Urban Governance最新文献

{"title":"Governance and planning for resilient mega-sport events: Lessons learnt from FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022","authors":"Mona Al-Thani ,&nbsp;Ayman Al-Jabrah ,&nbsp;Hesham Al-Momani ,&nbsp;Adnan Mukattash","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mega-sport events are complex and high-risk undertakings that require governance systems capable of adapting to political, environmental, and operational disruptions. This study examines the resilience of governance and planning frameworks during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. Resilience is defined as the capacity to anticipate, absorb, and adapt to disruptions while sustaining strategic objectives and legitimacy. A qualitative case study approach, including document analysis, policy review, and semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders, reveals how Qatar’s governance has evolved from rigid hierarchical control to flexible, multi-level coordination. Findings demonstrate that political dynamics, international scrutiny, and the pursuit of sustainable legacies strongly shaped governance reforms. The study contributes by framing resilience as a multidimensional construct that combines operational safeguards with reputational credibility. Practical recommendations are provided to guide future event hosts in embedding adaptive capacity across planning, implementation, and legacy stages.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 12-17"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551575","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}

{"title":"Actor collaboration in the implementation of business licensing integrated with the land use framework: Indonesian case study","authors":"Arditya Wicaksono ,&nbsp;Rosita Novi Andari ,&nbsp;Ulfa Sevia Azni ,&nbsp;Reza Amarta Prayoga ,&nbsp;Intan Hapsari Surya Putri ,&nbsp;Eko Wahyono ,&nbsp;Putri Andini ,&nbsp;Rahayu Nurlika ,&nbsp;Nandia Meitayusni Nabila ,&nbsp;Gustaf Wijaya ,&nbsp;Eliana Sidipurwanty ,&nbsp;Badrun Susantyo","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.10.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.10.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ease of doing business is a pillar of a nation's development. Creating fast, easy, transparent, accountable, and integrated business registration licensing services requires the collaboration of actors across sectors and government levels. This study aims to explain how actor collaboration in business licensing is integrated with the Land Use Framework in Indonesia. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach with a case study method. The results showed that integrated business licensing is a collaborative process between actors from various government institutions, both central and regional. This collaboration is shown through integrating the Online Single Submission Risk-Based Approach (OSS-RBA) system with the spatial system, as well as the active role of actors in synchronizing licensing and spatial utilization. However, implementing this policy faces challenges in the form of a sectoral ego, limited capacity, and unoptimal coordination between actors. For this reason, it is necessary to strengthen collaborative governance through role clarity, capacity building, and coordination between actors. These findings provide implications for formulating business licensing policies in Indonesia to be more adaptive to spatial dynamics and the needs of business actors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 45-57"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551658","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}

{"title":"E-permitting in Ghana: Navigating the Sub-Saharan building regulatory environment","authors":"Nelson Wellington Biney ,&nbsp;Wilson Wellington Biney ,&nbsp;Edward Nana-Addy ,&nbsp;James Fianko Ofosu-Appiah","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.12.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.12.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Over the past decade, population growth coupled with the consequential rapid rural-urban transitional development has led to Sub-Saharan Africa being one of the highest emerging economies undertaking building permitting reforms. Although studies recognise Ghana as one of the four countries in the Sub-Saharan region with updated building regulatory reforms in the last decade, the manual nature of its building permit system continues to be challenging and time-consuming, often undermining compliance. This paper explores the current building permitting terrain in Ghana, highlighting systemic inefficiencies and evaluating the drivers for a shift to electronic permitting. The paper further reviews the types of e-permitting as catalogued by scholars and collects the views of 41 experts selected by the purposive and snowball sampling method to identify the most suitable type for Ghana’s regulatory environment. Findings showed that the cumbersome manual involvement in building permitting systems continues to headline the building regulatory environment. The study also revealed the availability of robust technological structure, user-friendly interface, standardisation, financing models, and aligned regulatory frameworks as primary enablers for private and public stakeholders to fully leverage the e-permitting building system. Owing to the practical realities of the building permitting system in the Sub-Saharan region, particularly Ghana, experts advise Building Information Modelling-Geographical Information System (BIM-GIS) as the most viable solution for Ghana’s regulatory environment due to its cost efficiency, scalability, and ability for real-time spatial analysis. This study informs discourses around smart governance and sustainable urbanity in Sub-Saharan Africa by providing a pathway for transitioning towards digital enablement for permitting.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 88-102"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551572","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}

{"title":"The effect of attitudinal, social, and demographic factors on perceived participation in land expropriation: Evidence from peri-urban communities in Bahir Dar","authors":"Saleamlak Getinet Tessema ,&nbsp;Tadesse Fenta Yehuala ,&nbsp;Behailu Melesse Digafe","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.007","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.007","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Effective land expropriation relies on the affected community’s perception of adequate participation. This study investigates the factors influencing this perception among peri‑urban farmers in Bahir Dar, a rapidly expanding city in Ethiopia with extensive land expropriation experience.</div><div>A cross-sectional survey was conducted with a representative sample of 335 peri‑urban farmers whose land was expropriated between 2012 and 2022. Participants were selected using a systematic random sampling technique to ensure an unbiased and proportional sample. Data was collected via a structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 26. Descriptive statistics (mean and percentage) were used for demographic data, while ordinal logistic regression (OLR) was used to determine the effect of various independent variables on the perceived level of participation. Model assumptions, including multicollinearity, were confirmed to be met through various tests.</div><div>The regression results revealed that several factors were significant predictors of perceived participation. Educational level, meeting attendance, expected compensation level, and the perceived timeliness of meeting calls were all negative predictors, suggesting that higher levels in these areas correlated with lower perceived participation. Conversely, a farmer’s perceived impact of expropriation on their livelihood and their attitudes towards the legal framework were found to be positive predictors of perceived participation.</div><div>Based on these findings, we recommend that Bahir Dar city government prioritize developing laws and regulations that build trust and transparency, in addition to being legally sound. It’s crucial to establish ongoing systems to monitor and respond to farmers’ perceptions and expectations. These actions, such as public orientation and training, are essential for fostering the legitimacy of the entire expropriation system. This study acknowledges potential response bias and the limitation of a cross-sectional design, recommending future longitudinal research to capture the dynamic evolution of public perception.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 33-44"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551659","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}

{"title":"How digitally-mediated interactions influence the psychological foundations of civic engagement: Evidence from urban water governance in China","authors":"Jingjing Cai ,&nbsp;Xiaonan Wei","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.12.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.12.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Citizen participation has emerged as critical to urban environmental governance, yet the micro-level mechanisms linking institutional trust to civic engagement remain underspecified. This study reconceptualizes institutional trust as a heuristic cognitive mechanism that shapes environmental behavior under uncertainty and bounded rationality. We ask: How does institutional trust activate citizens' participation in urban water governance? Drawing on integrated survey and online participation data from Chinese cities, we develop and test a behavioral framework connecting institutional trust, personal norms, outcome awareness, perceived behavioral control, and public action. Our findings reveal that trust operates through dual pathways: directly enhancing participation while strengthening personal norms and perceived efficacy. Outcome awareness and behavioral control serve as key moderating mechanisms, with stronger effects among low-trust citizens. This study advances three contributions: a micro-foundational framework unpacking psychological processes linking trust to action; evidence that local government responsiveness enhances differentiated trust structures; and demonstration of how individual trust aggregates into collective environmental action. These findings offer actionable insights for designing trust-responsive participatory policies that account for citizen heterogeneity and enhance urban governance effectiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 74-87"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551571","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}

{"title":"Sustainable cities and energy transition: Unraveling the role of financial stability","authors":"Sidra Sohail ,&nbsp;Ahmed Usman ,&nbsp;Sana Ullah","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.003","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.003","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Energy consumption is considered vital for driving economic activities. However, the reliance on fossil fuels has created environmental degradation and energy security issues. The panacea of all these problems is to shift from dirty to clean energy sources. The role of the financial sector is vital because a stable and modernized financial industry can provide loans and funds for renewable energy consumption. Therefore, this study's main goal is to evaluate the influence of financial stability and smart urbanization on the renewable energy transition in BRICS countries from 1996 to 2023. Thus, we have resorted to the quantile ARDL model that is suitable for investigating the relationship across various quantiles. The estimated coefficient of financial stability and smart urbanization suggests that both these factors boost renewable energy consumption at most quantiles in the long run; however, in the short run, smart urbanization don’t exert any noticeable influence on renewable energy use. The model's outcomes confirm that estimated coefficients of financial stability are favorably linked to renewable energy consumption across all quantiles in the short run. Our policy recommendations aim to support the transition towards a more sustainable and resilient energy system in these countries, which will contribute to achieving global climate goals and improve citizens' quality of life.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 1-11"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551574","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}

{"title":"Evaluating the capacity of local authorities in implementing participatory urban planning: The case of Khobar City, Saudi Arabia","authors":"Fouad Alasiri,&nbsp;Marcin Dąbrowski,&nbsp;Claudiu Forgaci,&nbsp;Roberto Rocco","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.09.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates the capacity of local authorities in Khobar, Saudi Arabia, to implement participatory urban planning within a centralized governance system and the context of Vision 2030 reforms. It introduces a conceptual framework structured around four key dimensions: transparency, public participation, responsiveness, and technology adoption. Drawing on a mixed-methods approach—including 20 semi-structured interviews with officials and survey data from 453 residents—the research identifies institutional and systemic barriers, such as bureaucratic inefficiencies, overlapping mandates, and the symbolic use of participatory mechanisms in urban planning. While e-platforms like <em>Istitlaa</em> and <em>Balady</em> offer digital avenues for participation, their impact remains constrained by digital inequality and limited integration with decision-making. The findings also reveal that public input often informs minor project adjustments rather than shaping strategic planning, highlighting the consultative rather than collaborative nature of participatory urban planning in Khobar. This paper contributes to participatory governance theory by adapting Arnstein’s Ladder to assess participation levels in centralized, non-democratic contexts. It demonstrates that while reforms under Vision 2030 have encouraged decentralization and public participation, significant gaps persist in institutional transparency, responsiveness, and the effective use of participatory tools. To enhance participatory outcomes, the study proposes targeted reforms, including institutionalizing participatory frameworks, improving inter-agency coordination, and investing in digital and human capacity. The findings offer broader implications for implementing participatory planning in transitional governance systems and underscore the importance of tailored approaches to urban governance reform.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 18-32"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551576","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}

{"title":"From pretextual planning to prezoning: The case of vancouver, british columbia","authors":"Austin Zwick","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2026.01.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2026.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Discretionary planning systems have long structured urban development in North American cities by prioritizing negotiated outcomes over predictable, rule-based governance. Such systems often facilitate <em>pretextual planning</em>, in which zoning regulations function as instruments of negotiation rather than regulation, enabling municipalities to extract public benefits through exemptions from floor space ratios, parking minimums, or height limits. This article critically examines Vancouver’s ongoing transition from a pretextual, discretion-based planning regime to a prezoned, by-right development framework. Drawing on qualitative document analysis and semi-structured interviews with planners, developers, and housing advocates, it investigates how institutional design mediates both procedural fairness and policy effectiveness in urban governance.</div><div>Situated within broader theoretical debates on equity planning and institutional reform, the study demonstrates that discretionary systems, while designed to achieve flexibility and public benefit, often entrench inequitable power relations and generate administrative inefficiencies. Discretionary planning, particularly when pretextual, embeds negotiation, uncertainty, and politicization into regulatory practice, thereby undermining both equity and effectiveness. In contrast, prezoning and standardized approval processes enhance transparency, predictability, and accountability, facilitating more inclusive and efficient governance outcomes.</div><div>The case of the Commercial–Broadway Safeway redevelopment exemplifies how discretionary processes delay housing production, elevate development costs, and reproduce patterns of exclusion through procedural contestation. Vancouver’s recent reforms, including citywide upzoning, simplification of zoning codes, and the standardization of amenity charges, constitute a significant institutional reconfiguration toward rules-based planning. Though not a panacea, the article concludes that cities confronting housing affordability crises should systematically remove discretionary ordinances from their planning codes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 103-113"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551573","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}

{"title":"Sustainable development and human potential: Advanced tools for practical actions","authors":"Magdalena Alejandra Gaete-Sepúlveda ,&nbsp;Olga Dymarskaya ,&nbsp;Irina Seliverstova ,&nbsp;Guillermo Sosa-Gómez","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.10.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.10.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper introduces the first City Human Potential Ranking (CHPR), a novel approach developed in Mexico by an international group of renowned academics. The study validates the effectiveness of the CHPR in assessing and demonstrating how BRICS+ leader cities invest in developing their population’s potential for both individual and communal well-being, aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis included 100 cities from 32 countries with a combined population of 5243 million people (accounting for 65 % of the world’s population) located on four continents, underscoring the global relevance of the CHPR and the collective effort towards sustainable urban development that we are all part of. Nine thematic blocks were formed from 30 complex indicators calculated based on 150 metrics, which initially relied on 198 information units. This comprehensive approach ensures that the CHPR provides a thorough and detailed understanding of the factors influencing human potential in urban development, making the audience feel well-informed and knowledgeable about the complexities of sustainable urban development. The analysis considered two complementary aspects that characterize the role of human potential in the socioeconomic development of cities: “People for the City” and “City for the People.” The study discovered decisive links between the three axes, forming the distinct types of data sources that reflect links to the continuous advancements in education, labor (employment), and technology. To understand the city’s urban framework, the City Human Potential Ranking outlines six key elements that are believed to contribute to the success and excellence of metropolitan areas. These elements include Education and Lifelong Learning, Accessibility to Information Technology, Employment Opportunities, High Inclusivity, Intensive Innovation, and a Stable Future. This ranking is part of a broader effort to provide actionable insights and practical tools for sustainable urban development. It aims to contribute significantly to global development initiatives and realize human potential in densely populated areas, empowering us all to take practical steps towards a more sustainable future.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"6 1","pages":"Pages 58-73"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147551660","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}

{"title":"Adapting to Urban planning contradictions in community-led initiatives in growing African Cities: A case study of Sinza D, Dar es Salaam","authors":"Manyama Majogoro ,&nbsp;Oswald Devisch ,&nbsp;Fredrick Bwire Magina","doi":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.10.002","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.ugj.2025.10.002","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study demonstrates how grassroots and extended planners navigate urban governance contradictions by turning conflict into opportunities for learning and collaboration. Using a contested green space project in Sinza D, Dar es Salaam, as a case, it applies Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), expansive learning, and the ChangeLab framework to trace how shifting roles, fractured alliances, and cycles of reflection produced four distinct learning trajectories.</div><div>After more than a year of mobilisation, a four-month Extended ChangeLab was carried out through a series of structured activities, including resident consultations, negotiation meetings, reflection sessions, and a dissemination campaign. These engaged grassroots leaders, a community-established Green Space Committee (GSC), residents, and adjacent actors. Within a Participatory Action Research (PAR) design, the researcher combined facilitation with participant observation while systematically documenting interactions and artefacts such as minutes, maps, and letters.</div><div>Findings show that documentation, initially fragmented and contested, became a shared artefact that fostered transparency, legitimacy, and accountability, while reshaping relationships and supporting collective decision-making. The study reconceptualises the ChangeLab as a mobile, embedded learning infrastructure suited to hybrid governance contexts where formal authority and informal practices intersect. It advances methodological and practical insights for strengthening participatory urban governance in rapidly growing African cities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":101266,"journal":{"name":"Urban Governance","volume":"5 4","pages":"Pages 527-537"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-11-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145428501","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}