Since the introduction of geographic information systems(GIS)in the 1960s,it has evolved tremendously to an extent that it permeates our daily lives.Initially,GIS usage started in the developed countries and now incre...Since the introduction of geographic information systems(GIS)in the 1960s,it has evolved tremendously to an extent that it permeates our daily lives.Initially,GIS usage started in the developed countries and now increasingly filtered to developing countries.The town planning profession was one of the early adopters of GIS.Geospatial information is a useful source of data that is needed in urban planning.In these days of the New Urban Agenda 2030,smart cities are even more required from planners in using geospatial information to face urban challenges such as sustainable urban development and climate change.Although GIS has promised a lot for urban planning,it has not reached its full potential.Moreover,many studies have focused on developed countries with limited studies on geospatial information application in municipalities and GIS education from a perspective of developing countries.In this study,a survey on the usage of geospatial information science(GSIS)in two cities,namely Bulawayo in Zimbabwe and Ekurhuleni in South Africa,was conducted,and an overview of the state of GIS curricula in planning schools is discussed.The results indicate that considerable progress has been made in the application of geospatial information in municipal planning;however,there are impediments limiting the full utilization of geospatial information in local municipalities.These impediments include:inadequate GIS curricula in planning schools,lack of resources,and lack of political will.These challenges manifest differently in well-resourced municipalities and those with limited resources.The study proposes planning-relevant GIS curricula to improve the level of GIS use in planning practice.展开更多
The liberal economic policies which have been developed in China in the 1980s have significantly produced a“new demographic”reality with an increasing proportion of about 350 to 400-million strong Chinese middle cla...The liberal economic policies which have been developed in China in the 1980s have significantly produced a“new demographic”reality with an increasing proportion of about 350 to 400-million strong Chinese middle class.This new reality is starting to affect the conduct and direction of China’s foreign policy particularly toward countries in Middle East and Southeast Asian regions,which hold considerable amount of energy resources,such as crude oil and gas.The“One Belt One Road”initiative(OBOR),proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013,signals the reinvigoration of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Route as a necessary measure to meet future Chinese demand for energy and open markets for its surplus products.Over the last two years,various Middle East countries,such as Iran,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,Turkey,Israel have watched China in cultural and political arenas.China’s economic needs have triggered this development.The same year,China’s president visited Indonesia and pledged a$40 billion fund to develop infrastructures along the route.With the new silk route proposal,China would be able to guarantee not only the stable energy supply from the Middle East but also access the markets of Southeast Asian countries.However,diverse views arising from this proposal questioned China’s real intentions.Has China’s proposal been designed to reorder Asia and contain US pivot to Asia?Does it signal the enlargement of China’s regional influence using its economic might?What does this policy say about ASEAN member countries,particularly the Philippines?This article however argues that China’s regional and international expansion is a natural byproduct of its economic weight;it also argues that the Middle East and maritime Southeast Asian countries can expect maximum economic and political gains from joining the“One Belt One Road”initiative.展开更多
文摘Since the introduction of geographic information systems(GIS)in the 1960s,it has evolved tremendously to an extent that it permeates our daily lives.Initially,GIS usage started in the developed countries and now increasingly filtered to developing countries.The town planning profession was one of the early adopters of GIS.Geospatial information is a useful source of data that is needed in urban planning.In these days of the New Urban Agenda 2030,smart cities are even more required from planners in using geospatial information to face urban challenges such as sustainable urban development and climate change.Although GIS has promised a lot for urban planning,it has not reached its full potential.Moreover,many studies have focused on developed countries with limited studies on geospatial information application in municipalities and GIS education from a perspective of developing countries.In this study,a survey on the usage of geospatial information science(GSIS)in two cities,namely Bulawayo in Zimbabwe and Ekurhuleni in South Africa,was conducted,and an overview of the state of GIS curricula in planning schools is discussed.The results indicate that considerable progress has been made in the application of geospatial information in municipal planning;however,there are impediments limiting the full utilization of geospatial information in local municipalities.These impediments include:inadequate GIS curricula in planning schools,lack of resources,and lack of political will.These challenges manifest differently in well-resourced municipalities and those with limited resources.The study proposes planning-relevant GIS curricula to improve the level of GIS use in planning practice.
文摘The liberal economic policies which have been developed in China in the 1980s have significantly produced a“new demographic”reality with an increasing proportion of about 350 to 400-million strong Chinese middle class.This new reality is starting to affect the conduct and direction of China’s foreign policy particularly toward countries in Middle East and Southeast Asian regions,which hold considerable amount of energy resources,such as crude oil and gas.The“One Belt One Road”initiative(OBOR),proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013,signals the reinvigoration of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Route as a necessary measure to meet future Chinese demand for energy and open markets for its surplus products.Over the last two years,various Middle East countries,such as Iran,Saudi Arabia,United Arab Emirates,Turkey,Israel have watched China in cultural and political arenas.China’s economic needs have triggered this development.The same year,China’s president visited Indonesia and pledged a$40 billion fund to develop infrastructures along the route.With the new silk route proposal,China would be able to guarantee not only the stable energy supply from the Middle East but also access the markets of Southeast Asian countries.However,diverse views arising from this proposal questioned China’s real intentions.Has China’s proposal been designed to reorder Asia and contain US pivot to Asia?Does it signal the enlargement of China’s regional influence using its economic might?What does this policy say about ASEAN member countries,particularly the Philippines?This article however argues that China’s regional and international expansion is a natural byproduct of its economic weight;it also argues that the Middle East and maritime Southeast Asian countries can expect maximum economic and political gains from joining the“One Belt One Road”initiative.
