Transformative Approaches to Addressing Climate Change and Environmental Challenges in Urban Areas
Convenors: Israel Orimoloye (Western Michigan University), Emmanuel Busayo (University of the Witwatersrand)
Track: Alternative Futures
Keywords: Climate Change, Environmental Challenges, Remote Sensing and GIS, Innovative Technologies, Climate Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies
Friday October 25, 10:45–12:15 & 13:45-15:15, First Floor Seminar Room, John Moffat Building
SESSION 27
TRANSFORMATIVE APPROACHES TO ADDRESSING CLIMATE AND ENVIRNMENTAL CHALLENGES IN URBAN AREAS: LEVERAGING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGIES
This session aims to delve into the dynamic relationship between climate change, environmental challenges, and the transformative role of new technologies in mitigating these challenges at the urban level. The session will focus on exploring innovative approaches and technological advancements that hold immense potential in addressing the multifaceted aspects of climate change and its associated environmental impacts, especially in urban areas. The session will provide a comprehensive overview of the diverse challenges posed by climate change, including rising temperatures, extreme weather events, sea-level rise, habitat loss, and biodiversity depletion. Participants from research institutions, universities, government sectors and NGOs will engage in dialogues aimed at identifying innovative solutions, fostering partnerships, and charting a roadmap for leveraging these technologies to combat climate change and environmental challenges in urban areas. Central to the session will be an exploration of cutting-edge technologies that serve as catalysts for change. Emphasis will be placed on the role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and renewable energy technologies in addressing climate change in urban areas. These technologies have revolutionized environmental monitoring, data analysis, and decision-making processes in urban areas. Their roles in data collection for urban studies, analysis, visualization, and decision-making processes will form the crux. Case studies and success stories showcasing the application of these technologies in mitigating climate change impacts and fostering sustainability in urban areas are welcomed.
Presentations 10:45–12:15
Assessing Vegetation Change and its Effects on City Climate for Sustainable Urbanism Using Geographic System and Remote System Techniques: A Case Study of Adi Town, Benue Nigeria
Vegetation is one the most important and renewable resources of the earth's ecosystem. However, vegetation has been in a high state of decline both globally and locally. With the increase in Urbanization across the globe, the city micro-climate is constantly changing, affecting the living environment, necessitating the need for sustainable urbanism This study focused on the rate of vegetation change and its impacts...
City environment and public transport in the 21st century urban Africa: Overview of Opportunities and challenges
African cities have embraced transport infrastructure with less approaches to economic integration, climate change, and city resilience. Field findings suggests the adoption of emerging technologies in energy utilization, city resilience, and, artificial intelligence in a participatory sustainable urban transport.
Remote working as an alternative approach to reduce car dependency in cities
A significant challenge affecting urban areas is congestion, which is a result of car dependency. This paper seeks to understand if an alternative approach to reduce car dependency might be part of the solution to make cities more sustainable. Can remote working address issues of climate change and environmental challenges in urban areas?
Internet of things for just urban transitions: Putting Humans at the Centre
This study is a three-fold, 1. There is a limited justification for how IoT can advance just urban transitions 2. IoT and human-centeredness approaches are lacking 3. Research on the quality and safety of IoT hard infrastructure is limited therefore leaving a lacuna in literature on e.g. Telecommunication towers, fiber-optic cable, terrestrial microwave, twisted pair, and satellite transmission management in relation to IoT service satisfaction, urban safety, and spatial development.
Lessons for a community heat early warning system within informal settlements
While cities face risks from extreme temperatures, existing early warning don’t reach last-mile communities. We evaluated the utilization of early warning resources within slums in Akure and Lagos (Nigeria) and tested a Community Heat Early Warning System. Contextualizing and automating early warning can boost disaster preparedness in slums.
Presentations 13:45-15:15
Enhancing Circular Energy Consumption and Space Utilization in Informal Settlements: A Digital Twin Approach
This research explores comprehensive investigation into the daily energy usage patterns within informal settlements located on the peripheries of Mekelle city. The study employs a comparative case study approach, examining their energy and space utilization against established standards benchmarks using.
Digital solutions for more climate resilient informal areas in Namibia
The experience of two towns in Namibia in the process of protoyping digital tools to improve data-driven decision making for effectively enhancing climate resilience of informal.
From risk to resilience: leveraging GIS for Disaster Risk Reduction and Land Use Management
This paper provides insight into the synergetic relationship of Geographic Information System (GIS), Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), and Land Use Management (LUM) using case studies from KwaZulu-Natal. GIS is used for spatial mapping and analysis of DRR components together with principles of LUM; towards resilient communities and settlements.
Global paradigm of sustainable urban mobility systems: Towards Just Transportation Transitions
Developing and implementing actions aimed at achieving environmentally friendly and equitable low-carbon mobility systems are imperative for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, minimizing pollution, and advancing target 11:2 of the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development.
Empowering African Cities: A Technological Approach to Combating Climate Change
African cities are experiencing rapid urbanization, making them vulnerable to climate change impacts like floods, heatwaves, and rising sea levels. However, these same cities hold immense potential to become leaders in climate action. This paper explores how technologies like Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be harnessed to tackle climate challenges in African urban centers.
Urban Flooding and Adaptation Potentials for Building Structures in LECZ: The Case of Dar es Salaam Coastal City, Tanzania
We present on vulnerability of buildings to climate change induced floods in LECZ. Discussion includes motives prompting people to settle in flooding LECZ, buildings laboratory results and locally practiced flood adaptation measures. Proposals are suggested to improve the resilience of housing structures and contributing to climate mitigation.
Predictive Maintenance Management Towards Enhancing Telecommunication Tower Resilience and Adaptability through Climatic Change Considerations
The telecommunication towers being an essential infrastructure, especially in the era of the industrial revolution need to be designed and maintained to adapt to prevailing climate change. It is pertinent to adopt these changes to cater for climatic change-induced risks, enhancing the adaptability and resilience towards promoting structural performance, safety, and improved service downtime.
Drought and Land-Use Dynamics in Urban Area
Drought disaster and land-use dynamics in urban areas of Free State Province of South Africa were assessed in this study using space-based information in order to identify drought drivers utilising regression-based algorithms.
