Maxwell Owusu, Ryan Engstrom, Dana Thomson, Monika Kuffer, Michael L. Mann
Reliable data on slums or deprived living conditions remain scarce in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global high-resolution maps of deprived areas are fundamental for both research- and evidence-based policies. Existing mapping methods are generally one-off studies that use proprietary commercial data or other physical or socio-economic data that are limited geographically. Open geospatial data are increasingly available for large areas; however, their unstructured nature has hindered their use in extracting useful insights to inform decision making. In this study, we demonstrate an approach to map deprived areas within and across cities using open-source geospatial data. The study tests this methodology in three African cities—Accra (Ghana), Lagos (Nigeria), and Nairobi (Kenya) using a three arc second spatial resolution. Using three machine learning classifiers, (i) models were trained and tested on individual cities to assess the scalability for large area application, (ii) city-to-city comparisons were made to assess how the models performed in new locations, and (iii) a generalized model to assess our ability to map across cities with training samples from each city was designed. Our best models achieved over 80% accuracy in all cities. The study demonstrates an inexpensive, scalable, and transferable approach to map deprived areas that outperforms existing large area methods.
{"title":"Mapping Deprived Urban Areas Using Open Geospatial Data and Machine Learning in Africa","authors":"Maxwell Owusu, Ryan Engstrom, Dana Thomson, Monika Kuffer, Michael L. Mann","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040116","url":null,"abstract":"Reliable data on slums or deprived living conditions remain scarce in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Global high-resolution maps of deprived areas are fundamental for both research- and evidence-based policies. Existing mapping methods are generally one-off studies that use proprietary commercial data or other physical or socio-economic data that are limited geographically. Open geospatial data are increasingly available for large areas; however, their unstructured nature has hindered their use in extracting useful insights to inform decision making. In this study, we demonstrate an approach to map deprived areas within and across cities using open-source geospatial data. The study tests this methodology in three African cities—Accra (Ghana), Lagos (Nigeria), and Nairobi (Kenya) using a three arc second spatial resolution. Using three machine learning classifiers, (i) models were trained and tested on individual cities to assess the scalability for large area application, (ii) city-to-city comparisons were made to assess how the models performed in new locations, and (iii) a generalized model to assess our ability to map across cities with training samples from each city was designed. Our best models achieved over 80% accuracy in all cities. The study demonstrates an inexpensive, scalable, and transferable approach to map deprived areas that outperforms existing large area methods.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"65 s257","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135342172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
As a primary goal, urban green spaces (UGSs) have been linked to several aspects of inhabitants’ wellbeing. Quality could be a way to intervene in the UGS–human health interaction. For that purpose, we developed an urban green space quality index (UGS QIndex) applied to a Mediterranean region, Sousse City. This index was based on a set of criteria, indicators, and elements chosen after bibliographical research related to UGS quality assessment tools and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. Then, we evaluated the quality of the Sousse Ramparts Gardens using the UGS QIndex. In fact, this index includes 41 elements grouped into 23 indicators covering seven thematic criteria: environmental regulating capacity, functional amenities, aesthetic amenities, landscape features, integration in its surroundings, development policy objectives, and space issues. According to the UGS QIndex, Bab El Gharbi garden exceeds Bab El Finga garden in terms of its scenery, aesthetics, and functionality. This index could be used by city planners to improve their UGS’s capacity to satisfy the inhabitants’ requirements. Otherwise, it needs to be enhanced and tailored to various types of UGSs and then applied to other Mediterranean cities, as well as cities suffering from UGS degradation.
作为主要目标,城市绿色空间(UGSs)与居民福祉的几个方面有关。质量可能是干预ugs -人类健康相互作用的一种方式。为此,我们开发了一个应用于地中海地区苏塞市的城市绿地质量指数(UGS QIndex)。该指数基于与UGS质量评估工具及其对可持续发展目标的贡献相关的书目研究后选择的一套标准、指标和要素。然后,我们使用UGS QIndex对苏塞壁垒花园的质量进行了评价。事实上,该指数包括41个要素,分为23个指标,涵盖7个主题标准:环境调节能力、功能设施、审美设施、景观特征、与周围环境的融合、发展政策目标和空间问题。根据UGS QIndex, Bab El Gharbi花园在风景、美学和功能方面都超过了Bab El Finga花园。这个指数可以被城市规划者用来提高他们的UGS满足居民需求的能力。否则,就需要针对不同类型的地漏进行增强和定制,然后应用于其他地中海城市,以及遭受地漏退化的城市。
{"title":"Developing a Qualitative Urban Green Spaces Index Applied to a Mediterranean City","authors":"Rania Ajmi, Faiza Khebour Allouche, Aude Nuscia Taîbi, Safa Bel Fekih Boussema","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040115","url":null,"abstract":"As a primary goal, urban green spaces (UGSs) have been linked to several aspects of inhabitants’ wellbeing. Quality could be a way to intervene in the UGS–human health interaction. For that purpose, we developed an urban green space quality index (UGS QIndex) applied to a Mediterranean region, Sousse City. This index was based on a set of criteria, indicators, and elements chosen after bibliographical research related to UGS quality assessment tools and their contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals. Then, we evaluated the quality of the Sousse Ramparts Gardens using the UGS QIndex. In fact, this index includes 41 elements grouped into 23 indicators covering seven thematic criteria: environmental regulating capacity, functional amenities, aesthetic amenities, landscape features, integration in its surroundings, development policy objectives, and space issues. According to the UGS QIndex, Bab El Gharbi garden exceeds Bab El Finga garden in terms of its scenery, aesthetics, and functionality. This index could be used by city planners to improve their UGS’s capacity to satisfy the inhabitants’ requirements. Otherwise, it needs to be enhanced and tailored to various types of UGSs and then applied to other Mediterranean cities, as well as cities suffering from UGS degradation.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"85 11","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135809979","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Oluwagbemiga Paul Agboola, Hourakhsh Ahmad Nia, Yakubu Aminu Dodo
There are strong indications that the built environment has had a great influence on the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-disaster recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected both human and global development, while efforts to combat this menace call for an integrated human social capital index. This research seeks to enhance understanding of how the built environment can be enhanced through resilience against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to investigate the impact of a resilient built environment on increasing resilience in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The quantitative studies test the impact of four built environment resilience indices (built environment capital, disaster management indices, awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic, and built environment adaptive strategies) on human social capital and COVID-19 pandemic indices. This study reveals the role of human social capital in achieving a resilient built environment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Built environment capital, disaster management indices, and awareness of COVID-19 also indirectly affect the COVID-19 pandemic indices through human social capital. This study’s implications are useful for post-COVID-19 recovery, which is important for future planning of the built environment in Nigeria.
{"title":"Strengthening Resilient Built Environments through Human Social Capital: A Path to Post-COVID-19 Recovery","authors":"Oluwagbemiga Paul Agboola, Hourakhsh Ahmad Nia, Yakubu Aminu Dodo","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040114","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040114","url":null,"abstract":"There are strong indications that the built environment has had a great influence on the course of the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-disaster recovery. The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected both human and global development, while efforts to combat this menace call for an integrated human social capital index. This research seeks to enhance understanding of how the built environment can be enhanced through resilience against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to investigate the impact of a resilient built environment on increasing resilience in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. The quantitative studies test the impact of four built environment resilience indices (built environment capital, disaster management indices, awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic, and built environment adaptive strategies) on human social capital and COVID-19 pandemic indices. This study reveals the role of human social capital in achieving a resilient built environment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. Built environment capital, disaster management indices, and awareness of COVID-19 also indirectly affect the COVID-19 pandemic indices through human social capital. This study’s implications are useful for post-COVID-19 recovery, which is important for future planning of the built environment in Nigeria.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"8 3","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136234168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Urban mobility and strategies for public transportation play a vital role in promoting a more sustainable, accessible, and livable urban environment in smart cities. Data-driven decision making, multi-modal integration, and innovative means are key elements in developing effective public transportation. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on public transportation worldwide, including decreased travel, health and security concerns, and a shift in travel patterns. In particular, the use of public transportation reduced by up to 90% in developed countries. This article studies the mobility demands and patterns related to public transportation in Montevideo, Uruguay, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The study follows an urban data analysis approach, using open data from various sources, including citizen mobility, the public transportation system, COVID-19 case records, and economic indicators. The urban data methodology allows the deriving of significant findings, encompassing the assessment of trip reductions in Montevideo in March 2020 (71.4%, lower than similar cities in the world), the correlation between trip numbers and COVID-19 cases during the different pandemic waves, the recovery of public transportation usage, and the correlation with socio-economic indicators. These results offer valuable insights for quantifying and comprehending the behavior of citizens concerning public transportation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing valuable understandings for policymakers and researchers to elaborate mobility strategies and policies.
{"title":"The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Public Transportation System of Montevideo, Uruguay: A Urban Data Analysis Approach","authors":"Sergio Nesmachnow, Andrei Tchernykh","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040113","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040113","url":null,"abstract":"Urban mobility and strategies for public transportation play a vital role in promoting a more sustainable, accessible, and livable urban environment in smart cities. Data-driven decision making, multi-modal integration, and innovative means are key elements in developing effective public transportation. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on public transportation worldwide, including decreased travel, health and security concerns, and a shift in travel patterns. In particular, the use of public transportation reduced by up to 90% in developed countries. This article studies the mobility demands and patterns related to public transportation in Montevideo, Uruguay, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The study follows an urban data analysis approach, using open data from various sources, including citizen mobility, the public transportation system, COVID-19 case records, and economic indicators. The urban data methodology allows the deriving of significant findings, encompassing the assessment of trip reductions in Montevideo in March 2020 (71.4%, lower than similar cities in the world), the correlation between trip numbers and COVID-19 cases during the different pandemic waves, the recovery of public transportation usage, and the correlation with socio-economic indicators. These results offer valuable insights for quantifying and comprehending the behavior of citizens concerning public transportation throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, providing valuable understandings for policymakers and researchers to elaborate mobility strategies and policies.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"1 1_2","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"134908491","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Juan R. Coca, Julio Fernández-Portela, Susana Gómez-Redondo, Anabel Paramá-Díaz
European regions with a lower population density have greater structural difficulties in ensuring that the daily life of their inhabitants matches that of more populated regions. This problem persists in groups of people who present some type of disability. Soria (Spain) is one of such regions. It is considered the most depopulated region of Southern Europe. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the reality of people with disabilities in one of the provinces with a lower population density. It also seeks to explore the relationship between the perceptions and the reality of the existing structure to infer the promotions or limitations of agency. To this end, we conducted a systematic review of the existing literature, a sociogeographic study of the study context, and a mixed investigation. The results show that the greatest problem lies in the cities and towns located far away from the capital city, causing budget cutbacks and, therefore, reducing the attention to the needs of people with disabilities. However, social solidarity has increased, which is perceived as greater social inclusion for this group.
{"title":"Sociodemographic Analysis of Disability in a Highly Depopulated Rural Region: The Case of Soria, Spain","authors":"Juan R. Coca, Julio Fernández-Portela, Susana Gómez-Redondo, Anabel Paramá-Díaz","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040112","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040112","url":null,"abstract":"European regions with a lower population density have greater structural difficulties in ensuring that the daily life of their inhabitants matches that of more populated regions. This problem persists in groups of people who present some type of disability. Soria (Spain) is one of such regions. It is considered the most depopulated region of Southern Europe. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the reality of people with disabilities in one of the provinces with a lower population density. It also seeks to explore the relationship between the perceptions and the reality of the existing structure to infer the promotions or limitations of agency. To this end, we conducted a systematic review of the existing literature, a sociogeographic study of the study context, and a mixed investigation. The results show that the greatest problem lies in the cities and towns located far away from the capital city, causing budget cutbacks and, therefore, reducing the attention to the needs of people with disabilities. However, social solidarity has increased, which is perceived as greater social inclusion for this group.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"52 6","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"136377086","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Farah Altarifi, Nawal Louzi, Dana Abudayyeh, Tariq Alkhrissat
Amman, the capital of Jordan, has experienced significant traffic congestion due to the rise in private vehicle ownership and limited public transportation services. A Stated Preference (SP) survey was conducted to determine public transportation users’ willingness to use the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service. Another survey assessed the demand for an on-demand transit bus service with flexible and moderate costs, particularly for individuals far from the main BRT stations who need to reach them. Two models, Multinomial Logit (MNL) and Mixed Logit (ML), were utilized to understand user preferences for work-related trips. The study findings indicate that the cost of the trip and the waiting time are the two primary factors influencing public transport users’ choices. Furthermore, sociodemographic factors, such as age, income, household size, and current status, were found to have a significant impact. The results reveal that approximately 71% of participants would utilize an integrated public transportation system comprising BRT and on-demand services. The findings underscore the potential benefits of an integrated public transport system in addressing Amman’s traffic congestion. By combining BRT and on-demand services, the city can offer residents comfortable, affordable, and efficient transportation options, thus effectively mitigating congestion.
{"title":"User Preference Analysis for an Integrated System of Bus Rapid Transit and On-Demand Shared Mobility Services in Amman, Jordan","authors":"Farah Altarifi, Nawal Louzi, Dana Abudayyeh, Tariq Alkhrissat","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040111","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040111","url":null,"abstract":"Amman, the capital of Jordan, has experienced significant traffic congestion due to the rise in private vehicle ownership and limited public transportation services. A Stated Preference (SP) survey was conducted to determine public transportation users’ willingness to use the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service. Another survey assessed the demand for an on-demand transit bus service with flexible and moderate costs, particularly for individuals far from the main BRT stations who need to reach them. Two models, Multinomial Logit (MNL) and Mixed Logit (ML), were utilized to understand user preferences for work-related trips. The study findings indicate that the cost of the trip and the waiting time are the two primary factors influencing public transport users’ choices. Furthermore, sociodemographic factors, such as age, income, household size, and current status, were found to have a significant impact. The results reveal that approximately 71% of participants would utilize an integrated public transportation system comprising BRT and on-demand services. The findings underscore the potential benefits of an integrated public transport system in addressing Amman’s traffic congestion. By combining BRT and on-demand services, the city can offer residents comfortable, affordable, and efficient transportation options, thus effectively mitigating congestion.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"49 2","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135216855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Although spatial assimilation has often been defined as the process whereby a group attains residential propinquity with majority members of a host society, we argue that for certain immigrant groups, substantial suburbanization does not necessarily lead to racial integration. Our analysis using data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that between 1990 and 2010, Southeast Asian former refugees in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area experienced substantial suburbanization, which is expected given their improved socioeconomic status. However, Southeast Asians’ suburbanization has not led to residential propinquity with non-Hispanic Whites. Despite a small decline in Southeast Asians’ overall segregation at the metropolitan area level during the previous two decades, their segregation levels, as measured by the dissimilarity index, remained unchanged or increased in the central city and the suburbs. Furthermore, our findings reveal different ethnic concentration and segregation patterns among four Southeast Asian subgroups, complicating the meaning of ‘suburbanization’ as simply a process in which people move from the inner city to its less urban outskirts. The finding that substantial suburbanization coexists with high levels of segregation and ethnic concentration raises questions about the assumptions of both the spatial assimilation and place stratification models of immigrant residential processes and outcomes.
{"title":"Complicating ‘Suburbanization’ and Spatial Assimilation: The Complex Residential Patterns of Southeast Asian Americans in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area from 1990 to 2010","authors":"Yang Sao Xiong, Mark E. Pfeifer","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040110","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040110","url":null,"abstract":"Although spatial assimilation has often been defined as the process whereby a group attains residential propinquity with majority members of a host society, we argue that for certain immigrant groups, substantial suburbanization does not necessarily lead to racial integration. Our analysis using data from the U.S. Census Bureau reveals that between 1990 and 2010, Southeast Asian former refugees in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Statistical Area experienced substantial suburbanization, which is expected given their improved socioeconomic status. However, Southeast Asians’ suburbanization has not led to residential propinquity with non-Hispanic Whites. Despite a small decline in Southeast Asians’ overall segregation at the metropolitan area level during the previous two decades, their segregation levels, as measured by the dissimilarity index, remained unchanged or increased in the central city and the suburbs. Furthermore, our findings reveal different ethnic concentration and segregation patterns among four Southeast Asian subgroups, complicating the meaning of ‘suburbanization’ as simply a process in which people move from the inner city to its less urban outskirts. The finding that substantial suburbanization coexists with high levels of segregation and ethnic concentration raises questions about the assumptions of both the spatial assimilation and place stratification models of immigrant residential processes and outcomes.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"68 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135730664","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Environmental, social, and governance issues have gained significant prominence recently, particularly with a growing emphasis on environmental protection. In the realm of heightened environmental concerns, unmanned aerial vehicles have emerged as pivotal assets in addressing transportation challenges with a sustainable perspective. This study focuses on enhancing unmanned aerial vehicles’ object detection proficiency within the realm of sustainable transportation. The proposed method refines the YOLOv7 E-ELAN model, tailored explicitly for traffic scenarios. Leveraging strides in deep learning and computer vision, the adapted model demonstrates enhancements in mean average precision, outperforming the original on the VisDrone2019 dataset. This approach, encompassing model component enhancements and refined loss functions, establishes an efficacious strategy for precise unmanned aerial vehicles object detection. This endeavor aligns seamlessly with environmental, social, and governance principles. Moreover, it contributes to the 11th Sustainable Development Goal by fostering secure urban spaces. As unmanned aerial vehicles have become integral to public safety and surveillance, enhancing detection algorithms cultivates safer environments for residents. Sustainable transport encompasses curbing traffic congestion and optimizing transportation systems, where unmanned aerial vehicle-based detection plays a pivotal role in managing traffic flow, thereby supporting extended Sustainable Development Goal 11 objectives. The efficient utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles in public transit significantly aids in reducing carbon footprints, corresponding to the “Environmental Sustainability” facet of Environmental, Social, and Governance principles.
{"title":"Advancing ESG and SDGs Goal 11: Enhanced YOLOv7-Based UAV Detection for Sustainable Transportation in Cities and Communities","authors":"Ming-An Chung, Tze-Hsun Wang, Chia-Wei Lin","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040108","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040108","url":null,"abstract":"Environmental, social, and governance issues have gained significant prominence recently, particularly with a growing emphasis on environmental protection. In the realm of heightened environmental concerns, unmanned aerial vehicles have emerged as pivotal assets in addressing transportation challenges with a sustainable perspective. This study focuses on enhancing unmanned aerial vehicles’ object detection proficiency within the realm of sustainable transportation. The proposed method refines the YOLOv7 E-ELAN model, tailored explicitly for traffic scenarios. Leveraging strides in deep learning and computer vision, the adapted model demonstrates enhancements in mean average precision, outperforming the original on the VisDrone2019 dataset. This approach, encompassing model component enhancements and refined loss functions, establishes an efficacious strategy for precise unmanned aerial vehicles object detection. This endeavor aligns seamlessly with environmental, social, and governance principles. Moreover, it contributes to the 11th Sustainable Development Goal by fostering secure urban spaces. As unmanned aerial vehicles have become integral to public safety and surveillance, enhancing detection algorithms cultivates safer environments for residents. Sustainable transport encompasses curbing traffic congestion and optimizing transportation systems, where unmanned aerial vehicle-based detection plays a pivotal role in managing traffic flow, thereby supporting extended Sustainable Development Goal 11 objectives. The efficient utilization of unmanned aerial vehicles in public transit significantly aids in reducing carbon footprints, corresponding to the “Environmental Sustainability” facet of Environmental, Social, and Governance principles.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"24 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135994273","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Against the background of urban redevelopment programs through the lens of varied, country-related planning cultures, this article sets the stage for learning from one country’s recent experience. In this article, we focus on two Israeli urban regeneration programs operating since 2000: the ‘Integrated National Planning Scheme’ (TAMA 38) and ‘Evacuate and Build’ (Pinuy Binuy) programs. This article aims to examine the governmental agenda behind these programs in comparison to previous urban regeneration programs and, especially, to critically review the implementation and implication of these programs considering social sustainability issues. Methodologically, the policies and practices of this recent wave of urban renewals in Israel are revisited through a critical reading of a series of studies from the last five years, bringing together multidimensional societal aspects. In terms of ethics and qualitative dimensions, the examined societal aspects are rooted in social sustainability theory and contemporary urban policy design. Our findings regarding this country-related recent experience in urban renewals have identified several gaps concerning certain aspects of social sustainability theory and practice. These gaps call for a better understanding by Israel’s urban policy makers of the comprehensive essence of contemporary social sustainability theory, which should also be mirrored in the respective professional discourse. The gaps are also useful in informing our accumulating transnational knowledge and experience in urban renewal schemes, based on a chain of country-related experiences and planning cultures.
{"title":"Urban Renewals: Learning from a Country’s Recent Experience for Enhancing Socially-Sustainable Global Planning Policy","authors":"Liora Bigon, Edna Langenthal","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040109","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040109","url":null,"abstract":"Against the background of urban redevelopment programs through the lens of varied, country-related planning cultures, this article sets the stage for learning from one country’s recent experience. In this article, we focus on two Israeli urban regeneration programs operating since 2000: the ‘Integrated National Planning Scheme’ (TAMA 38) and ‘Evacuate and Build’ (Pinuy Binuy) programs. This article aims to examine the governmental agenda behind these programs in comparison to previous urban regeneration programs and, especially, to critically review the implementation and implication of these programs considering social sustainability issues. Methodologically, the policies and practices of this recent wave of urban renewals in Israel are revisited through a critical reading of a series of studies from the last five years, bringing together multidimensional societal aspects. In terms of ethics and qualitative dimensions, the examined societal aspects are rooted in social sustainability theory and contemporary urban policy design. Our findings regarding this country-related recent experience in urban renewals have identified several gaps concerning certain aspects of social sustainability theory and practice. These gaps call for a better understanding by Israel’s urban policy makers of the comprehensive essence of contemporary social sustainability theory, which should also be mirrored in the respective professional discourse. The gaps are also useful in informing our accumulating transnational knowledge and experience in urban renewal schemes, based on a chain of country-related experiences and planning cultures.","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"9 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135994282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Understanding human movement and transportation accessibility has become paramount in shaping the very fabric of our communities [...]
了解人类运动和交通可达性对于塑造我们社区的结构至关重要[…]
{"title":"The Implications of Human Mobility and Accessibility for Transportation and Livable Cities","authors":"Thomas W. Sanchez, Xinyue Ye","doi":"10.3390/urbansci7040107","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci7040107","url":null,"abstract":"Understanding human movement and transportation accessibility has become paramount in shaping the very fabric of our communities [...]","PeriodicalId":75284,"journal":{"name":"Urban science (Basel, Switzerland)","volume":"3 1","pages":"0"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-10-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"135968230","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}