructure facilities. Per-capita income varies widely throughout the country. This study examines the urban typologies of three major municipalities on the southern fringe of the Kolkata Urban Agglomeration. Visual analysis and a reconnaissance survey of five urban typologies in the research regions are used to compare them. Ancient preliminary settlements near an old water body, slums along suburban railway networks and near older industries, industrial zones along rivers or on agricultural lands of urban fringes, and housing complexes in the outer peripheries or peri-urban areas of emerging urban centres facilitate urban growth and expansion. The results show that the population's economic characteristics differ from those of the central city in uniqueness and diversity. These distinctions stem from the region's strange social layers. Thus, the research examines KUA's urban typologies and socioeconomic systems. Comparing them as they go out from the hub city is the main reason it resonates with regional spatial justice. Thus, the research helps policymakers, engineers, urban designers, and planners understand urban form circumstances in KUA's environs and develop sustainable urban management policies, techniques, and initiatives. Planning and managing rising urban centres in developing countries with climatically susceptible and eco-sensitive zones will be easier.
Investing in the Future: A Comparative Analysis of Green Technology and Youth Unemployment in the U.S. and South Africa View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Malcolm Roy Weaich
This paper elucidates the intricate relationship between green technology investments and youth unemployment rates in the United States and South Africa. The objective is to discern whether sustainable investments can serve as a catalyst for youth employment, thereby fostering economic resilience. Utilizing a comparative analysis of secondary statistical data from the World Bank, the research employs advanced statistical methods, including to scrutinize the data for correlations over a 17-year period. The study adopts a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating economic theory and sustainability metrics. Findings: The research reveals a moderate correlation and multiple partial correlations between green technology investments and youth unemployment rates. It identifies potential avenues for policy intervention, suggesting that targeted investments could yield different outcomes, improving youth employment whilst creating sustainable entrepreneurial frameworks. The study uses secondary data. Future research should focus on expanding the dataset and exploring the impact of government policies on the variables in question. The findings underscore the need for a nuanced approach to sustainable investment, emphasizing that while green technology may directly hinder youth unemployment, it could serve as a component of a broader economic strategy. The paper offers a novel perspective on the intersection of sustainability and economic development, particularly in the context of youth unemployment. It serves as a foundational study for policymakers, academics, and investors interested in sustainable economic growth.
Stakeholder and Social Network Analysis for Understanding Forest (Fire) Management: A Contribution Based on a Systematic Literature Review
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Cláudia Fernandes, Alexandra Polido
In Portugal, besides the increase in the recurrence and intensity of rural wildfires, some constraints related to the management system of rural fires are pointed out as reasons for the narrow successful operationalization of fire management policies. Some of the factors are related to the fact that the system is based upon multiple organizations, structures, and stakeholders, probably enhancing tensions, conflicts, and poor communication. In this vein, we conducted a systematic literature review to unveil how Stakeholder Analysis (SA) and Social Network Analysis (SNA) have been addressed by European studies focusing on forests and, particularly, wildfires. The 36 articles selected, were subjected to a descriptive analysis and a thematic analysis (quantitative and qualitative) considering several dimensions. In the purpose and aim of the reviewed papers, our findings are in line with natural resources management literature: SA was mainly used to understand the existing system (stakeholders` perception) for supporting policy- and decision-making processes; SNA was principally used to understand the existing system (networks, their relationships and interactions) for support policy- and decision-making processes; SA combined with SNA was mainly used to develop a method (to identify and classify stakeholders) for supporting policy- and decision-making processes and participatory processes. In light of that and other relevant findings, a methodology approach is being designed to understand the networking and patterns of interactions of diverse actors and institutions of the Integrated Wildland Fire Management System. This work is funded by Portuguese national funds through FCT (PhD (SFRH/BD/147416/2019) and ShareFOREST project (PCIF/GRF/0050/2019)).
