Search Results (585)

Underground space is increasingly positioned in contemporary urban discourse as a strategic resource for sustainable spatial and territorial development, particularly under conditions of limited surface capacity, growing infrastructural demand, and the need for long-term urban resilience. However, its implementation remains constrained by insufficient institutional, planning, and governance integration. Starting from this problem, this paper assesses the institutional readiness of Serbia’s spatial and urban planning system for the integration of underground planning into the territorial development system. The methodological approach is based on the development of an analytical framework for institutional readiness, structured around three key dimensions: regulatory–institutional, spatial–infrastructural, and governance–coordination. This research is conducted through a qualitative analysis of legislative, strategic, planning, and supplementary sources, using stratified criteria—normative, operational, and integrative levels—which enables a structured, document-based diagnostic assessment of the current state of the system. The results indicate that institutional readiness in Serbia is at a low to medium-low level. Although a partially developed normative framework and certain technical-informational capacities exist, underground space is not clearly recognised as a distinct planning category or as an integrated three-dimensional spatial resource. The spatial–infrastructural dimension reveals the existence of relevant cadastral, geospatial, and infrastructural foundations, but without their sufficient integration into a unified 3D planning and governance system. The key limitation is identified in the governance–coordination dimension, where fragmented competences, uneven local capacities, and the absence of dedicated coordination mechanisms hinder the systematic application of underground planning. The paper concludes that the integration of underground planning in Serbia requires gradual institutional transformation toward an integrated, three-dimensional, and long-term-oriented model of spatial governance. Its contribution lies in formulating an initial diagnostic framework that connects debates on planning systems, institutional fragmentation, spatial data integration, and territorial governance, and may serve as a basis for further research and policy development in the field of integrated territorial development. Full article

Surface water degradation has intensified due to anthropogenic pressures, especially in urban areas, where unplanned land use compromises the integrity of aquatic ecosystems. This study investigated the relationship between water quality and land use in a Permanent Preservation Area (PPA) within an urban perimeter in Caçador, Santa Catarina, Brazil. Monthly sampling was conducted throughout 2024 at 11 points distributed along urban and rural sections of the river and its tributaries. Physicochemical and microbiological parameters were evaluated, and the Water Quality Index (WQI) established by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) was calculated in order to associate the results with the sampling points, complemented by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify multivariate patterns of spatial variability in water quality across the study area. In parallel, the PPA within the urban perimeter was delimited according to current environmental legislation, and land use was classified using ArcGIS and Google Earth Pro. The results revealed greater water quality degradation in urban stretches of the river, particularly at sampling point SP7, which recorded the lowest dissolved oxygen concentration (3.10 mg L⁻¹), alongside elevated values of biochemical oxygen demand (5.23 mg L⁻¹), total phosphorus (2.94 mg L⁻¹), nitrate (18.75 mg L⁻¹), and thermotolerant coliforms (2759.20 MPN 100 mL⁻¹). The WQI ranged from 40.18 (SP7: bad category) to 73.57 (SP1: good category), reflecting a pronounced spatial gradient of water quality degradation associated with increasing urbanization along the river course. Mapping of the PPAs revealed that only 43.72% of the total area was covered by native vegetation, while the remaining 56.28% was occupied by anthropogenic land uses, including miscellaneous use (30.32%), agriculture (9.09%), buildings (6.09%), roads (4.64%), and railway infrastructure (5.81%). PCA accounted for 89.06% of the total data variance and indicated that greater interaction of sampling points with urbanized areas was consistently associated with reduced water quality, thereby demonstrating the direct influence of anthropogenic activities on the environmental parameters assessed throughout the study area. These findings demonstrate that land use patterns directly affect water quality and reinforce the need for riparian forest restoration, expanded sanitation infrastructure, and more sustainable urban planning. Full article

Brazil has a deficit of 27 Mha of native vegetation in rural properties and the ambition to restore 12 Mha by 2030 (Nationally Determined Contributions—Paris Agreement), while the state of São Paulo has committed to reforesting 1.5 Mha by 2025. The regulation of payment for environmental services (PES) is a new topic in the Brazilian legal system that also aims to contribute to this commitment. In 2021, a federal law established the national PES policy. For São Paulo state, the current regulation is a decree from 2022. This study analyzes whether the regulation of PES made by São Paulo state conveys all the actions provided for in the federal law, as well as whether there is effective public governance in this state’s regulation. This analysis is essential, since São Paulo regulated this through a decree and not specifically through legislation, which, in theory, reduces public participation and governance. We used an exploratory and deductive method to evaluate whether São Paulo’s regulation adequately reflects federal provisions and governance principles, ensuring the planning and implementation of PES. Full article

The intensification of urbanization and the environmental crisis highlight the need for new paradigms of sustainable urban development, in which mobility plays a central role. This article analyzes sustainable urban mobility initiatives in Latin American knowledge territories through a comparative framework that integrates Knowledge-Based Urban Development (KBUD) and urban circularity principles. Grounded in the Fourth-Generation Knowledge Territories (TC4) perspective, the study focuses on governance models and social participation as drivers of transformative mobility practices. Methodologically, it adopts a qualitative and exploratory case study approach, combining primary data from field visits with secondary sources such as legislation, institutional documents, and technical reports. Despite the proliferation of science parks and innovation districts in Latin America, little is known about how governance and social participation shape sustainable mobility initiatives in these contexts, particularly when analyzed through the combined lenses of KBUD and urban circularity. The comparative analysis reveals varying degrees of openness and limitations in urban mobility governance across the three territories selected (distritotec—Mexico, Parque Patricios—Argentina, and Porto Digital—Brazil). The findings reveal distinct governance configurations and degrees of alignment with circular mobility principles. Distritotec stands out for its multistakeholder governance and community-led mobility initiatives, reflecting efforts to operationalize the quintuple helix model. Parque Patricios shows fragmented integration between infrastructure improvements and participatory planning, while Porto Digital presents limited articulation between innovation policies and sustainable mobility, with centralized governance and low public engagement. Persistent challenges observed throughout the cases include the weak institutionalization of citizen participation, insufficient strategies to disincentivize private car use, and a lack of data governance mechanisms. Full article

Since the 1950s, Türkiye has experienced rapid urbanization and urban expansion followed by continuous planning initiatives, yet these efforts have resulted in significant land degradation and unsustainable urban sprawl. As a remedy, legislators and administrations are increasingly turning to the use of transferable development rights (TDRs), which have arisen as an innovative land readjustment tool and have recently been incorporated into the spatial planning system. This paper examines the effectiveness of TDRs by analyzing the legislative framework and operational rationale of the Turkish model through a hypothetical scenario, while also considering the institutional restrictions that could limit its usefulness as a sustainable planning instrument. By contrasting the scenario model with the framework recently developed through legal reform, this study employs the success factors of TDRs from the literature to assess the effectiveness of the tool integrated into the spatial planning system. Since the new legislation that forms the basis of the TDR model was passed in late 2024, empirical data on completed transactions is currently unavailable, and hence, the analysis used a hypothetical what-if-case scenario model in the local context, the Muratbey-Torbalı district of Izmir. To clarify the rationale behind incorporating the TDR into the planning system, we will first examine its conceptual development within the national legislation, followed by a critical evaluation of the TDR model as established by the recent amendment. Secondly, the study will present a hypothetical TDR model that incorporates the essential components ex-ante and offer guidance for conducting a market-based evaluation of TDRs, considering factors influencing agricultural market values and related standards. The findings demonstrate that there is a lack of legal clarity that stresses the program’s holistic design with sending and receiving locations or TDR-allocation rates. The implementation regulation is challenging to ascertain how transfers impact land use justice, social benefit, and the public interest. Full article

The development of a 3D digital cadastre is a key objective of Australia’s Cadastre 2034 strategy for modernising land information infrastructure. Jurisdictions across Australia are progressively transitioning from conventional 2D cadastral systems towards 3D cadastral models to better represent complex land and property rights, particularly in dense urban environments. In New South Wales (NSW), LandXML is currently the standard for digital cadastral lodgement. However, its limitations in supporting 3D spatial data representation have prompted investigation of alternative standards such as LandInfra and its InfraGML encoding. The aim of this study is to investigate how LandInfra handles existing cadastral information in New South Wales, Australia. In particular, this study is a technical and structural comparison of LandXML and InfraGML, examining data modelling workflows and geometric encoding. A hybrid research methodology integrating Design Science Research (DSR) and Case Study Research (CSR) was applied. Two representative cadastral plans—a standard deposited plan and a strata plan—were digitised using LISCAD 2025 v25.9.23.1 and AutoCAD Civil 3D 2026 V1 and subsequently modelled in both LandXML and InfraGML formats. Validation was conducted using KITModelViewer and schema validators, with comparative analysis of development cycle, modelling structure, usability, and workflow. This study demonstrates that InfraGML offers semantic richness and structural flexibility compared to LandXML within the scope of the examined case studies, although its practical adoption is constrained by limited commercial software support and may present adoption challenges for practitioners. The findings of this research suggest that LandInfra offers considerable potential for advancing the future development of 3D cadastre in Australia. In this context, InfraGML is positioned as a promising data standard for ongoing investigation and future research, rather than an immediate substitute for LandXML. Within the scope of this study, a fully operational 3D cadastral implementation is neither developed nor validated within existing legal or institutional frameworks, and complex 3D scenarios are not addressed. Future research should explore integration with CAD platforms, legislative implications of 3D survey features, complex volumetric cases, and formal 3D topological validation, and alternative modelling approaches, such as using Nested Parcels method and InfraJSON encoding. Full article

Sustainable air quality governance requires robust monitoring and updated air quality management plans (AQMPs) to translate legislation into meaningful environmental and health protection. The Highveld Priority Area (HPA), which was declared South Africa’s second National Air Pollution Priority Area in 2007, includes the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM), where AQMPs are outdated and long-term chemical characterization data remain limited. This study provides baseline evidence to support AQMP revision by characterizing PM_2.5 mass concentrations and chemical composition in a residential area of Kempton Park within the EMM and HPA. A total of 57 24 h PM_2.5 samples were collected every sixth day from May 2021 to April 2022. Concentrations ranged from 0.9 to 32 µg/m³ (annual mean 10 µg/m³), exceeding the WHO annual guideline (5 µg/m³) but remaining below the South African standard (20 µg/m³). The daily WHO guideline (15 µg/m³) was exceeded on 13 days. PM_2.5, black carbon and organic carbon peaked during winter and spring, consistent with enhanced atmospheric stability and combustion emissions, while elements Br, Fe, K, S, Si and Sr exhibited seasonal variability. Principal component analysis and enrichment factor assessment distinguished crustal sources (Si, Ca, Fe, Ti) from enriched anthropogenic elements (S, Zn, Br, U), indicating contributions from combustion, industrial activities and mining. Correlation patterns and 72 h back-trajectory analysis further demonstrated shared sources and significant regional transport influences. These findings highlight the combined role of local emissions, meteorology and long-range transport, providing locally relevant evidence to inform sustainable air quality management within the EMM and HPA. Full article

The planning and design of Extra-High Voltage (EHV) overhead power lines require strict adherence to electromagnetic field exposure limits to ensure public safety. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the minimum ground clearance required for standard 400 kV transmission towers to comply with international safety guidelines. A review of legislative frameworks across 37 countries indicates a widespread consensus on limiting values of 5 kV/m for the electric field and 100 $\mathsf{\mu }$T for magnetic flux density. Using analytical methods, the electric and magnetic fields were calculated for four common tower geometries (Cat, Portal, Danube, and Barrel) under varying ground clearances and phase configurations. The results demonstrate that the magnetic flux density is not a limiting factor, as it remains well below safety thresholds even at standard technical clearances. Conversely, the electric field intensity proves to be the critical design constraint, often requiring clearances significantly higher than those dictated by insulation coordination. The study identifies that optimizing the phase sequence in double-circuit towers can reduce the required ground clearance by up to 28%, offering a cost-effective mitigation strategy. These findings provide power line designers with essential decision-making data for the preliminary design phase, enabling the optimization of tower geometry and phase arrangement without the need for computationally intensive simulations. Full article

Public participation in planning, though a foundational democratic principle, faces persistent implementation challenges across diverse planning systems. This paper examines participatory planning practice in Ireland and Serbia—two countries representing distinct planning traditions (discretionary and conformance-based, respectively) yet confronting shared structural pressures. Through comparative analysis of four local land use planning instruments (the Development Plan and Local Area Plan in Ireland; the Municipal Spatial Plan and General Regulation Plan in Serbia), the study investigates how institutional design and legislative frameworks shape the depth and quality of participatory practice. Methodologically, the research triangulates statutory regulations, public hearing documentation, and non-statutory participation records across two planning scales (county/municipal and local/sub-municipal). A four-dimensional analytical framework—informing, consultation, collaboration, and monitoring—guides the systematic comparison of participatory mechanisms across the selected cases. Findings reveal that, while both systems remain predominantly at the informing and consultation levels, critical differences emerge in how participation is structured and documented in institutional practice. Ireland’s discretionary system enables multi-channel information dissemination, feedback-oriented consultation, and non-statutory collaborative experimentation beyond legal minimums. Serbia’s conformance-based system confines participation largely to statutory procedures, with objection-based consultation and limited collaborative mechanisms, though distinctive features, such as the public hearing session, provide direct opportunities for deliberation absent in the Irish context. The study contributes to European comparative planning scholarship by demonstrating that participatory depth is shaped less by the formal existence of legal provisions than by the interplay between institutional design, procedural arrangements, transparency, and responsiveness. Full article

Permanency planning, an approach to the placement of children in out-of-home care, is central to child and family system practice, policy and law. Using the example of legislative reforms in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, this article explores how privileging legal permanence leads to ongoing failures to account for Aboriginal worldviews and child-rearing practices. Drawing on qualitative research, including Yarning Circles and semi-structured interviews that I conducted with Aboriginal community members in NSW, the findings contribute to limited evidence on permanence from Indigenous perspectives, revealing how familial and cultural connectedness shape belonging and social and emotional wellbeing and highlighting the importance of children’s ongoing connections with extended Aboriginal family, community and culture. Aboriginal understandings of permanence align more closely with cultural, relational and physical domains than with the construct of legal permanence that predominates in permanency planning approaches. Prioritizing legally permanent care arrangements above other domains poses long-term risks to Aboriginal children’s social and emotional wellbeing, demonstrating the need for “deep-level” cultural adaptation in child welfare law, policy and practice. The findings have implications for decolonizing child protection and repositioning Aboriginal conceptualizations of permanence as the foundation for legislation, policy and practice—reforms that must be Indigenous-led, culturally grounded from the outset, and anchored in full implementation of principles embedding self-determination and Indigenous children’s fundamental rights. Full article

Education plays a crucial role in climate adaptation and mitigation, specifically in the current context of environmental challenges and disasters. This article analyzes initiatives to integrate content on sustainability, climate change, and disaster risk reduction into Spanish educational legislation and other specific regulations, such as civil protection. It reviews the alignment of Spanish legislation with international frameworks such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sendai Framework, as well as the incorporation of environmental and climate education into regulations related to climate change and civil protection. The article highlights the importance of teacher training and the recent implementation of a mandatory disaster education plan following a devastating rainfall and flood disaster in 2024 (known in Spanish as the DANA disaster), which aims to strengthen the resilience and preparedness of the entire educational community. It concludes that significant progress has been made in integrating this content into the curriculum. However, the challenge of consolidating a culture of climate change awareness in Spanish society remains. Full article

Climate change is an urgent global crisis requiring collaboration across sectors, including public health. In Canada, extreme heat is a leading cause of weather-related mortality, and cities play a central role in mitigating health impacts. This study examined the governance mechanisms shaping intersectoral extreme heat response in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal, Canada. Using a comparative case study methodology, we conducted semi-structured interviews (N = 28) and reviewed local heat response documents (N = 30) between November 2023 and December 2024. Thematic analysis informed cross-case comparisons of governance mechanisms shaping collaborative efforts. Across cases, legislative mandates, formal response plans, and coordinating structures for network engagement supported effective intersectoral collaboration. However, collaboration varied in terms of network governance leadership, intersectoral scope (i.e., the type and number of sectors involved), degree of engagement, and the roles of public health authorities. Co-leadership across sectors in Montreal seems to enable greater intersectoral engagement and integration of heat strategies. Areas for improvement include community-engaged heat response planning and enhanced capacity for conducting heat response outcome evaluations. Public health authorities may inform the strategic direction of future heat strategies by supporting the application of a population health lens and facilitating intersectoral collaboration to better address the upstream determinants of heat health inequities. Full article

Navigation marking is an essential element of inland waterways. The visibility, location, and quality of navigation signs determine navigation conditions. Therefore, this study aimed to identify opportunities to improve navigation safety on inland waterways in Poland. Particular attention was paid to Polish legislation and international regulations in order to identify discrepancies and propose amendments to individual legal acts. These recommendations were preceded by field studies of selected navigation signs, including assessments of their legibility at night and in conditions of limited visibility. On this basis, and drawing on many years of practical experience on navigable waterways in Poland and Western European countries, the authors developed original proposals for the use of navigation signs, including designs for floating navigation signs and bridge clearance signs, as well as concepts for navigation marking plans for selected infrastructure components related to inland waterways. The proposed measures are expected to improve the recognisability and consistency of navigation markings, which may contribute to better operating conditions for inland waterway users, including both professional inland navigation operators (freight and passenger) and individual recreational users. Full article

Sewage sludge management remains a critical challenge in Greece, where increasing regulatory pressure, environmental constraints, and limited stakeholder participation complicate regional decision-making. In particular, the revision of regional Waste Management Plans requires decision-support approaches that are both technically robust and socially legitimate. This study develops and applies a participatory, data-driven multi-criteria decision analysis framework to evaluate sustainable sewage sludge management strategies in the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace. The framework combines structured stakeholder participation with quantitative performance assessment, enabling transparent, reproducible, and systematic comparison of alternative sewage sludge management options. Four realistic sludge management alternatives—composting fr agriculture, forestry use, land restoration, and thermal drying with energy recovery were assessed against fifteen economic, environmental, and social sub-criteria. Data were collected through structured questionnaires administered to forty-four representatives from five stakeholder groups: utilities (water and sewerage service providers), local authorities, scientists/experts, end-users, and citizens. Group preferences were aggregated using equal group weighting to ensure balanced representation. The results show that environmental and economic criteria outweigh social aspects. The highest mean weights were assigned to compliance with environmental requirements for products derived from the disposal method (0.105) and compliance with stricter national environmental legislation (0.104), followed by energy intensity (0.097), installation cost (0.065), and operation and maintenance (O&M) cost (0.061). Overall rankings identified composting and thermal drying as the most preferred options, followed by land restoration and forestry use; sensitivity analysis (±10% variation in sub-criterion weights) confirmed ranking stability. The proposed framework enhances decision transparency by embedding measurable criteria and stakeholder inputs within a structured analytical process. From a policy perspective, it addresses participation gaps in Greek waste planning and offers a transferable decision-support tool for future regional planning. Further extensions may include integration with life cycle assessment and cost–benefit analysis to support adaptive updates under circular economy objectives. Full article

A central goal of carbon (C) management and a critical outcome of sustainable land stewardship is reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture, forestry, and other land uses. Integrating GHG considerations into management can take many forms, but C credit markets are increasingly providing sources of private capital to offset the often high costs of stewardship. In Hawaiʻi, participation in voluntary C credit markets and the establishment of jurisdictional compliance C markets are constrained by a lack of institutional capacity, successful demonstrations, and high-quality data, making private capital for C market-based approaches in Hawaiʻi difficult to access. The State of Carbon in Hawaiʻi Hui (hui translates to partnership in ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian language) convened landowners, researchers, federal and state government professionals, and for-profit and not-for-profit organization staff to better understand limitations to implementing C management in Hawaiʻi. This paper describes why the State of Carbon in Hawaiʻi Hui was formed, how we planned for, hosted, and assessed the success of a C-focused summit, and what outcomes resulted from this process. A Pathway Forward document, a decision support tool, and this article are outcomes. These products will serve as resources for those considering Hawaiʻi-based forest C projects, as well as contributing towards the legislated goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in Hawaiʻi. Our knowledge exchange process is readily replicable and can support a variety of efforts in environmental conservation and beyond. Full article