Metropolitan Housing Development in Urban Fringe Areas-A Case Study of Three Metropolitan Cities of South Africa: Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni and Tshwane

Purpose:The metropolitan cities of Johannesburg,Ekurhuleni and Tshwane play an important role in the economy of the Gauteng province in South Africa.The region constitutes to 22.4 percent of the total population of South Africa and has a strong presence and contributes in areas of manufacturing sector,financial and business services,retail and wholesale trade,etc.The rapid urban population,increase in the informal settlements and socio-economic opportunities has resulted in considerable urban sprawl in and around the urban fringe areas of these metropolitan cities.The urban fringe areas of these metros often come under the influence of rapid urbanization process and pressures.Coupled with the economical and potential land dynamics and lack of priority of spatial development guidelines,these areas attract rapid and haphazard development from communities and developers.Research Design/Methodology:This research is based on a qualitative approach through a comprehensive literature review that included content analysis of key documents on housing sector such as IDPs(Integrated Development Plans),Municipal Annual Reports,Growth Development Strategies,and among other sectoral documents on housing sector.Some of the key priority issues considered in the housing sector included:eradication of housing backlogs,spatial restructuring of housing,provision of choice in terms of location,tenure and housing typology.Findings:The current paper discusses the approaches of metropolitan housing development processes in three metropolitan cities of South Africa from Gauteng region,namely:Johannesburg,Ekurhuleni and Tshwane.The paper discusses the existing housing sectoral scenario along with the fringe areas in three cities with focus on:formal and informal settlements,housing segregation and the backlogs,current institutional arrangements,role of public private participation,and scope for alternate mechanisms.The paper concludes in discussion on sustainable development options for housing development in urban fringe areas.

Carbon Dioxide Concentration and Flux in an Urban Residential Area in Seoul,Korea

The carbon dioxide （CO2） concentrations and fluxes measured at a height of 17.5 m above the ground by a sonic anemometer and an open-path gas analyzer at an urban residential site in Seoul, Korea from February 2011 to January 2012 were analyzed. The annual mean CO2 concentration was found to be 750 mg m-3, with a maximum monthly mean concentration of 827 mg m-3 in January and a minimum value of 679 mg m-3 in August. Meanwhile, the annual mean CO2 flux was found to be 0.45 mg m-2 s-1, with a maximum monthly mean flux of 0.91 mg m-2 s-1 in January and a minimum value of 0.19 mg m-2 s-1 in June. The hourly mean CO2 concentration was found to show a significant diurnal variation; a maximum at 0700-0900 LST and a minimum at 1400-1600 LST, with a large diurnal range in winter and a small one in summer, mainly caused by diurnal changes in mixing height, CO2 flux, and surface complexity. The hourly mean CO2 flux was also found to show a significant diurnal variation, but it showed two maxima at 0700-0900 LST and 2100-2400 LST, and two minima at 1100-1500 LST and 0300-0500 LST, mainly caused by a diurnal pattern in CO2 emissions and sinks from road traffic, domestic heating and cooking by liquefied natural gas use, and the different horizontal distribution of CO2 sources and sinks near the site. Differential advection with respect to wind direction was also found to be a cause of diurnal variations in both the CO2 concentration and flux.

Tourism sectorization opportunity spectrum model and space partition of tourism urbanization area:a case of the Mayangxi ecotourism area,Fujian province,China

Nowadays, tourism has become an increasingly significant driving force of modern urbanization in China. However, it has caused varieties of problems, such as resource unreasonable utilization, society unfair play, and environment pollution, etc. Thus, the establishment of an efficient and sustainable space partition model for tourism urbanization, from the geographical perspective, is highly necessary and urgent. Herein, a new evaluation model of tourist town space, referred to as Tourism Sectorization Opportunity Spectrum(TSOS), is established on the relationships between productionliving-ecology spaces. TSOS is a kind of quantitative evaluation model involving such factors as urban living area, ecological conservation area and the tourism industry. Furthermore, the analysis of quantitative production-living-ecology spatial overlap has been utilized for space division in a tourism urbanization area. This paper, using both the TSOS model and GIS technology, analyzes the spatial restructure of the Mayangxi ecotourism area. Theresult demonstrates that tourism industrial space takes the Shanchong Village as a core which shows a pattern of local regional agglomeration and a fuzzy edge extending along the entire Mayangxi River. The urban living area should be consolidated in the Shili village with the supporting facilities and living space for tourism. In addition, Tianzhu Mountain forest park should be the key environmental protection area. The case study on the Mayangxi ecotourism area verifies that the TSOS model has strong operability. Therefore, TSOS model provides a scientific foundation for the space reconstruction of new urbanization area, and an effective tool for optimizing the space partition of a tourism urbanization area.

Mapping ecosystem services in urban and peri-urban areas.A systematic review

Urban and peri-urban ecosystems are subjected to an intense impact.The demand for ecosystem services(ES)is higher in these areas.Nevertheless,despite the anthropogenic pressures,urban and peri-urban ecosystems supply important ES.Mapping is a crucial exercise to understand ES dynamics in these environments better.This work aims to systematically review mapping ES in urban and peri-urban areas studies,following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-alpha Methods.A total of 207 studies were selected.The results show increased work between 2011 and 2023,mainly conducted in Europe and China.Most work were developed in urban areas and did not follow an established ES classification.Most studies focused on the ES supply dimension,the regulation and maintenance section.Regarding provisioning ES,most studies focused on Cultivating terrestrial plants for nutrition,regulating and maintainin g Atmospheric composition and conditions,and for cultural ES on Physical and experiential interactions with the natural environment.Quantitative methods were mostly applied following Indicator-based(secondary data:biophysical,socio-economic)models.Very few work validated the outputs.Several studies forecasted ES,primarily based on land use changes using CA-Markov approaches.This study provides an overview of the most mapped urban and peri-urban ES globally,the areas where more studies need to be conducted,and the methods developed.

Exploring well-being disparities between urban and rural areas:A case study in the Stavropol Territory,Russia

Rural areas are crucial for a country’s sustainable economy.New strategies are needed to develop rural areas to improve the well-being of rural population and generate new job opportunities.This is especially important in countries where agricultural production accounts for a significant share of the gross product,such as Russia.In this study,we identified the key indicators of satisfaction and differences between rural and urban citizens based on their social,economic,and environmental backgrounds,and determined whether there are well-being disparities between rural and urban areas in the Stavropol Territory,Russia.We collected primary data through a survey based on the European Social Survey framework to investigate the potential differences between rural and urban areas.By computing the regional well-being index using principal component analysis,we found that there was no statistically significant difference in well-being between rural and urban areas.Results of key indicators showed that rural residents felt psychologically more comfortable and safer,assessed their family relationships better,and adhered more to traditions and customs.However,urban residents showed better economic and social conditions(e.g.,infrastructures,medical care,education,and Internet access).The results of this study imply that we can better understand the local needs,advantages,and unique qualities,thereby gaining insight into the effectiveness of government programs.Policy-makers and local authorities can consider targeted interventions based on the findings of this study and strive to enhance the well-being of both urban and rural residents.

Spatio-temporal Evolution Characteristics and Driving Forces of Winter Urban Heat Island:A Case Study of Rapid Urbanization Area of Fuzhou City,China

Under the influence of anthropogenic and climate change,the problems caused by urban heat island(UHI)has become increasingly prominent.In order to promote urban sustainable development and improve the quality of human settlements,it is significant for exploring the evolution characteristics of urban thermal environment and analyzing its driving forces.Taking the Landsat series images as the basic data sources,the winter land surface temperature(LST)of the rapid urbanization area of Fuzhou City in China was quantitatively retrieved from 2001 to 2021.Combing comprehensively the standard deviation ellipse model,profile analysis and GeoDetector model,the spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and influencing factors of the winter urban thermal environment were systematically analyzed.The results showed that the winter LST presented an increasing trend in the study area during 2001–2021,and the winter LST of the central urban regions was significantly higher than the suburbs.There was a strong UHI effect from 2001 to 2021with an expansion trend from the central urban regions to the suburbs and coastal areas in space scale.The LST of green lands and wetlands are significantly lower than croplands,artificial surface and unvegetated lands.Vegetation and water bodies had a significant mitigation effect on UHI,especially in the micro-scale.The winter UHI had been jointly driven by the underlying surface and socio-economic factors in a nonlinear or two-factor interactive enhancement mode,and socio-economic factors had played a leading role.This research could provide data support and decision-making references for rationally planning urban layout and promoting sustainable urban development.

Spatio-temporal Dynamic Simulation of Urban Land Use in Karst Areas Based on CLUE-S Model——A Case Study of Dahua Yao Nationality Autonomous County in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

This article uses TM images in 1999 and 2006 in Dahua County,selects the driving factors having great impact on urban land use change,and conducts data processing using GIS software.It then uses CLUE-S model to simulate land use change pattern in 2006,and uses land use map in 2006 to test the simulation results.The results show that the simulation achieves good effect,indicating that we can use CLUE-S model to simulate the future urban land use change in karst areas,to provide scientific decision-making support for sustainable development of land use.

Reconstruction Strategies for Historical and Cultural Areas from the Perspective of Urban Renewal:Taking Xigu of Tianjin as an Example

With the development and changes of the times,many cities have to face the problem of renewal.However,in the context of globalization,urban renewal also makes urban cultural characteristics and regional characteristics inevitably missing.Therefore,we should pay attention to the protection and planning of regional historical and cultural heritages in the process of urban renewal,which plays an important role in the construction of urban characteristics and the shaping of city card.Xigu area of Tianjin also faces the problems of cultural loss and need for reconstruction,its function,layout,industrial structure and land use are adjusted and optimized in this article,with a view to showing the value of historical and cultural heritage and context of regional history.

Integrated Development of Urban and Rural Industries in the Xi'an Metropolitan Area

Based on the diagnosis of the industrial structure in the Xi'an metropolitan area,we point out the problems in the development of urban and rural industries in the Xi'an metropolitan area:there is imbalance in the industrial structure;the planning and layout is chaotic;the service system is unsound;the development of the county economy lags behind.From structural adjustment,urban-rural division of labor,technical support, and the coordination of interests,we put forward the measures for coordinating the development of urban and rural industries.

Development of Urban Agriculture in Xixian New Area

Short for Xi'an-Xianyang New Development area,Xixian New Area is a modern garden city and the development urban agriculture is its key and bright point.With the aid of SWOT method,this paper analyzes strength,weakness,opportunity and threat of urban agriculture in Xixian New Area.Combining actual conditions of developing urban agriculture in Xixian New Area,it discusses general and specific development modes of urban agriculture.It is concluded that urban agriculture in Xixian New Area should bring into play its strength and avoid its weakness,select suitable development mode and road.Besides,it should give into play multi-function of urban agriculture,so as to promote coordinated and sustainable development of economy,society,ecology and environment.

Near Surface Carbon Dioxide and Methane in Urban Areas of Costa Rica

Little information is available for Central America regarding methane and carbon dioxide mixing ratios in urban areas. This work reports a representative spatial and seasonal study of near surface carbon dioxide and methane, carried out between July 2014 and January 2015 (27 weeks) in the Central Valley of Costa Rica, and other urban and rural sites across the country and covering three distinct seasons: Mid-summer drought (July-August), wet season (September-November) and transition period (December-January). The mixing ratios of both gases are clearly influenced by the metropolitan area, and by the prevailing atmospheric conditions during the wet season months. Average carbon dioxide concentration (629 ± 80 ppm) and average methane concentration (2192 ± 110 ppb) were up to 8% and up to 10%, respectively, higher during the wet season than the values recorded outside this period. HYSPLIT back air mass trajectories analysis, and weather data available for the Central Valley, suggest that these differences arise as result of a reduction in the mixing layer of depth (~425 m) and the wind speed (~1.5 m/s) across the valley, favoring the accumulation of polluted air masses in the metropolitan area. Other natural and anthropogenic sources, like the volcanic emissions of the Turrialba Volcano and the livestock activities at rural sites, apparently influence the mixing ratios of both gases across Costa Rica. Although the scope of this study is limited to representative seasonal conditions of the Central Valley in 2014 and 2015, it is possible considering the information presented in this work that the “dome” phenomenon can be assumed to exist.

Human Rabies Still Exists in Urban and Peri-Urban Areas in Mali—National Data-Base Analysis of the Capital of Mali from 2007 to 2017

From 2007 to 2017 sixty-three (63) new cases of human rabies have been identified in Mali on an estimated total population in 2017 of 17,650,195 inhabitants. This is an incidence of 0.32 cases for 100,000 inhabitants. All these cases occurred in urban areas and involved the two sexes. The age group most affected was the one less than 20 years old. The majority of the victims (73.1%) were pre-schools, school-aged pupils and housewives. In 97% of the cases, the animal in question was a dog and the type of exposure of the bite. Eighty-two percent (82%) of the victims had received no local medical treatment or the post exposure quasi prophylaxis treatment. The median duration between the first symptoms and death among the cases of human rabies was 3 to 7 days. The median duration between the occurrence of the first signs and death was four (4) days. No virological confirmation had been conducted on the patients. The rage disease is retained as a priority disease, since the adoption of the strategy of “integrated monitoring of the disease and response” in 2008. However, in spite of the efforts made, progress still remains to be effected to assess the actual impact of rabies in Mali.

Protection of Historic and Cultural Heritage in the Urban Renewal of Xi'an City,China

Concept of urban renewal was elaborated,which for the protection of historic and cultural heritage not only provides a favorable opportunity of integrating neighboring environment and improving protection conditions,but also imposes threats such as destroying its historic images and patterns,degrading of survival environment.To properly protect historic and cultural heritage in the unceasing urban renewal,and make it a significant resource and feature of the city but not a barrier of urban development,empirical analysis and theoretical research were adopted to analyze and study current conditions and problems of the protection of historic and cultural heritage in Xi'an City from the dimension of urban renewal concept and present urban renewal of Xi'an.Moreover,through summarizing successful experience of other regions,specific strategies were given to protect historic and cultural heritage of Xi'an City in its urban renewal more scientifically and reasonably.

The Study on Protection and Construction Mode of Urban Ecologically Sensitive Areas

The paper had analyzed the necessity and feasibility for the protection and utilization of urban ecologically sensitive areas, proposed planning urban ecologically sensitive areas reasonably and combining ecological protection with development construction. Guiding the healthy and ordered development of urban spaces was the key part and important approach to realize ecological cities. The guiding thought for development construction of ecological cities had been discussed, which was conducting laddered development according to the location and coverage of urban ecologically sensitive areas and protection grades of these sensitive areas. Then, it had proposed four kinds of protection and construction modes, which were tourism leisure green lands, relevant expositions, industrial areas and new city groups, and which had been analyzed by combining with successful cases, so as to provide feasible win-win development strategies of ecology and economy for the planning of urban ecologically sensitive areas in the future.

Study on the Urban Tourism Development in Qin-Ba Area Based on SWOT Analysis——A case study of Dazhou City

The urban tourism of Dazhou City was analyzed by SWOT analysis method,and corresponding exploration strategies were put forward.

Landscape Effect Assessment of the Greening Mode around Overpasses in the Urban Area of Kunming City

Based on investigating the present greening situation of 18 overpasses in the urban area of Kunming City,4 typical plant furnishing modes for overpass were concluded,that is,Type Ⅰ,which was the multi-layered plant disposition pattern composed of all arbor,shrub and herbaceous plant species;TypeⅡ,which was mainly composed of shrub and herbaceous species with a 2-layered structure;Type Ⅲ was the turf grass pattern with sparsely disposed trees;Type Ⅳ,which was the simple groundcover greening pattern.1 or 2 typical overpasses from each type were sampled separately for evaluating the landscape effects of the typical green space around each type of overpass by adopting AHP model,and the results showed that the evaluated landscape effect of Type Ⅰ was 'good',that of Type Ⅱ was 'moderate',that of Type Ⅲ was 'moderate to good',and that of Type Ⅳ was 'poor'.

Concept Planning of Ecological Landscapes on Urban Fringes——A Case Study of Landscape Concept Planning of Shiling Area in the Eastern New District of Chengdu City, Sichuan Province of China

With Shiling Area of Eastern New District in Chengdu City as a background, concept design scheme was put forward from the perspective of ecological landscape through analyzing present development and ecological landscapes of the study area, applying philosophic thinking and Abstract concepts, and also combining with actual conditions of Chengdu, and meanwhile, concepts, orientation and functional structure of the eco-landscape concept planning were proposed. Key points of the planning were elaborated from 4 perspectives of spatial structure, traffic organization, spatial sequence and plant configuration to discuss spatial configuration of ecological landscapes on the fringes of Chengdu City, then further improve functions of ecological landscapes and quality of ecological environment, and put the concept planning into the construction practice of urban fringes.

Study on Conceptual Planning of Group Landscapes in Urban Core Areas—A Case Study of Conceptual Landscape Planning of the Core Area in Shuangsong Group,Wanzhou District of Chongqing City,China

The planning site was divided into a spatial structure of"one center,one corridor,two axes,two belts and three communities"and traffic system designed to a 3-grade road system of"artery,secondary artery and by-pass".Meanwhile,a 3-ring structure of the planning site was constructed:diffusion waterfront landscape belt,waterfront pathway and core eco-green island.Finally,the planning concepts for major ecological constructions were given.This study tried to explore the group eco-landscape pattern in urban core areas so as to provide a strategic instruction for the regional sustainable development.

Evaluation of Urban Village Renovation System in Xi’an City of China Based on Brittleness Analysis

Renovation system of urban villages in Xi'an City was evaluated. Influence factors of urban village renovation were analyzed on the basis of brittleness theory, and an evaluation index system established through multi-level inconsistency decomposing. By incorporating the catastrophe theory with fuzzy mathematical theory, the mathematic model was created, and catastrophe membership function was obtained as well as evaluation results. Policies for the renovation of urban villages and new direction of the renovation were interpreted. The application case proved that catastrophe progression method was objective and effective and it could provide new concepts for the evaluation and adjustment of urban village renovation. Moreover, application of brittleness theory in the research on urban village renovation is of great instruction and reference value for the present urban construction.

Analysis of Strategies to Improve Traffic Conditions in the Ancient Urban Area of Suzhou

In this paper, the authors first analyse the problems existing in the situation of land use, structure of travel mode and road network by applying the basic principle of traffic engineering and system engineering methods. Then, the authors make it clear the strategies to be adopted for solving the existing traffic problems in the ancient urban area of Suzhou(AUAS), namely insisting on the goal based strategy; the strategy to develop the public transit system in priority and decreasing the demand on cars from the view point of land use strategy. On the basis of such analysis the authors put forth proposals about major measures to be taken to improve traffic conditions of the AUAS, such as construction of express artery ring around the ancient city, appropriate transformation of the roads in the AUAS and rational distribution of car parking areas at the outskirt, which are of positive significance in guiding the protection of the AUAS and transportation construction. In this paper, specialized software is used to establish criteria for the construction scale and extent analysis and evaluation of the ancient city construction project, which is of some reference significance to the transformation of old urban areas in other cities.