Kyoto protocol the background
A treaty signed by 191 nations in Kyoto in 1997 for the target GHG emission. The protocol identified climate change as a GLOBAL PROBLEM and took effect in 2005.
The paper reviews environment publications in urban studies journal from 1967 to 2016. From these studies 12 thought-provoking articles the author studies in depth. The paper presents a forward-looking research agenda of a multidisciplinary approach to environment issues and evaluation of stakeholder’s involvement to achieve sustainability. Cities are the main contributor of GHG emission they are responsible of 70% for it although they occupy 2% of all land.
The author classified the urban debate of climate change into two domains. First, the causes and consequences of climate change at the urban level. Second, Interventions to counteract urban environment degradation.
The study of these articles starts in 1967 and the author highlights several points. Research quantity increased after 2012 and the themes are urban climate governance and environment related articles. Segregation of the 12 articles took in account: what needs to be done in environment and degradation studies? What should future research underpin? Few of these studies have been cited in prominent journals such as environment-oriented journals. All stakeholders from private to public to nonprofit should work together in sustainable urban development.
Sustainable urban development and climate change
The first five selected studies from the 12 deliver important message. That minimizing or reversing urban environmental degradation is achieved by proper planning, design and transition to low carbon living. These 5 studies link the urban form to sustainable urban development. One of these studies proposes three levels of energy efficient urban form. First, combined clustered of small urban settlement at regional level. Second, compact settlement at regional level. Third, medium to high-density development at local level. Subsequent scholars emphasize on the creation of open urban structure where a variety of build up areas and green areas make a sustainable urban form. These scholars question compact cities are realistic, appropriate zoning, and the efficacy of high-density development.
Through the study of the process that generates efficient GHG emission policy, to achieve environment targets one of these 5 studies shows we do not know yet which urban form is harmful or beneficial. Two strands of debate and literature evolved from that. First, investigating in detail the causes of environmental degradation from the perspective of urban form. Second, finding an effective urban form to reduce GHG emissions.
The author shows that transition to sustainable urban form does not necessarily imply expensive green infrastructure and development. He argues that green building increase cost between 30-50% than ordinary building. And can increase in rent and sales cover the additional green building cost? He advances to connect the idea of high technology with the eco-cities that became a global trend. Policy makers use two techniques–environmental input-output tables, ecological footprint analysis- to measure the impact of an event on environment and to achieve their responsibilities. Building sustainable cities is through integrating urban development and urban governance.
Climate change and urban governance
Yong articulate through these selected studies what is urban climate change? How to achieve successful urban climate governance. Government actions towards supporting this governance and their failures. And the major debate persisting in relation to climate change and governance. First, facilitating climate protection or environmental conservation. Second, the implications of climate change and environmental degradation for urban society and urban policy strategies.
Forms of urban climate governance. The paper highlights that urban climate governance refers to specific channels through which public and private entities discuss climate issues and establish response. The mechanism of producing a governance which a multitude of actors become involved in climate protection decision making and includes a variety of socio-political processes operating at multiple scales. Yong defines what makes governance strong or weak by illustrating various causes, lack of information sharing. Communication and learning problems between involved municipalities represents an obstacle to adopt and implement effective climate protection programs.
The paper introduces through the selected studies roles and approaches that make governance of climate change successful. Local authority’s role as leaders in developing climate change strategies. Government structure role in the success of environmental governance. Approaches to break the bureaucratic routine by establishing institutions that are more responsive and adaptive and collaborative in addressing climate change.
Implications of climate changes for society and urban policy making. The paper author, through the selected articles shows the influence of climate change on policy making and social change. He introduces several theories that govern the understanding of the relationship between society and environment such as (EMT) ecological modernization theory and (RST) risk society theory. He emphasizes the necessity of role change in environment policy to include actors from non electoral constrains. As well as climate change influence on city policy decision making, and researchers are pointing out the influence of carbon control to measure urban governance.
Yong proposes a research agenda
His research agenda should reflect the following five perspectives.
- How urban climate actions affect society’s behavior to meet environmental protection objectives.
- What constitutes effective urban climate governance? And the debate centered around the relationship between non market environmental resources consumption and economic development.
- Resolving the conflict of economic growth and climate protection by halting the industrial development with high effect central city urban space.
- What has been achieved so far in making sustainable cities and the influence of city context on policy making in the world.
- Considering environmental cost before proceeding to make environmental policy such as providing strong evidence on the cause of infant mortality.
Criticism
The author shows in his paper that the main concern is the urban debate after Kyoto protocol means after 2005. Several articles he studied here come before the protocol came into action in 2005.
Yong did not illustrate why the 12 articles he studied are provoking, meaning in what terms they are provoking?
The paper’s main concern is climate change but in many areas in the paper Kyoto protocol has not been addressed. What is the relation between climate change and GHG Emission.
The research agenda is focused on related environment issues such as economic growth, governance, protection and degradation, stakeholder’s involvement, methods of research studies of environment related matters. The articles did not focus as subject of study on the main causes of climate change and what are they.
The research did not identify that the multidisciplinary approach of resolving and studying climate change matters on the local level (one country) affects the introduction of an international treaty like Kyoto protocol to tackle climate change as this took 8 years to take action 1997-2005.
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