The Bartlett Development Planning Unit

dpuISSUE 63 April news2018

In this issue: On climate change, risk and relocation See Focus on, page 2 Focus on On climate change, risk and relocation By Cassidy Johnson1

Climate change brings a particular set of heavier rainfall that can contribute to flash too expensive (Johnson et al, 2016). challenges for cities in the global south. The flooding, higher water tables and landslides As these examples illustrate, the manner people most affected are the poor living in places where there is inadequate drainage in which risk is defined, and by whom, in hazard-exposed locations or areas with infrastructure. Droughts can make water has a bearing on decisions about how to inadequate provision for basic services. scarcer and more expensive. Sea level rise approach risk mitigation. Risk is essentially Resettlement from high-risk areas has been can permanently inundate once habitable a subjective concept and the threshold considered a possible disaster risk reduction areas. Wind patterns are changing and, in of tolerable risk varies by circumstance. strategy in response to increased natural some places, becoming more intense. These Research suggests that individuals accept hazard risks and disasters brought on by impacts can lead to both intensive and a certain level of risk in their lives as urbanisation and climate change (Correa et smaller-scale disasters. necessary to avail themselves of certain al. 2011). However, as this piece will argue, For most people, disasters are not the benefits; benefit and risk have a directly the implementation of resettlement is rarely greatest threat, but rather an amplification proportional relationship: the higher the successful because more often than not it of their daily struggles. People live with benefit/need, the more willing individuals occurs in a top-down manner that fails to ‘tolerable risks’ to maximise the benefits will be to accept risk. Individuals take consider people’s view of risks and how of a certain location. The poorest live in calculated risks based on the amount of these are interwoven with people’s values areas exposed to hazards not by choice, information they have and their experiences and daily needs. Disaster risks need to be but because they are balancing the need in similar situations. considered as intrinsic to everyday life. for shelter against that for livelihood or Simply put, risk is indicated by the Recent DPU research on urban risk and employment opportunities, and the threat equation Risk = Hazard x Vulnerability/ relocation has looked at these issues and of a disaster may not be the highest priority. Capacity to act. But who decides the put into practice bottom-up methods of At some point there may be a tipping threshold of risk that is too great to bear? defining risk and risk mitigation strategies. point—maybe a disaster—that urges people What methodology do authorities use in Climate change is expected to impact to move of their own volition, or their their calculations in situations of potential on people living in urban areas in various circumstances change so that they no longer resettlement? There are two specific ways, and compounds the already existing need to ‘tolerate the risks.’ elements at play here, one is around power, problem of urban risk. The term ‘urban For example, in the Msasani and and which people or organisations have the risk’ covers a wide spectrum of risks that are Mtambani neighbourhoods of Dar es power to make decisions or take action, and created through the process of urbanisation Salaam, Tanzania, DPU research showed secondly, how those in power measure or – the concentration of people and assets that community members identify crime perceive risk. in places that are vulnerable to hazards. and poor solid waste management as being Legal and policy frameworks are Risks are usually not uniform across a the greatest risks, even though they live important elements in how governments city; they are concentrated specifically in areas highly prone to flooding (Ndeze, define and act on risks. Acceptability of in areas exposed to natural hazards such 2017). In Karonga, a small urban centre in societal risks has long been quantified when as steep slopes and flood plains, and Northern Malawi, community members it comes to engineering and geoscience in neighbourhoods lacking adequate identify hunger, floods, disease/epidemics practices, such as dam safety, flood hazards, infrastructure and services. Research shows and drought as the greatest risks (Manda or nuclear power plants. Each country that losses from the big intensive disaster and Wanda, 2017). The Bwaise and Natete defines its own set of risk acceptability, such events, such as earthquakes and volcanic neighbourhoods in Kampala, Uganda, as the UK’s National Risk Register of Civil eruptions, are actually eclipsed by the losses based in the low-laying wetlands of the Emergencies, based on scientific evidence from smaller or ‘everyday’ events, such city, are highly flood-prone. People tolerate and expert knowledge. The insurance as urban flooding, fires, traffic accidents, the almost daily occurrence of flooding industry routinely calculates risk to provide pollution, eviction and ill health from water during the rainy season because they have coverage for their clients while earning a and foodborne illnesses (United Nations, security of tenure in these areas, and life is profit (Nalla, 2017). 2015). The impacts of climate change come also affordable. However, it doesn’t mean When it comes to coping with natural on top of the already existing disasters that that people wouldn’t want to move if they hazards and the impacts of climate change many people in cities face. had the means. One family, who had lived on those living in informal settlements, Whilst cities in high-income nations with the flooding for many years, finally planning authorities and related government are more able to manage the effects of reached a tipping point when the mother agencies are too often seeking to reduce climate change, cities in many middle fell down in a torrent of water, and almost disaster risks by moving people, typically and low-income nations have very large drowned. They moved to a new location after a disaster, from hazard-exposed infrastructure deficits that make hazards for a couple of years, but eventually came locations. Many international funding and climate change much more difficult back and rebuilt their house on higher agencies as well as national and local to withstand. Climate change can bring foundations, because the rent elsewhere was governments simplistically assume

2 DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 Right: Settlement adjacent to Kintom landfill site, Freetown. Photo by E. Osuteye. resettlement is a stand-alone tool for disaster risk management, an approach aided by legal and policy frameworks. For example, the concept of ‘un-mitigable risk areas’ in Colombia and Peru and ‘untenable’ areas in India, present visions of risk based on specific methodologies that are acted on by local level institutional actors. The data used for such decisions offers a limited view of risk and the risk mitigation options available. It underestimates adaptation strategies adopted by people living in hazard-prone areas. These laws are rigid, and often place too much power in the hands of the few (Jain et al., 2017). In Peru, new laws2 enable the regional and national governments to declare ‘un- mitigable’ risk areas. A ‘high un-mitigable risk’ area is defined as “a zone where the probability exists that the population and its livelihoods will suffer damage and loss because of the impact of events and where the implementation of mitigation measures leads to greater costs and complexity than relocating housing and urban infrastructure” (in Lavell, 2015). The methodology for defining un- mitigable risk is a calculation of the probability of natural hazards in a specific area based on frequency and magnitude, as well the vulnerability of people and structures, defined by exposure, fragility and resilience. There are parameters built into the methodology that defines the levels of property would be part of an organised relocation to other redevelopment/vacant high risk, medium risk and low risk, but the resettlement, but it is not clear what sites, preferably within the same zone.” ultimate value depends on the calculation happens when someone does not want to Un-tenable slums are those considered made by the assessor and experts. The final take part in the process, or what options to be located on major storm water or decision about whether to resettle people non-poor inhabitants have, such as those other drains, railway lines, to impede major is taken by the authorities, and does not in Belén, Peru, who have protested against transport alignment, the beds of rivers or directly include perspectives of the people their resettlement (Caceres, 2017). water bodies, or to exist in other hazardous who are to be resettled (Caceras, 2017). In India, ‘un-tenable’ is a term often or objectionable areas, including in close The recent nature of all these measures and used to justify moving people from areas proximity to high tension lines. However, criteria makes it impossible to judge their deemed to be hazardous. According to it is argued that a robust methodology efficacy at present. But, what is known is the guidelines of the Rajiv Awas Yojana for measuring tenability is not universally that the law assumes that the population is (RAY) slum improvement programme, applied, although suggestions for such a in agreement with being resettled, which “Untenable slums/vacant lands will be only methodology have been developed.3 As may not be the case (Lavell, 2015). The those which are a ‘safety’ or ‘health hazard’ low-income households build dwellings and law states that only prioritised populations to the inhabitants or their neighbourhoods, settlements over time, in-situ upgrading is who don’t have the means to move by even if redeveloped. Such untenable often rejected by public authorities arguing themselves and who do not own any other sites or portions will be earmarked for that the community is ‘untenable’ not

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because of any hazard but because they do Hudhud in 2014, they have not received aid Kampala’s low-lying wetland areas, which not adhere to the minimum development or government help, which was available are prone to daily flooding during the rainy control norms or service level benchmarks in the past in their previous location (Jain, season, are based on their considerations (Bhan, Anand & Harish, 2014). Yet, our 2016). of the costs of flood risk, mediated by the research shows that people who have Methodologies do exist that make opportunities that living in that location lived in locations that have been deemed residents’ own views of risk central to provide, as well as the ‘values’ that they ‘untenable’, for more than 5 years, tend to decision-making about resettlement. For place on those opportunities. ‘Value’ is develop adaptation strategies to deal with example, in 2013 a team from the University broader than financial measures, and those risks (Jain, 2016). The relocation of Leuven looked at people’s preferences therefore is difficult to measure using of such settlements should be avoided at for resettlement from the unstable slopes of top-down methodologies. For example, all costs as it tends to increase the socio- Mount Elgon, in eastern Uganda. This is an a dwelling is simultaneously a place of economic burden on people as well as the area where Uganda’s first disaster-induced security, an asset, a place to work from, city at large. resettlement scheme was implemented in and/or a drain on resources to maintain. For example, research by the Indian 2011 after a major landslide. The people Values change over time. For example, a Institute for Human Settlements looked at were resettled in Kiryandongo, several parcel of land can change value because Sevanagar Madhurvada, a slum settlement hundred kilometres away, but many people convert it from a commodity to an located on railway land in Visakhapatnam, returned to their homes of origin because inheritance – something that they purchased Andhra Pradesh. The Railways needed the there was no basic infrastructure, access to becomes a gift. In such a case, while the land and accepted the help of the Greater public health and safety or opportunities ‘market value’ has not gone away, the value Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation to establish livelihoods in the new of the land is understood within a different (GVMC) to evict the residents on the settlement. Vlaeminck’s (2016) research set of norms, expectations, obligations pretext of hazard reduction and ‘untenable’ showed that the conditions offered for and relationships and affects what can and status. Despite the legal battles between the resettlement could make a big difference cannot be done with the land. Viewed in residents and the Railways and GVMC, the in people’s decision-making. For example, this way, people’s decisions about relocation area has now been developed as a railway preference for relocation from landslide are based on a complex set of values that stadium. The residents were relocated more areas unsurprisingly tends to be greater go well beyond hazard, vulnerability and than 25 km northward to Madhurvada, for residents located in the steepest slope/ resilience. where there is limited access to physical, highest risk areas, when the compensation to DPU staff have been involved in a economic or social services. The difficult be given is greater (due to a larger land area), number of research projects working on outcomes of the eviction are being felt or if the location of resettlement is within community-driven visions of risk. From deeply by the residents. While they are the same district, rather than far away. our perspective, if those people who bear facing greater everyday challenges and also Our research in Kampala, Uganda the burden of risk have a say in identifying periodic major events, including the cyclone posited that one’s values have a good those risks and the levels that they are deal to do with how one sees staying or willing to tolerate against other trade-offs, Below: Building collapse due to strong winds, Karonga, moving (Marx et al., 2016). We identified and have the means to communicate this Malawi. Photo by D. Brown. that people’s decisions to remain living in to policymakers, this leads to a more just

4 DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 evaluation than alternative calculations. We is a subjective concept and will be defined Relocation Risks in Urban Areas. Available see a stronger community-led risk view differently across sectors of society and from: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/ as key to improving policy outcomes. It is science. Deciding on how to mitigate risks development/sites/bartlett/files/2_of_4_-_ the people who need to be identifying the from disaster and climate change requires a site_report_india_section_ii.pdf (accessed risks they face, and working together to collective understanding of the values that 18 March 2018). act on these. different people have and the current and Jain, G., Johnson, C., Lavell, A., To this end, Adriana Allen and future hazards in particular places. Better Lwasa, S., Oliver-Smith, A. & Wilkinson, Rita Lambert have developed the information on the risks people face, and E. (2017). ‘Risk-related resettlement ReMap Risk methodology and applied how the people affected see these risks and relocation in urban areas’. CDKN it in Lima, Peru as part of the CLima Sin is needed, through bottom-up ways of Essentials. Available from: https://cdkn. Riesgo project, and in Freetown, Sierra communicating risk. Science also has an org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/Risk- Leone and Karonga, Malawi, as part of important role to play, as there is a need to related-resettlement-CDKN.pdf (accessed the Urban ARK project. Cassidy Johnson communicate the biggest threats, now and 18 March 2018). and Emmanuel Osuteye have partnered in the future. Landslides, flash floods, and Johnson, C., Lwasa, S., Marx, C. & with the Centre for Community Initiatives worsening conditions from climate change Barrow, C. (2016). Uganda Site Level and Ardhi University in Dar es Salaam, may alter how residents see the problem. Report. Reducing Relocation Risks in Tanzania, to work with two communities 1 This article draws on research undertaken by a Urban Areas. Available from https://www. to identify the risks they face, to develop large team, including those that have contributed to the ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/development/sites/ action plans and to enter into a dialogue Reducing Relocation Risks project: Allan Lavell, Garima bartlett/files/wp2_site_level_dpu_report_ with local authorities about addressing Jain, Colin Marx, Shuaib Lwasa, Jose Carceres, Vineetha rev.pdf (accessed 18 March 2018). their needs, based on the ‘Action at the Nalla, and Charlotte Barrow. Lavell, A., Mansilla, E., Chavez, A., Frontline’ methodology, in the 2 http://www.cenepred.gob.pe/web/download/ Cardona, O.D. & Perez, M.P. (2015). AXA project. D.S.%20115-2013%20Rgto%20Reasentamiento.pdf Colombia, Peru & Mexico Diagnostic At the end of our project Reducing 3 https://counterview.org/2015/04/22/most-of-the- Report: Reducing Relocation Risks in Relocation Risks, we held a multi- slums-can-be-considered-tenable-and-hence-must-be- Urban Areas. Available from https://www. taken-up-for-in-situ-upgradation/ ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/development/sites/ stakeholder workshop in Quito with communities facing eviction, policymakers bartlett/files/diagnostic_flacso_english_ NOTE: involved in resettlement and researchers. spanish_v2.pdf (accessed 18 March 2018). The statement issued from participants This article draws on research from a Manda, M. & Wanda, E. (2017). in this workshop summarises well the number of DPU-led projects: ‘Understanding the nature and scale of arguments (Jain et al, 2017). • Reducing Relocation Risks with partners risks in Karonga, Malawi’. Environment Due to urbanisation processes, poverty Indian Institute for Human Settlements, and Urbanization, Vol. 29(1): 15-32. conditions, and climate change, the Latin American Social Science Faculty Marx, C., Lwasa, S., Johnson, C., potential numbers of people living in areas - FLACSO, and Makerere University, Barrow, C. & Kisembo, T. (2016). Uganda: exposed to risk is increasing. Relocation Uganda (www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/ Cost-benefit analysis. Reducing and resettlement are last-resort options; development/reducing-relocation-risk- Relocation Risks in Urban Areas. Available the priority is making safe land available urban-areas) from: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/bartlett/ for low-income populations, minimising • Metrics for Policy Action in Urban development/sites/bartlett/files/wp3_ new development on hazard-prone lands, Areas: Characterizing Risks Facing Low- cost_benefit_dpu_report_rev.pdf (Accessed and the integration of current and future income Groups (www.axa-research.org/ 18 March 2018). risks into development, land use and en/projects/cassidy-johnson) Nalla, V. (2017). ‘Risk Tolerance urban planning. This will reduce risks • Urban Africa Risk Knowledge and its influence on decision-making’. in the future. (Urban ARK) (www.urbanark.org) Forthcoming book chapter draft. Considering the high numbers • Clima Sin Riesgo Ndezi, T., Mkanga, M., Festo, D., of forced evictions in which risk (https://climasinriesgo.net/) Magambo, H. & Stephen, S. (2017). ‘Assessment of the everyday risk in exposure is used as a pretext to move References people out and to destroy their property, informal settlements: a case study of Bhan, G., Anand, G. & Harish, S. (2014). Bonde La Mpunga and Mtambani in Dar- there is a need for national safety-net ‘Policy approaches to Affordable es-Salaam’. Research Report by the Centre policies and procedures that are enforced Housing in Urban India: Problems and for Community Initiatives. and monitored. These policies and Possibilities’. Indian Institute for Human Vlaeminck, P., Maertens, M., Isabirye, procedures need to protect people’s Settlements, IIHS-Rockefeller Urban Policy M., Vanderhoydonks, F., Poesen, J., rights, and to ensure that due and just Partnership. Deckers, S. & Vranken, L. (2016). ‘Coping processes are followed. Caceras, J. (2017). Risk Tolerance with landslide risk through preventive Analysing disasters, urban risk and and its influence on decision-making. resettlement: Designing optimal climate change cannot be separated from Forthcoming book chapter draft. strategies through choice experiments for examining everyday life; these must be Correa, E., Ramirez, F. & Sanahuja, H. the Mount Elgon region, Uganda’. Land understood within the broader patterns (2011). Populations at risk of disaster: Use Policy, Vol.51: 301-311. of society. If one looks solely at risk a resettlement guide. Washington, DC: United Nations (2015). The 2015 Global mitigation, then resettlement may seem a World Bank. Assessment Report; Making Development good option. But given the choice, people Jain, G. (2016). India Site Report for Sustainable: The Future of Disaster Risk will rarely choose this resettlement. Risk Urban Risks and Resettlements. Reducing Management. Geneva: UNISDR.

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Book: ‘Housing in Developing Cities: and the need to address climate change and often neglected relationship between Experience and Lessons’ environmental sustainability. environmental justice and urban resilience, Patrick Wakely, a long-standing member of Patrick’s book offers a necessary bringing together an interdisciplinary and the DPU community, published the book historical account, in which questions intergenerational group of scholars to Housing in Developing Cities in January about the role of the state, partnerships, examine the contradictions and tensions this year. In no more than 160 pages, this participation, and the interaction between that play out in cities of the Global South concise book presents a challenging and informal and formal forms of urban through a series of empirically grounded necessary endeavour: to systematise the regulation and housing production are case studies spanning cities of Asia, Latin main aspects of almost seven decades of addressed; to do so, it presents well- America, Africa and Eastern Europe. housing approaches in a variety of countries. documented cases in Asia, Africa and Professor of Geography at King’s In Patrick’s words, “Drawing on alternative Latin America, at the same time that global College London, Mark Pelling, described paradigms and theoretical concepts, processes are discussed. Creating a dialogue it as “an impressively detailed and wide- and my own experience over some four between local and global urban and housing ranging collection of case studies that holds decades, emphasis is given to operational challenges lies at the core of DPU work, and urban resilience and environmental justice strategies for public sector engagement in this book will certainly help to frame that to account, providing a baseline for work urban housing delivery, maintenance and endeavour. aspiring to enhance justice and resilience in management.” the city.” Book: ‘Environmental Justice and Urban Resilience in the Global South’ Report on ‘Youth Engagement Edited by Adriana Allen, Liza Griffin and in London Planning (YELP): A Cassidy Johnson, this publication is collaboration between the MSc Urban the outcome of a rich intergenerational Development Planning and the Just conversation amongst members of the Space network’. Environmental Justice, Urbanisation Supported by a grant from the UCL Grand and Resilience (EJUR) DPU research Challenges of Sustainable Cities, in summer cluster. Susan Parnell, Professor of Urban 2017 DPU staff produced a ‘Youth Geography at the University of Cape Engagement in London Planning’ (YELP) Town, comments that “this timeous volume report. The document drew together does more than bring together a collection key learnings from an action-research of essays on issues of poverty, climate partnership between the DPU’s MSc Urban change and urban planning in the global Development Planning (UDP) programme south. The book knits together rich case (2016-2017) and the Just Space network, studies from across the world to speak, with the participation of community individually and collectively, to the urban groups Grove Park Neighbourhood Forum, sustainability nexus of power, injustice and PemPeople, Take Back the City along with the environment.” the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) The volume provides a fresh youth-focused Peer Outreach Team. perspective on the important yet The co-designed action research engaged community and youth groups across London to interrogate current processes for youth engagement in planning at different scales. The research sought ways such processes could be improved, extended and strengthened. This Discussing multiple cases, the book focus was framed by (1) a shared concern offers a comprehensive understanding of over the de facto exclusion of young people how ‘conventional’ and ‘non-conventional’ from formal planning processes, and (2) approaches to housing have been applied in the expectation that a new planning context different countries over the last decades. The (a newly elected Mayor with an explicit author is honest in saying that many of the manifesto for “a city for all Londoners”) historical accounts are presented “at the risk offered a small opportunity to revisit the of gross over-simplification”, but in doing terms of a meaningful engagement in the so is able to propose an interesting reflection making of London’s future. on how the roles of public and private The final YELP report recommended actors, community-based organisations, a number of measures to enhance youth NGOs and international agencies have engagement in London Planning, and can be evolved over time. Even if the book focuses downloaded from the DPU website. mainly on historical processes, towards the end it proposes a series of current challenges for housing: the need for city-scale strategies, for gender and multi-cultural perspectives,

6 DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 Book: ‘Seed Policies: Where, Why, Lugar Comum visit to the DPU Urban Design in Development (BUDD) and Who?’ From 9th to 15th February, the team from fieldtrip by delivering key methodological Diana Salazar led DPU’s participation the research group Lugar Comum from tools for community engagement and in the research project Political ecologies the Faculty of Architecture of the Federal theoretical inputs related to urban design of seed cultivation in Colombia. This University of Bahia (UFBa) in Salvador and planning in development in transitional collaboration between the DPU, Sergio (Brazil) visited the DPU to discuss their contexts. The recent opening of Myanmar Arboleda University and the NGO Semillas collaboration with the team from the has brought economic growth as well resulted in the publication of the book MSc Social Development Practice (SDP) as increasing inequality, and institutions Leyes de semilla: Dondé, cómo y por qué? programme. Gloria Cecília Figueiredo, face huge challenges in such a transitional (Seed Policies: Where, How and Why?). The Gaia Gabriela Leandro Pereira and Ana moment. The training helped to challenge research, presented at the RGS-IBG Annual Fernandes joined Alexandre Apsan orthodox development agendas, and to Conference 2015, offered an analysis of the Frediani, Julian Walker, Andrea Rigon and explore and test enabling and participatory implications of the seed certification system Federica Risi to discuss the SDP fieldtrip approaches to development through action and its consequences in Colombia. activities in Salvador and to organise a research. The workshop and training The book, which includes a foreword fieldtrip of Brazilian students and staff was conducted in collaboration between by Vanesa Castán Broto and contributions to London in September 2018. The DPU DPU (Giovanna Astolfo, Camillo Boano, from multidisciplinary authors, explores the organised meetings with key community Catalina Ortiz), YTU (Ma Pwint, San San groups to start sharing experiences of Moe, Jayde Roberts), Silpakorn University housing struggles in Salvador and London. (Supitcha Tovivich), Architects Association Meetings included a conversation with of Myanmar (Ma Wah Wah), Community Just Space representatives; a visit to the Architects Network (Witee Wisuthumporn), Community Land Trust initiative at St Bithukar Community Platform, DPU/ Clement’s in Mile End with representatives ACHR/CAN interns (Saptarshi Mitra and from London Community Land Trust and Shoko Sakuma). The East London Citizens Organisation The workshop Leveraging Heritage (TELCO); and a visit to Deptford to meet for Sustainable Urban Development in its neighbourhood forum and discuss their Yangon, held at Yangon Heritage Trust neighbourhood planning process. Their (YHT) between 16th-17th February, visit ended with a presentation by the brought together heritage experts, urban team sharing the activities of the research and transport planners, and academics group Lugar Comum in a Dialogues in from Yangon, Mandalay, Bangkok and Development event at the DPU. London, to reflect upon participatory and equitable transport-oriented development (TOD) in Yangon. Funded by UCL’s Global Engagement Funds the workshop had a threefold objective: to promote strategic partnerships between UCL- DPU staff and local institutions around heritage, urban planning and development; to contribute to institutional capacity building; and to explore avenues towards long-term research agenda for a UCL- tension between the positive law—making Myanmar strategy. It was coordinated obligatory the use of certified seeds—and Above: Lugar Comum: planning for Salvador. by DPU’s Catalina Ortiz with Giovanna the natural law enforced by traditional Photo by DPU. Astolfo jointly with Yangon Heritage Trust practices of food production at small (YHT) and in collaboration with: Yangon and medium scales, from four different Technological University (YTU), Association perspectives: history, ethics, social and of Myanmar Architects (AMA), Women ecological struggles, and the networks of DPU contributes to the debate on for the World (WfW), Silpakorn University production. Yangon’s urban challenges Bangkok, and with the involvement of local Diana’s chapter, ‘Learning from the The workshop People-centred design held Institutional representatives of Yangon City Agrarian Summit in Colombia: The power at Yangon Technological University (YTU) Development Committee (YCDC), Yangon of local seeds’, is a critical analysis of the from 13th to 15th February 2018, funded Regional Government and JICA. Professor unusual strategic alliances from different by UCL’s Global Engagement Funds and Marie Lall (UCL’s Pro-Vice-Provost social organisations and movements who DPU’s TAS funds, was aimed at building for South Asia) joined the workshop to came together for the Agrarian Summit, the capacity of young professionals and introduce UCL-Myanmar research strategy. exploring their strategies, strengths and staff to understand and engage with In addition, the inception meeting challenges. The book is freely available current urban challenges, in particular low- for the 4th wave of the DPU/ACHR/ online under a creative commons license: income communities’ housing problems. CAN internship programme of young http://repository.usergioarboleda.edu.co/ The workshop also prepared students professionals took place, attended handle/11232/1009. for the forthcoming MSc Building and by representatives from the hosting

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organizations: Women for the World in in February 2018, which focused on how Yangon, Myanmar and Sevenatha Urban to redress these science-policy interaction Resource Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka and limits in the Africa context, but also on DPU Alumni Ruchika Lall, Shoko Sakuma what cutting-edge practices the African and Saptarshi Mitra. The meeting sparked context can contribute to the global urban discussions of the challenges of scaling governance landscape. up people-centred development initiatives. With this series of activities, a multi-layered Right and below: People-centred design workshop. engagement has been fostered addressing Yangon. Photo by DPU/YTU. capacity building, research, and career opportunities simultaneously.

Nature sustainability expert panel Over the last year, Adriana Allen participated in a Nature Sustainability Expert Panel on Urban Science, led by Michele Acuto at the City Leadership Lab at UCL, Susan Parnell from the University of Cape Town and Karen C. Seto from Yale University and assembled with the support of UCL Grand Challenges for Sustainable Cities. Gathering 30 internationally-recognised experts on urban research and seeking to understand the role of science in the future of cities and urban politics, the panel examined challenges, opportunities and practical policy pathways to facilitate a more effective, accessible and sustainable science-policy interface in and for cities. A commentary produced by the chairs from this conversation is available in the inaugural issue of Nature Sustainability [https://www. nature.com/articles/s41893-017-0013-9] Engaging with a set of panel experts and co-chairs, Adriana Allen joined a roundtable at the African Centre for Cities International Conference held in Cape Town

Staff News

Le-Yin Zhang has been awarded a visiting position as Graduate Teaching Assistant for Communications Officer for the research fellowship by the International the MSc ESD. ‘Knowledge in Action for Urban Equality’ Institute of Green Finance, the Central We welcome UDP alumnus Elizabeth (KNOW) research project, led by Prof Caren University of Finance and Economy, Paik as the new GTA for UED. Levy, while Camila Cocina Varas, Emmanuel Beijing, China. This will enable her to spend Kamna Patel welcomed baby Gaia. Osuteye, Chris Yap and Julia Wesely have up to two months with the institute in 2018 Vidya Pancholi was hired as maternity been appointed Research Associates. to explore green finance development in cover for Kamna’s MSc Development Ingrid Olivo returned to the DPU in China. Administration (DAP) module. Alexander October 2017 as a post-doctoral fellow, Donald Brown joins the DPU as a MacFarlane welcomed baby Nico. sponsored by the Urban Studies Foundation. teaching fellow and has been teaching on Marco Giani has taken over from Prof Originally from El Salvador, Ingrid the BUDD and ESD programmes this Antonio Estache as the tutor of the module completed her MSc at the DPU in 2001 and academic year. ‘Introduction to Public Economics and her doctoral research in urban planning at We welcome back Diana Salazar who Public Policy’. Columbia University in 2015. has returned from maternity leave to her David Heymann has been appointed

8 DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 Research

Julio D Dávila’s involvement in action DPU and SLURC launch research Preliminary findings point to explosive research in Havana, Cuba continues with project on participatory neighbourhood growth in green bonds issuance from an interdisciplinary collaborative research planning 2016 in China and close collaboration programme involving successive projects The second flagship research project of and mutual learning between the UK and comprising academics from CUJAE the Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre and China in developing the green bonds (Havana University of Technology), (SLURC), launched in February 2017, aims market at home and in championing green UCL and the Open University (UK). to examine the extent to which participatory finance globally. Nevertheless, significant Starting with an initial exploratory visit in neighbourhood planning has the potential barriers remain for UK businesses and late 2013, the overall aim of the current to play a role in making urban development institutions if they are to be more deeply project is to strengthen the ‘vision’ that in Freetown more inclusive and equitable. involved in and to benefit from the guides the city’s urban mobility policy Alexandre Apsan Frediani is coordinating expansion of the green bond market in through a participatory process involving the project with SLURC Co-director Joseph China. While some of these barriers are citizens and institutions at different scales, Macarthy. The project has been developed related specifically to the green bond from the national government to local and is being implemented in partnership market, others are more deeply rooted in residents and elected ward representatives. with the Federation of the Urban and systemic rule differences. The Cuban research team works closely Rural Poor of Sierra Leone, who see this with the local transport and municipal initiative as feeding into their struggles AXA Project facilitates international authorities, as well as engaging active local towards securing tenure in Freetown. The workshop on urban risks in Africa community participation. Funding sources project is also part of the partnership with The AXA project Risk in informal have included UCL, the UK Government’s Architecture Sans Frontières-UK, who has settlements: community knowledge for Foreign and Commonwealth Office and sent a field volunteer to support research policy action, led by Cassidy Johnson the Ford Foundation. As part of this activities. and Emmanuel Osuteye, facilitated an project, in February 2018 Prof Jorge Peña The project is an action research international workshop on ‘Urban Risk Diaz, from CUJAE, gave a lecture at the initiative, which intends to develop two in Africa’ on 21st February 2018 in Dar DPU entitled ‘Havana: Exceptions and neighbourhood plans through the ASF- es Salaam, Tanzania. This event brought Epitomes’. UK Change by Design methodology in the together researchers from UCL, Kings More information, including a short informal settlements of Cockle Bay and College London (KCL), University film on a participatory workshop held Dwarzack. The researchers from SLURC of Cape Town (UCT), the Centre for in the Los Sitios ward, at: http://cuba- are collecting data during the process, to Community Initiatives Tanzania (CCI) research-network.net/havana-sustainable- explore the current as well as the potential and the International Council for Local mobility/ impact of the methodology in bringing Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) to about opportunities for a more inclusive and equitable process of urban development. So far, the team has set up a steering committee in each settlement with key local representatives. Also, a local advisory committee was set up, formed by key actors from the Freetown City Council, national ministries and civil society organisations.

Collaborative development of green bonds market in China and the UK Le-Yin Zhang held a grant between 1 Above: AXA project workshop, Dar es Salaam. Photo October 2016 and 30 September 2017 E. Osuteye. from the British Academy International Partnership and Mobility Scheme on reflect on their findings. In the context the Collaborative development of green of Dar es Salaam, the workshop engaged bonds market in China and the UK in a range of stakeholders and practitioners cooperation with Yan Yanming of the (leading urban planners, community leaders, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences. Key local researchers, NGOs, policy-makers activities under the grant included running and scientists working in the city and a workshop on ‘Green Finance and the internationally) to exchange experiences and UK-China Collaboration’ in London and discuss the knowledge gaps and challenges conducting field research in Shanghai and that need to be addressed for cities to Hangzhou, China. The workshop attracted become more resilient. speakers from a range of high-profile In addition to the DPU’s AXA project, London-based organisations including the the presentations were drawn from the Bank of England, Bank of China, Climate UCT- and KCL-led components of the Above: Havana. Bonds Initiative, the HM Treasury and the Urban Africa Risk Knowledge project Photos by J. Dávila. London Stock Exchange, as well as other (Urban ARK) exploring governance spaces leading academic and financial institutions. between local community actors and

DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 9 Research

organisations in addressing urban risks alignment with the current debate about The UCLP project was part of a wider and their impact on health. ICLEI also rethinking humanitarian practice, together initiative funded by the UK Department for presented projects on the management of with a critique of humanitarian urbanism, International Development (DFID) called nature within fast-growing cities and the the two-year initiative (in partnership with the Urban Crises Learning Fund and was regions surrounding them (INTERACT- Oxfam, the ODI and UCL) includes, among managed by the International Institute for Bio), and mainstreaming biodiversity and others, a report by the DPU’s Camillo Boano Environment and Development (IIED). ecosystem services into land use planning and Ricardo Martén, Think Urban and Learn and local government decision-making from the City: Exploring Urban Dimensions Refugee Self-Reliance and processes around urban river systems of Humanitarianism; and a piece entitled Humanitarian Action in Cities: Book (UNA-Rivers). ‘Learning from Crisis’ Humanitarian Formula: launch with Save the Children One direct output of the lively debates Bridging Disaster and Normality’, written In February, the book Making Lives: from the workshop was a commitment by DPU alumnus Estella Carpi. The paper Refugee Self-Reliance and Humanitarian by the researchers to produce a series of challenges us to articulate what we mean by Action in Cities, was launched at UCL four short policy briefings to be delivered ‘learning’, while examining the conditions with the presence of Gareth Owen, to the various Municipal Directorates in necessary for change if learning is to take OBE, the Humanitarian Director of Dar es Salaam (in the five municipalities place from crises. The series includes several Save the Children. The book is one of of Ilala, Kinondoni, Temeke, Ubungo other reports that reflect on the learning the outputs of an innovative research and Kigamboni). These were also to be experience of the partners in Haiti and partnership where Dr Estella Carpi was disseminated more broadly through the Bangladesh. both a Research Associate at the DPU offices of the other stakeholders present. All the different resources are available and a Humanitarian Affairs Advisor This targeted approach of engaging the at https://www.habitatforhumanity.org. Municipal Directorates as policymakers uk/what-we-do/disaster-response/uclp/. and change agents was well-received by The reports encourage humanitarian their representatives who attended the agencies to recognise the importance of workshop. including local authorities and integrating urban infrastructure into their programmes Rethinking humanitarian practice in when intervening in crisis-affected settings, moments of urban crisis and develop a deeper and more nuanced As part of the Urban Crises Learning understanding and analysis of the urban Partnership, a series of outputs have been context: its infrastructure, services and released addressing the need for preparing systems, segregation and fragmentation, and responding to crises in urban areas. In informal and community-based networks.

at Save the Children. The booked was co-edited by Juliano Fiori from Head of Studies at Save the Children and Andrea Rigon. The book focuses on refugee self-reliance in the cities that are home to a growing number of displaced people. It explores the socio-economic practices of refugees and host communities, the challenges faced by refugees in gaining access to labour markets, and the ways in which humanitarian actors, often in collaboration with city authorities, seek to promote refugee livelihoods. This book is the outcome of a collaboration between the Humanitarian Affairs Team at Save the Children, the DPU, and the Jindal School of International Affairs in India. The E-book can be freely downloaded on the project website, refugeesinthecity.org, and requests for hard copies can be sent to [email protected].

10 DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 Connections

Theresa Maria Abrassart (BUDD 2016- monitoring and evaluation, and impact is now conducting PhD research at the 17) has been working since October 2017 investment. She is now planning to apply to UCL Centre for Urban Sustainability and as a disaster risk management (DRM) the German services to become a diplomat. Resilience on urban green infrastructure analyst focused on sub-Saharan Africa as and its challenges in reducing social and After graduating, Dinar Dwi Prasetyo (DAP part of the World Bank’s Social, Urban, environmental vulnerability in dense urban 2016-17) worked as a research assistant Rural and Resilience Global Practice and its areas. at the Faculty of Administrative Science, Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Universitas Indonesia before joining the Sandra Pertek (SDP 2010-12) has recently Recovery. The overall Africa DRM program SMERU Research Institute as a researcher. been awarded a PhD studentship to development objective is to support His work has focused on gender, livelihoods research sexual and gender-based violence vulnerable countries in the Africa region in and return migration to Indonesia. in refugee contexts and humanitarian their efforts to better manage climate and SMERU focuses on areas of social and responses. Her research will build on the disaster risks and strive toward disaster- economic research that are of fundamental work that she has been doing at Islamic resilient and climate smart development at importance to contemporary development Relief, since she left the DPU, as a Senior regional and national levels. issues in Indonesia. Gender Policy Advisor. Vitoria Faoro (BUDD 2016-17) recently Leen Ataya (DAP 2015-16) has a new Rocío Andrade Castro (UDP 2013-14) has began an internship in the International position as Monitoring, Evaluation, been working as an Urban Development Policy Centre for Inclusive Growth Accountability, and Learning Coordinator at Advisor at the Chilean Ministry of Housing (IPC-IG) in Brasilia. The IPC-IG is a Save The Children International, Lebanon. and Urban Planning. In this role, she has global forum for South-South dialogue on taken part in the drafting of bills and innovative development policies guided After finishing her MSc, Clarisa Reichhard regulations on land value capture, disaster by a partnership agreement between the (DAP 2015-16) joined the London-based risk reduction, and affordable housing, Government of Brazil, represented by the Hurtado Jesuit Centre as a Programme among other issues. In addition, she has Ministry of Planning, Development and Manager, where she has been responsible served as an advisor for the Housing Management and the Brazilian Institute for developing and implementing and Urban Planning Minister on matters for Applied Economic Research, and the programmes promoting hospitality and reviewed by the Council of Ministers for United Nations Development Programme. social justice, particularly among refugee Sustainability. She also leads a programme The IPC-IG’s mandate is to promote the communities, as well as the day-to-day to develop a national e-government production and dissemination of studies running of the centre’s facilities. Clarisa platform to obtain building permits. and policy recommendations, the exchange is now looking to complete a further of best practices in development initiatives postgraduate degree in gender policy, so she Former PhD student Ahmed Shetawy and the expansion of South–South can continue to focus her career work in has been promoted to a professorship at dialogue. Vitoria is currently a research that area. Ain Shams University in Cairo. Ahmed intern, working on the evaluation of completed his PhD looking at Egypt’s new Doly Begum (DAP, 2014-15) will be three projects concerning food security in towns at the DPU in 2004, supervised by standing for the New Democratic Party Mozambique. Julio Dávila. in the Ontario General Election, in the Juliette Duval (DAP 2015-16) recently Scarborough Southwest district, Toronto, to finished her first year working with be held by June 2018. Since mid-2016, Doly ACTED, where she was a European Union has been working as Provincial Campaign Aid Volunteer in Finance and Logistics Coordinator for the activist NGO Keep for six months at the Paris headquarters, Hydro Public. followed by six months in the Beirut office. Following graduation from the MSc, She has now signed a new contract with Loan Diep (ESD 2013-14) worked as a ACTED as a regular employee for a six- consultant for the International Institute month mission in Tunisia, where she will be for Environment and Development (IIED). working as a project development officer, There she was involved in several projects, managing a civil society-focused project. including Resilience and Resource Efficiency Anna Buchmann (DAP 2016-17) took in Cities, and presented her research at on a position as director of a small social the 2015 ICLEI conference in Seoul with enterprise in India after finishing her MSc. UNEP. In parallel, she started a career in Skilled Impact is a responsible volunteer urban WASH at Water & Sanitation for organisation that connects international the Urban Poor (WSUP). One of her roles volunteers with NGOs and social involved establishing the team advising enterprises in India. The placements are the government of India on achieving based on skill share, mutual learning and Open Defecation Free cities as part of cultural immersion. As director, she has the Swachh Bharat Mission. She also led been in charge of different areas of the a project in partnership with IIED and business, including the development and UNICEF on resilience-building for water implementation of strategies for marketing, service providers during conflicts in the communications, partnership development, Middle East and North Africa region. Loan

DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 11 Hands on

citizen journalists could use photography as a tool to create their own narratives, recodify collective identities and interact with mainstream media discourses. The workshop was also intended to feed into the upcoming research project, The Role of Action Area Plans for Inclusive City-Making in Freetown, with SLURC, DPU, and Architecture Sans Frontières UK (ASF-UK).

DPU leads international election Above: Somaliland voters. Photo by K. Stanworth. observation mission to Somaliland On March 15th, the final report by the international observation mission victorious, and the mission reported a to Somaliland’s presidential election in generally well-organised election, with the November 2017 was launched. The mission, ground-breaking biometric voter registration led by Michael Walls, marked the fourth time system proving its worth, despite some the DPU has been invited to observe by serious tensions in the week between polling Somaliland’s National Electoral Commission day and the declaration of results. since 2005, but the first as sole mission The final observers’ report is leaders, with UCLC providing project available from http://somalilandfocus- management for the UK government- org-uk.stackstaging.com/wp-content/ funded mission. uploads/2018/03/SOMALILAND- Above: Participatory photography, Freetown. The mission followed the DPU- ELECTION-REPORT_WEB2.pdf Photos by A. Macfarlane. led observation of Somaliland’s voter registration in 2016. DPU’s engagement Participatory photography workshop with the unrecognised Horn of Africa in Freetown Delegation from Sierra Leone visits state also encompasses women’s political In February 2018, the Sierra Leone Cape Town to exchange learning on participation, gendered settlements and Urban Research Centre (SLURC) and urban development land markets. With the poll repeatedly the DPU teamed up to lead a week-long The DPU and SLURC team organised an delayed by severe drought and other participatory photography workshop in international knowledge exchange visit for a factors, organisation of the mission was Freetown, Sierra Leone with the aim of 13-person delegation from Sierra Leone to both challenging and compressed, with exploring the interface between citizens’ Cape Town from in October and November the core team facing massive logistical media, photography and urban planning. 2017. The main learning objective was to challenges both ahead of departure and on Throughout the week, ten participants from explore the question: ‘How can localised the ground. But in the end, 60 observers the Cockle Bay and Dwarzack informal interventions to improve living conditions from 27 countries, recruited to balance local settlements were trained in visual literacy of the urban poor link to city-wide impact knowledge, election experience, gender and camera skills by facilitators Alexander that addresses socio-spatial inequalities?’ and nationality, successfully observed 22% Macfarlane and DPU alumnus and former Cape Town was a particularly interesting of polling stations across Somaliland’s six SLURC intern Alexander Stone, in order place to explore this issue because of its regions without serious security problems. to produce their own photo stories around long tradition of civil society-led initiatives The core team spent a month in country, issues in their areas. to improve quality of life in informal also organising events around media and The workshop emerged from a settlements in a city that has been heavily women’s political participation during the consideration of the fact that residents of shaped by its socio-spatial inequalities. The three-week campaign. informal settlements often struggle against visit was facilitated by Alexandre Apsan The election saw the incumbent negative representations and lack the Frediani and Andrea Rigon from the DPU. president from the Kulmiye party stand opportunity to tell their own stories. The The Sierra Leonean delegation included the down, and his Kulmiye successor emerge workshop thus explored how groups of team from SLURC, representatives from

12 DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 government authorities, including Freetown selected by SLURC and local partners City Council and the Ministries of Land and with the intention of deepening the Housing, NGOs such as CODOHSAPA community-led diagnosis already undertaken and YMCA, as well as the Federation of the under Urban ARK and to co-produce Urban and Rural Poor (FEDURP). transformative pathways to inform the Through seminars, site visits and development of local action plans in order workshops, the participants met a series to disrupt risk traps in Freetown. The of urban practitioners in Cape Town who research will include a two-week fieldtrip have been attempting to move beyond starting towards the end of April and the localised spatial interventions towards outputs from this phase will be publicly initiatives aimed at policy impact and wider as a means of documenting cycles of available in the summer. urban transformations. These included: urban risk accumulation or ‘risk traps’ to practitioners from the Development Action support grounded and informed action Cycling for accessibility, equity and Group, Isandla, Violence Prevention planning. The tool allows users to explore social inclusion in Latin America and through Urban Upgrading and SDI; and visualise particular risks, vulnerabilities the Caribbean academics from the African Centre for and capacities to act of city dwellers and The DPU has been a major contributor Cities; and government officials from various support organisations. It also brings to the first guidelines published by an the City of Cape Town Transport and to the fore the experiences of those directly international development bank on cycling Urban Development Authority. The visit affected by risk traps and their perspectives policy for accessibility, equity and social was particularly useful in demonstrating on the type of action required. inclusion in Latin America. The project various mechanisms to implement informal Video output is available on DPU’s was financed by the Inter-American settlement upgrading drawing on the Cape YouTube channel. Web links to the tools Development Bank and developed in Town experience as well as reflecting on the can be accessed from the Urban ARK partnership with Universidad de los challenges involved. project website and the online platforms, Andes, Colombia and the cycling advocacy ReMapRisk Freetown and ReMapRisk organisation Bicivilizate. Daniel Oviedo Karonga, also produced for Urban ARK, from the DPU led the development of the are likewise available at https://www. guidelines with the help of doctoral student urbanark.org/. Veronica Saud. The guidelines, entitled ‘La Bicicleta: Vehículo hacia la equidad: MSc ESD collaboration with SLURC Recomendaciones para la equidad, acceso Building on the work undertaken under the e inclusión social en la promoción del uso Urban ARK research project and under de la bicicleta en América Latina y el Caribe’ the leadership of Adriana Allen and Rita in Spanish (The bicycle: Vehicle for equity: Lambert, the practice module of the MSc in recommendations for equity, access and Environment and Sustainable Development social inclusion in the promotion of cycling Above: SLURC in Cape Town. Photo by DPU/SLURC. (ESD) teamed up with the Sierra Leone in Latin America and the Caribbean) can Urban Research Centre (SLURC) and be downloaded from the IADB website. partners on the ground in Freetown to set See more at: https://publications.iadb.org/ Disrupting Urban Risk Traps in Africa: up a new learning alliance. Adopting a socio- handle/11319/8677#sthash.P2SgNsLW. ‘ReMapRisk’ launched at Urban ARK environmental perspective, the focus of dpuf Annual Meeting in Cape Town the work is how and why risk accumulation One highlight of the final Urban Africa cycles or ‘urban risk traps’ are produced and Risk Knowledge (Urban ARK) project reproduced in Freetown, how they affect the meeting was a public event held on 29th development of the city and its dwellers and January to launch the ReMapRisk tool. The how such traps can be effectively disrupted. event emphasised the need for a closer Between September and December examination of the links between disasters 2017, participants in the ESD practice and urban development, and a shift in focus module developed six policy briefs that from large-scale events such as earthquakes together offer a comprehensive city-wide to capture the everyday risks and small-scale analysis of how different hazards converge disasters that increase the vulnerabilities of on the reproduction of risk accumulation low-income dwellers to multiple hazards cycles. Their research has benefited from over time. The event brought together invaluable insights from Braima Koroma urban researchers, community leaders, and Alexander Stone at SLURC as well policy makers and practitioners whose work as Emmanuel Osuteye, Donald Brown, focuses on tackling risk accumulation and Andrea Rigon and Julian Walker among building urban resilience in African cities. others at the DPU. The policy briefs can be ReMapRisk is a community-led downloaded from the DPU and SLURC methodology developed by Urban ARK websites. [http://www.slurc.org/] researchers based at the DPU and applied in Since January 2018, the focus of the two city contexts, Karonga and Freetown, work has shifted to six informal settlements

DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 13 Networks and Meetings

DPU at the World Urban Forum 2018 Left: HIC and the The DPU and its networks were active at Global Platform for the the UN Habitat 9th World Urban Forum Right to the City, Nairobi. (WUF) in Kuala Lumpur this February. Photo DPU. DPU Emeritus Professor Yves Cabannes hosted a series of events on participatory budgeting, with MSc SDP alumnus Ahmad Rifai from the Kota Kita Foundation in Indonesia. These sessions focused on, amongst other issues, the adoption of participatory budgeting in Asian cities, DPU attends meeting held by Habitat In the same month, Barbara also worked and emerging approaches to engendering International Coalition and the Global with Julian Walker to present on the participatory budgets. Julian Walker also Platform for the Right to the City subject ‘Disrupting post-political planning attended and contributed to a panel led In October, Barbara Lipietz and Alexandre from the ‘South’: the quagmire of urban by the Development Action Group and Apsan Frediani were in Nairobi for the 2017 infrastructure, displacement and the ‘public the Habitat International Coalition on the General Assembly of Habitat International interest’ in Nigeria’ at the African Urban social production of habitat in African cities, Coalition (HIC) and the meeting of the Planning II conference in Lisbon as part drawing on the DPU’s work with the Sierra Global Platform for the Right to the City. of the Urbanisation Research Nigeria Leone Urban Research Centre (SLURC). The HIC General Assembly was attended by (URN) research on infrastructure-related The DPU also hosted an alumni dinner 51 participants from 36 organisations and 23 displacement in Nigeria. at WUF which was attended by graduates countries. During the assembly, Alexandre As governments and the international from all DPU MScs as well as the PhD in his role as a representative of European media increasingly recognise the importance Programme. members at the HIC board, elaborated on of sustainable transport that meets the the main activities of members in Europe. needs of the urban poor, Julio D Dávila Below: DPU alumni dinner, Kuala Lumpur. Barbara reported back on DPU-specific has been interviewed about DPU’s research Photo J. Walker. activities conducted in partnership with on the social and urban impact of aerial HIC, which included the analysis of the cable cars in Latin American cities by media national reporting processes informing the outlets including The Economist, The New New Urban Agenda, as well as the African York Times, BBC World Service, Deutsche dossier systematising regional concerns Welle and The Guardian. towards the New Urban Agenda. Adriana Allen has joined the Advisory The meeting of the Global Platform for Board of an exciting research project the Right to the City focused on developing entitled (Dis)connected Infrastructures and a common agenda for research and Violence against Women (VAW). With the communication activities. The DPU team support of the British Academy, the project shared its ongoing research focused on issues is led by Dr Ayona Datta at King’s College around the Right to the City, such as evictions London in collaboration with SafetiPin in in Lagos, participatory neighbourhood urban India. Combining a critical feminist DPU presence at International planning in Freetown, social auditing in perspective with innovations in digital Urban Conference at the African London, and the social production of technology and open-source mapping, Centre for Cities habitat in inner-city areas in São Paulo and the project seeks to address VAW by Caren Levy, Adriana Allen, Rita Lambert, Johannesburg. On the last day of activities improving women’s knowledge of and safe Pascale Hoffman, Emmanuel Osuteye, in Nairobi, Davinder Lamba, HIC Wisdom access to urban infrastructure in Indian and Andrea Rigon participated in the Keeper and executive director of the cities. For more information visit: https:// International Urban Conference hosted by Mazingira Institute, organised a visit to the disconnectedinfrastructures.wordpress.com/ the University of Cape Town to celebrate informal settlement of Mashimoni, located in vaw-in-urban-india/ the ten-year anniversary of the African the Mathare Valley. The visitors met residents Adriana Allen and Haim Yacobi are Centre for Cities. The conference was of Mashimoni and representatives of the part of the scientific committee of the also attended by colleagues from other social movement Muungano wa Wanavijiji conference ‘Through Local Eyes: Place- departments at UCL, long-term DPU to discuss the ongoing threats to their based approaches to emerging architectural, partners from across Africa as well as alumni security of tenure as well as their practices of urban design and planning challenges and close collaborators. The conference was mobilisation and resistance. in Africa and the Global South’. The an opportunity to network with partners Barbara Lipietz coordinated a panel conference will be held at the Ethiopian and showcase the research conducted by the with Agnes Deboulet (Université Paris Institute of Architecture, Building DPU with the Sierra Leone Urban Research 8) entitled ‘Co-producing knowledge Construction and City Development Centre (SLURC), which was presented at for global urban justice in precarious (EiABC), in Addis Ababa in October 2018. seven different panels. Particularly useful neighbourhoods: Claims, critical reflexions was networking with the African Urban and coalitions’ at the RC21 conference in Research Initiative and other research Leeds in September 2017. Other presenters centres whose experiences inspired SLURC included Alexandre Apsan Frediani, Diana future strategy. Mitlin, and PhD alumnus Hector Becceril.

14 DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 PhD Programme

Linda Westman successfully defended her and as such explores ways to analyse this a result, the thesis offers an assessment thesis entitled ‘Urban climate governance constitution. Enquiring about the spatial of the practice of urban design under in China: Policy networks, partnerships, source of urban change, the study is about neoliberalism. A set of theoretically and trends in participation’. She argued the coming-together of different spaces, informed reflections point to the much- that the increasing role of governance working with progressive notions of needed reclamation of the ethical, practical networks in formulating and delivering borders. A secondary interest considers the and theoretical dimensions of urban design. climate mitigation policy in China should be potential of such enquiry for more inclusive seen in light of the fact that participation is and just processes in urban change. only open to actors with political-economic Below: Urban form in Santiago. Photos by F.V. Perucich. resources or technical expertise, because of enduring techno-economic rationalities that condition practices and activities of political actors in China. Her results contribute to previous research that points to a trend of increasing interaction between public and non-state actors in policymaking processes in China. However, she highlights previously unexplored dimensions of decision-making in networks, such as conflict, balance of power, and the structure of the political economy. The data demonstrates that urban planning processes are shaped by Above: Sigi Atteneder celebrates with Julio Dávila and Caren Levy. Photo by DPU. political-economic elites, that planning arrangements protect the status quo and thus reproduce trajectories of high carbon In November, Rebeca Dios Lema presented growth. The formulation and delivery of her doctoral research at the Regional Studies climate mitigation policy in China relies Association Early Career Conference in on cross-sector, cross-border interactions. Newcastle University. Focusing on ‘The However, entry and participation in these sustainability of Green Belts: critical networks remains selective and dependent aspects and enabling conditions in the on conforming to techno-economic re-making of the city-region relationship rationalities that dominate Chinese urban in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain’, her presentation environmental politics and condition the generated considerable discussion on the possibilities for change. Veronica Saud Casanova attended research process as well as on her findings. and presented at Metrolab III, Buenos Camila Cociña successfully defended Rebeca will again be presenting on ‘Green her thesis entitled ‘Housing as Urbanism: Aires, Argentina as an expert guest in Belt Planning’ at the 48th Urban Affairs November 2017. Invited by BID Bank and The Role of Housing Policies in Reducing Association Annual Conference in Toronto Urban Inequalities: A study of post-2006 the government of Argentina, Veronica in April. developed a workshop and also delivered a Housing Programmes in Puente Alto, Chile’ Francisco Vergara Perucich successfully master conference as an expert and DPU on 26th May. Camila’s supervisor was Jorge defended his PhD thesis arguing that an PhD candidate in the field of transport, Fiori, and her thesis argued that housing alternative theory of urban design under technology and equity. policies can play a role in reducing multiple neoliberalism needs to be built. Focusing For further information, see: https:// inequalities, but to do so housing must be on Santiago de Chile, the thesis critically www.argentina.gob.ar/noticias/se-realizo- understood as urbanism, as a multi-scale discusses the current status of urban design la-tercera-edicion-del-encuentro-sobre- process with agency at the economic, social as a disciplinary field and practice. Inspired desarrollo-urbano-metro-lab and political levels. by the critical reflections of Henri Lefebvre, Sigi Atteneder successfully defended his the thesis maintains that urban design has thesis entitled ‘Urban Borderlands: Spatial been wholly reshaped by neoliberalism. It change in Amman and Tel Aviv-Jaffa’. Sigi has become a discipline that has neglected argued that the balance of power in urban its original ethos – designing good cities – in change processes manifests in ‘bordering’ order to align its theory and practice with mechanisms that unfold in a space between the objectives of neoliberalism. entities—the borderland. Focusing on Santiago’s urban form is investigated Amman, Jordan and Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Israel through three main approaches: (i) historical in a region where state borders are both research of the relationship between urban fiercely contested and seemingly unalterable, practices and political-economic goals; (ii) he explores the potential of cities—rather recent urban strategies that illustrate the than states—to act as sources of change. actual neoliberalisation of the city; and (iii) Sigi’s research focuses on the complexity a discursive analysis of urban designers’ of the current spatial constitution in general practices under a neoliberal framework, and that of urban spaces in particular, focusing on their ethical reflections. As

DPUNEWS: ISSUE 63 15 Publications

Allen, A. (2017). ‘Beyond Suburbia? Urban Cociña, C. (2017). ‘A seismic rhythm: a brief Ortiz, C. & Boano, C. (2017). ‘Performative Transitions across the Global South’, in Berger, reflection about earthquakes, institutions infrastructures: Medellín’s governmental A., Kotkin, J. with Balderas Gusman, C. (Eds.) Infinite and ideologies’ / ‘Un ritm seismic: o scurtă technologies of informality’, in Rocco, R. & van Suburbia. New York: Princeton Architectural Press: 696-707. reflecţie despre cutremure, instituţii şi Ballegooijen, J. (Eds.), The Political Meaning of Urban Allen, A., Griffin, L., & Johnson, C. (2017). ideologii’ (translation of Gruia Badescu), in Badescu, Informality. London: Routledge. Environmental Justice and Urban Resilience in G. and Munteanu, R. (Eds.), Bucures ti: Orasul Vulnerabil. Ortiz, C. & Lipietz, B. (Eds.) (2017). Grounded the Global South. New York: Palgrave MacMillan. Bucharest: CRIDL: 56-59. Planning: People-centred strategies for city Allen, A., Lambert, R. & Yap, C. (2018). ‘Co-learning Cociña, C. (2018). ‘Urban Universalism: the debts upgrading in Thailand and the Philippines. the City – Towards a Pedagogy of Poly-learning of housing in the context of targeting policies’, London: The Bartlett Development Planning Unit. and Planning Praxis’ in Watson, V., Bhan, G. & in Boano, C. and Vergara Perucich, F. (Eds.), Neoliberalism Oviedo, D., Levy, C. & Dávila, J.D. (2017). ‘Constructing Srinivas, S. (Eds.) Companion to Planning in the Global and Urban Development in Latin America: The Case of wellbeing, deconstructing urban (im)mobilities South. London: Routledge: 355-367. Santiago. London: Routledge: 71–82. in Abuja, Nigeria’ in Uteng, T. P., & Lucas, K. (Eds.), Boano, C. (2017). ‘Inequality, Informality, Cociña, C. & López-Morales, E. (2017). ‘Unpacking Urban Mobilities in the Global South. London: Routledge. Insecurity: the Challenges of Urban Design’, narratives of social conflict and inclusion: anti- Patel, K. (2017). ‘What is in a name? How caste in Degli Esposti, L., (Ed.), Milan: Capital of the Modern. gentrification neighbourhood organisation in names affect the production of situated Barcelona: ACTAR: 402-404. Santiago, Chile’, in Rokem, J. & Boano, C. (Eds.) Urban knowledge’, Gender, Place & Culture: A Journal of geopolitics: rethinking planning in contested cities. London: Boano, C. (2017). Feminist Geography, Vol. 24(7): 1011-1030. ‘Pathways Towards the Resilient Routledge. City. Presupposition of Equality and Active Pelling, M., Leck, H., Pasquini, L., Ajibade, I., Osuteye, E., justice in Bangkok’, in Allen, A., Griffin, L. & Johnson, Dávila, J. D. & Levy, C. (2017). ‘Planning for mobility Parnell, S., Lwasa, S., Johnson, C., Fraser, A., Barcena, A. C., (Eds.) Environmental Justice and Urban Resilience in the and socio-environmental justice: The case & Boubacar, S. (2018). ‘Africa’s Urban Transition Global South. New York: Palgrave MacMillan: 137-152. of Medellín, Colombia’, in Allen, A., Griffin, L. & Under a 1.5 Degree Climate Change’, Current Johnson, C. (Eds.), Environmental Justice and Urban Boano, C. (2017). Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 31:10-15. Una arquitectura cualquiera: El Resilience in the Global South. New York: Palgrave . Santiago de Chile: ARQ Rigon, A. (2018). urbanismo de excepción Macmillan: 37-55. ‘An analysis of well-being in Ediciones. urban Nigeria’, Development in Practice, Vol. 28(2): Fiori, J. & Rigon, A. (Eds.) (2017). Making Lives: Refugee Boano, C. & Hunter, W. (2018). ‘Community 195-207. Self-Reliance and Humanitarian Action in Cities. in Wall, E. & Rigon, A., Macarthy, J.M., Koroma, B. & Frediani, A.A. Architecture Landscape in Bangkok’ London: Humanitarian Affairs Team, Save the Children. Waterman, T., Landscape and Agency. Routledge: London: (2018). ‘The politics of urban management and 164-176. Fiori, J., Rigon, A., Carpi, E., Dicker, S., Field, J., Mookherjee, planning in African cities’ in Binns, T., Lynch, K. Y., Dutt Tiwari, A., Espada, F., Boano, C., & Johnson C. Boano, C. & Martén, R. (2017). Think Urban & Nel, E. (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of African (2017). ‘Overview: Refugee self-reliance in urban and Learn from the City: Exploring Urban Development. New York: Routledge: 415-425. markets: Halba, Delhi, and Thessaloniki’, in Fiori, Rokem, J. & Boano, C. (Eds.) Dimensions of Humanitarianism. Summary J. & Rigon, A. (Eds.), Making Lives: Refugee Self-Reliance Urban Geopolitics: Urban Crises Learning Partnership. . Report. and Humanitarian Action in Cities. London: Humanitarian Rethinking Planning in Contested Cities London: Routledge. Boano, C. & Talocci G. (2018). ‘Inoperative Design: Affairs Team, Save the Children: 105-114. Salazar Morales, D. (2017). ‘Not Doing’ and the experience of the Frediani, A.A., Koroma, B., Kamara, S., Sellu, S., Sesay, P., ‘Aprendiendo de la Community Architects Network’, CITY, Vol. 21(6): cumbre agraria en Colombia: El poder de la Morley, S. & Wright, E. (2018). Change by Design: 860-871. semilla nativa’ in Díaz Cano, M., Parra Vega, J.A., Salazar Participatory Design and Planning. Freetown Morales, D., García Álvarez, M.J., Correa, D.M., Leyes Boano, C. & Vergara Perucich, F. (Eds.) (2018). Workshop Report. Freetown: Sierra Leone Urban de semila. Dondé, cómo y por qué. Universidad Sergio Neoliberalism and Urban development in Research Centre. Latin America: The Case of Santiago. London: Arboleda. Kamiya, M. & Zhang, L.Y. (Eds.) (2017). Finance for Routledge. Senat, R., Barron, R., Boano, C., Carpi, E., Leon, City Leaders Handbook, 2nd Edition, Nairobi: UN- L.M. & Meaney, M. (2017). Bobbins, K., and Trangoš, G. (2018). Mining Habitat. Making Community , Engagement a Priority: A Case-Study on landscapes of the Gauteng City-Region Levy, C., Allen, A., Castán Broto, V. & Westman, L. (2017). Johannesburg: Gauteng City-Region Observatory. Earthquake Response in Simon Pelé, Haiti. ‘Unlocking urban trajectories: Planning for Summary Report. Urban Crises Learning Partnership. Cabannes, Y. & Lipietz, B. (2017) ‘Revisiting environmentally just transitions in Asian cities’, Wakely, P. (2018). the democratic promise of participatory in Caprotti, F. and Yu, L. (Eds.), Sustainable Cities in Asia. Housing in Developing Cities: . London: Routledge. budgeting in light of competing political, London: Routledge Asian Studies Series: 7-22. Experience and Lessons . Walls, M. & Pegg, S. (2017). good governance and technocratic logics’ Macarthy, J.M., Frediani, A.A., Kamara, S.F. & Morgado, M. ‘Somaliland votes next Environment & Urbanization. week. Its biggest challenges come after the (2017). ‘Exploring the role of empowerment in election’. Monkey Cage, Washington Post (10 November) Cabannes, Y. (Ed.) (2017) Another city is possible urban humanitarian responses in Freetown’. with participatory budgeting. Montréal: Black Rose IIED Working Paper. Walls, M., Heine, C., Klingel, A., Goggin, C., Farag, A. & Books. Mwape, S. (2018). The limits of consensus? Report Ortiz, C. & Boano, C. (2017). ‘Medellin’s on the Somaliland Presidential Election 13 Cabannes, Y., and Marocchino, C. (Eds.) (2017) shifting geopolitics of informality: The November 2017. London: DPU, UCL. ‘Planning City-Region Food Systems’ in Encircled Garden as a dispositif of civil Smart Communities, Review 13: ISOCARP Books, disenfranchisement?’, in Rokem, J. & Boano, C. International Society of Cities and Regional Planners: 74-83. (Eds.), Urban Geopolitics: Rethinking Planning in Contested Cities. London: Routledge: 189-208.

DPUNEWS is published by the Development Planning Unit Cover photo: Flooding in Karonga Central Market, Development Planning Unit, UCL. University College London Malawi. Photo by W. Bwanali. 34 Tavistock Square The Development Planning Unit is London WC1H 9EZ an international centre specialising in United Kingdom academic teaching, practical training, research and consultancy in sustainable Tel: +44 (0)20 7679 1111 urban and regional development policy, Fax: +44 (0)20 7679 1112 Planning for socially just planning and management. Email: [email protected] and sustainable development in the global South Editor: Michael Walls, with Rafaella Lima www.ucl.ac.uk/dpu

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