Writing For Urban Development

Big cities: engines of prosperity, but at what cost? For decades, urbanisation has been seen as a force for economic dynamism. Yet, new research by Dylan Connor, Siqiao Xie, Jiwon Jang, Amy Frazier, Peter Kedron, Garima Jain, Yilei Yu, and Tom Kemeny suggests a troubling paradox: the very cities that generate wealth and seem to propel prosperity also entrench inequality — both within and across generations. Their study, spanning a century of US urban development, finds that large, dense, and sprawling cities were once ladders of opportunity. But since the mid-20th century, they have become barriers. The geography of upward mobility has shifted, favouring smaller towns and rural areas, while major cities have become more segregated, less socially connected, and increasingly inhospitable to those born into disadvantage. The culprit? Not just economics, but the physical structure of cities themselves: sprawl, fragmentation, and the erosion of social capital. The very fabric of urban life has changed, and with it, the pathways out of poverty. If cities are to remain centres of opportunity, we, as a society, must rethink how they grow. Density without connectivity fosters exclusion. Expansion without integration deepens divides. The urban future must be designed with both economic and social mobility at its core. Read the full study: https://lnkd.in/dKUBfiVn

Thrilled to share my first publication of 2026!! In collaboration with Rebecca Morgenstern Brenner & Bashiru Koroma MPH, MBA, our article, Youth Empowerment for Urban Climate Resilience: Establishing a Climate Science and Collaboration Hub in Bo City, Sierra Leone, is published today in World MDPI. This paper examines how youth engagement can strengthen urban climate resilience in secondary cities. We describe a pathway for investing in adaptive capacity through a Youth Climate Science Hub in Bo City, and we draw on social ecological resilience and transformative education theories to show how youth-centered approaches can help bridge the gap between climate knowledge and action. If you work in climate resilience, urban planning, or youth engagement, please read, share, and pass it on to others who might be interested. Link to the article in the comments. MDPI World MDPI Transcultural Conflict and Violence Initiative at GSU #Research #Education #PublicHealth

Another inspiring report from New York. The report "Growing Up! Reshaping Neighborhoods for NYC Youth" presents a compelling vision for transforming New York City's neighborhoods into youth-friendly spaces through innovative design interventions and enhanced inter-agency collaboration. The report highlights concerning disparities in access to youth-friendly spaces across the city, with quality often correlating to socioeconomic status. Current urban environments frequently prove hostile to young people, characterized by narrow sidewalks, busy streets, and a scarcity of safe gathering places. Additionally, the research identifies significant gaps in neighborhood planning and coordination between city agencies regarding youth initiatives. Key recommendations focus on implementing a comprehensive systems approach to neighborhood planning that actively involves young people in assessing and evaluating youth-friendliness. The report advocates for establishing a dedicated office within NYC Public Schools to oversee outdoor space initiatives and coordinate with other agencies. Increased funding for improving accessibility and ensuring long-term maintenance of existing spaces is deemed crucial. The proposed physical design interventions span multiple scales, from school grounds to neighborhood spaces. These include innovative use of roofs, playgrounds, and parking lots, as well as improvements to streets, sidewalks, parks, and retail areas. To demonstrate the collective impact of this neighborhood-focused approach, the report suggests organizing an annual NYC Neighborhood Day of Play and creating financial incentives for Business Improvement Districts to develop youth-specific programs. This comprehensive study was authored by (urban) experts Eduarda Aun, James Francisco, AICP, Stephany Lin, Niyanta Muku, Rujuta Naringrekar, and Nasra Nimaga AIA, NCARB, NOMA. Their research provides valuable insights for urban professionals seeking to create more inclusive and youth-friendly cities. For more inspiration across various urban domains, visit Urban Design Forum: https://lnkd.in/gN7qZdRw Urban Design Forum #urbanplanning #youthengagement #citydesign #publicspace #urbaninnovation #neighborhoodplanning #sustainablecities #communitydesign #urbanpolicy #newyorkcity

🌍 New Paper 🌍 Urban green space #UGS is one of the most promising nature-based solutions #NBS to urban heat — but how well does it really work, and where? In our new paper published in Sustainable Cities and Society, my PhD student yue Z. (Technical University of Munich) takes a fresh look at the cooling effects of urban green space across 49 major Chinese cities, using a sub-meter resolution dataset derived from high-resolution aerial imagery and deep learning. 🔍 Key insights: 👉 Urban green space is associated with an average ~3°C reduction in land surface temperature 👉 A one-standard-deviation increase in green space leads to a measurable cooling effect, but with strong spatial heterogeneity 👉 Cooling is stronger in residential and public areas, open and high-rise environments, higher elevations, and drier climates 👉 Extreme heat reduces effectiveness, and super-large cities show signs of inefficient green space configuration 👉 High-resolution data significantly outperforms commonly used coarse datasets for policy-relevant analysis 🌱 Why it matters These results highlight that urban greening is not a one-size-fits-all solution. Where and how green space is designed matters just as much as how much is added — and high-resolution data is critical for evidence-based urban climate adaptation. 📄 The paper also publicly releases a sub-meter urban green space dataset, supporting future research and planning efforts: https://lnkd.in/eVSpATMf Special note: this is the first major PhD paper by Yue — a great milestone and a strong start. #NewPaper #UrbanHeatIsland #UrbanGreenSpace #ClimateAdaptation #RemoteSensing #DeepLearning #SustainableCities #UrbanPlanning TUM School of Engineering and Design (ED), Munich Center for Machine Learning, Munich Data Science Institute (MDSI)

Excited to share the thought-provoking article that Francesco Tonnarelli and I have published in Regional Studies (4.6 Impact Factor , ABS 4) - "Smart Urbanism in Africa: When Theories Do Not Fit with Contextual Practices" 📚 🤔 As we navigate the complex dynamics of #UrbanDevelopment and #technology-driven transformations, it is essential to recognise that not all communities and regions benefit equally. Some urban areas may find themselves lagging behind in the #SmartCity revolution, and mainstream smart city literature tends to predominantly focus on developed regions, particularly in Europe and North America. How global urbanisation trends and smart city concepts align with the unique socio-economic and cultural contexts of #DevelopingCountries has been largely overlooked. This is why we decided to focus on #Africa. The objective is to examine the intricacies of smart urbanism in #AfricanCities: a crucial task for promoting #Sustainable and #Equitable urban development on the continent. 🌟 Article main highlights: 🌆 We explore the evolving landscape of African cities and the challenges faced when implementing smart urban solutions within diverse African contexts. 🔗 We critically examine the gap between smart urbanism theories, often based on Western models, and the complex, dynamic realities of African cities. 🌱 We emphasise the importance of context-specific approaches to smart urbanism, considering factors like infrastructure, governance, economic disparities, and citizen participation. 📈 We provide insights into how policymakers in the public sector, urban planners, and businesses can tailor their strategies to foster sustainable and inclusive smart urban development in African cities. 🌟 Why this matters The research presented in this article serves as a critical reminder that our pursuit of smart city development should not inadvertently leave vulnerable communities behind. It is a call to action for policymakers, urban planners, and technologists to rethink local smart city development strategies and ensure that the benefits of smart city solutions are accessible to all. And a call to action for smart city researchers to sustain more research efforts focused on less developed territories. For those of you who are interested in reading the article, here is the link https://lnkd.in/dYCXvBNu #UnityLab #SmartCities #UrbanInnovation #SustainableUrbanDevelopment #SustainableCities #DigitalGovernance #DigitalTransformations #Governance #InclusiveCities #Africa #Equity #RegionalStudies #LeftBehindPlaces Unity Lab / Urban Innovation Policy Lab, Edinburgh Napier University, TalTech – Tallinn University of Technology

I am pleased to share our latest publication in Nature Cities: “Establishing the Nexus Between Urban Walkability and Thermal Comfort in a Changing Climate.” This work is led by my exceptional PhD student Nisreen Abuwaer and talented postdoctoral researcher Dr. Safi Ullah, whose dedication and depth of analysis make this contribution especially significant for the fields of urban sustainability and climate resilience. The paper examines a crucial but underexplored connection: how climate change (particularly rising temperatures and extreme heat) affects walkability and the lived experience of pedestrians in cities. While walkability is widely recognized as a foundation of sustainable transportation and community health, this review demonstrates that it is inseparable from the realities of a warming world. We present a comprehensive synthesis of literature and modeling approaches, building a framework that integrates physical, physiological, and psychological dimensions of thermal comfort. Our analysis highlights that designing climate-resilient cities requires more than infrastructure improvements. It calls for an evidence-based rethinking of urban morphology, including shading strategies, green infrastructure, reflective materials, and innovative cooling systems such as mist stations. We emphasize that walkability is both a victim of climate change and a powerful tool for climate mitigation, as pedestrian-friendly cities reduce emissions, improve equity, and create vibrant public spaces. The work also points to research gaps that demand urgent attention. There is a need for integrated indices that bring together microclimate data, behavioral responses, and built environment characteristics to better guide planning decisions. Modeling future scenarios of heat exposure under different climate trajectories can help identify vulnerable neighborhoods and support adaptation strategies. This review lays the foundation for future interdisciplinary research that links urban design, health sciences, and climate modeling to create safe, comfortable, and sustainable cities. This publication reflects the collaborative spirit of KAUST Urban Lab, where we aim to produce research that bridges science and practice, providing actionable insights for policymakers, city planners, and communities. Congratulations to Nisreen and Safi for their leadership on this important milestone, which represents a growing body of work dedicated to advancing climate-conscious urban design. Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/dyqDq9AG #UrbanPlanning #ClimateChange #ThermalComfort #Walkability #Sustainability #UrbanResilience #UrbanDesign #PublicHealth #NatureCities #ClimateAction KAUST BESE KAUST Urban Lab KAUST (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

📝 [Open access Published paper alert!] "One Belt, Many Roads: Investigating China’s foreign investment and land-use impacts in Southeast Asia," by Xuewei Wang, Evan Johnson, Diego Manya, Julia Cardwell, and myself is now out in PLOS Sustainability and Transformation. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/eQz_4BZw China’s overseas infrastructure investments have impacts that extend far beyond construction. They reshape land use, alter ecosystems, and create urban teleconnections through flows of resources, capital, and environmental change—shaping biodiversity, sustainability, and urban development over the long term. How can we measure these impacts empirically? We use a dynamic panel regression to estimate how Chinese investment from 2008 to 2018 affects land-use change. This approach goes beyond standard models by accounting for both district- and year-level differences, as well as prior changes in land cover. In doing so, it helps avoid overstating the effect of investment in cases where development was already underway before the money arrived. Key Findings: - BRI-linked districts experienced ~5% higher deforestation than the regional average. - Every 1% increase in Chinese investment correlated with a 0.001–0.007% decline in tree cover. - Investments were linked to increases in cropland (+0.35%) and grassland (+2.47%), but showed only modest short-term urban expansion (+0.17%). We found that areas receiving investment experienced more deforestation than nearby regions, along with an increase in farmland and grasslands. Although the short-term environmental changes appear small, longer-term impacts may emerge as urbanization and development continues. This paper has been a labor of a lot of love, starting first when I was still teaching at the now defunct Yale-NUS College. My wonderful undergraduate students Jacob Jarabejo and Damon Lim Wei Da traveled by foot, motorcycle, bus, and plane to Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand and Laos to groundtruth some of the land-cover classifications we developed using Google Earth Engine and Landsat data in the lab. Pixels captured from satellites frequently don't fully reflect on the ground transitions and land-use, so it was important for us to sample a selection of random points and land-covers to see what satellite data classifications may have missed. -- Jacob's field notes from Laos: https://lnkd.in/e7qg5i8w -- Damon's field notes from Cambodia: https://lnkd.in/etqQHPx3 Thank you to National University of Singapore for giving me a seed grant to start this work and to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a junior faculty development award to finish it.

Happy to share our latest research piece published as a Special Article in EPW! 🚩 New in EPW | Urbanisation & Social Inclusion 🏙️ 📢 Research Feature | Economic and Political Weekly 📝 Ensuring Social Sector Convergence for Inclusive Urbanisation: Evidence from Telangana Alok Kumar Mishra and Iti Vyas This study investigates how coordinated delivery of urban welfare schemes—across housing, health, education, sanitation, and livelihood sectors—can advance inclusive urbanisation in India. 🔍 Key Contributions: ✅ Empirical evidence from urban Telangana ✅ Evaluates institutional mechanisms for sectoral convergence ✅ Assesses impact on urban poor, especially in informal settlements ✅ Offers a policy framework aligned with SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities 👥 The paper offers actionable insights for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers interested in integrated urban governance and equitable development. 📚 Published in EPW 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g8YFkpWE #UrbanDevelopment University of Hyderabad #SocialSectorConvergence #InclusiveUrbanisation #PublicPolicy #SDG11 #Telangana #EPW #UrbanGovernance #UrbanStudies #India

Happy to share our new article published in Urban Studies: Public transport as ‘political infrastructure’: The case of transit disruption in Hong Kong during an urban social movement Public transport is often discussed in technical terms—capacity, reliability, efficiency. This paper argues that in moments of intense urban contention, public transport also functions as “political infrastructure”: a space where political meanings, identities, and everyday mobility collide. Using the 2019 Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement in Hong Kong—one of the most prolonged and large-scale disruptions to a world city’s transit-oriented system—we examine how people perceive transit disruption and how these perceptions relate to political stances, attitudes towards radical protest actions, and travel satisfaction. What we do: -Bring together insights from urban studies, social movement research, transportation planning, and public space; -Use a mixed-methods design (questionnaire survey + interviews, conducted in 2020); -Unpack how the perceived impacts of disruption vary by political views and socio-economic status. Key message: disruptions are not experienced (or interpreted) uniformly—perceptions are shaped by a complex, interrelated set of political and social factors, with real implications for how we plan, communicate, and govern transit during crises. Article link: https://lnkd.in/gxhBEwhk This paper took a long time to conceptualize, draft, revise, and bring to publication. Huge thanks to my brilliant co-authors—Xueying (Mirabel) Chen, Ellen Shiau, Murat Es, and Sui Tao—for their insight, patience, and collegiality throughout. We also thank the editors and reviewers for their constructive feedback and helpful suggestions, which greatly improved the paper. If you’re interested in the broader research thread, here’s a related paper from my research team that I’d also love to invite you to read: https://lnkd.in/gfZHbqVr #UrbanStudies #TransportStudies #PublicTransport #TransitDisruption #HongKong #SocialMovements #Infrastructure #MixedMethods #TransportPlanning #UrbanGovernance #PoliticalScience #PublicAdminstration #MTR #Bus

After four months of effort and multiple ups and downs, I am excited to finally share some good news — my research paper has just been published on Authorea! In this work, I introduce The MUEEM Framework – a five-layer strategy designed to make urban development in hot regions more energy-efficient and climate-resilient. Why this matters: Cities in the Middle East and other hot climates are facing record-breaking temperatures and soaring cooling demands. Traditional approaches to urban design aren’t enough. What the framework offers: Smarter building designs that reduce heat naturally 🌞 High-performance cooling systems ❄️ Intelligent energy management through automation 🤖 Renewable energy integration ☀️ Supportive policies and incentives to make it all scalable 📜 Case studies from projects like Masdar City, Msheireb Downtown Doha, and NEOM’s The Line were used to test the framework. Results show huge potential: Up to 45% reduction in cooling energy use More than 40% renewable energy penetration Significant CO₂ emission cuts (up to 1.2 Mt annually for a metro-scale deployment) This research reflects my passion for bridging sustainability with practical urban solutions, particularly in regions where the stakes are high. You can read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/de9txBB4