Urban Update 8 August 2025

Friday 8 August 2025

News and Research

Energy and Climate Change

The International Court of Justice’s climate ruling: Is inaction on climate change now a legal liability? >>>>
Last week, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued a landmark advisory opinion on the “Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change”.   The opinion applies the law of state responsibility, meaning that countries that cause climate damage could be required to provide compensation. It also reinforces  a duty on states to regulate private companies more effectively, which could increase legal risks for businesses that do not comply.

While not legally binding, the ruling is significant:

  • Legal Obligation: The ICJ's opinion establishes that a state's failure to act on climate change can now be considered a breach of international law, with potential legal and financial consequences. This could compel governments to more urgently reduce emissions.
  • Key Duties: The opinion lists two fundamental duties for all nation states, irrespective of whether or not they have signed climate treaties:
    • Duty to Prevent Harm: States have a mandatory duty to prevent significant harm to the environment. This includes implementing legal and regulatory measures to achieve rapid and sustained emission reductions.
    • Duty to Cooperate: All states must cooperate internationally in good faith by sharing information, working together to mitigate climate change, and transferring necessary technology.

It also considers other principles including

  • Sustainable development
  • Equity
  • Intergenerational equity
  • Precautionary principle
  • “Polluter pays” principle

The ruling provides a new legal basis for low-emitting and climate-vulnerable countries to demand accountability and support from high-emitting nations. It is expected to be a major factor in upcoming climate negotiations, such as COP30 in Brazil, and could shape future treaties and climate-related lawsuits.

Scientists slam Trump administration climate report as a ‘farce’ full of misinformation >>>>


Movement

Making the most of  mobility hubs  - Journal of Transport Geography
Mobility hubs offer a solution for car-dominated cities. These hubs are designed to bring together different transportation options, such as public transit, bike sharing, and electric scooters, in one accessible location. The goal is to make it easier for people to get around without a private car.
The paper argues that well designed mobility hubs can make a positive impact including:

  • Reducing the need for private cars.
  • Working in different geographical areas.
  • Supporting a "Mobility as a Service" (MaaS) approach.
  • Creating places for social interaction.
  • Helping the local economy.

But the paper also warns of the consequences of poor design:

  • new environmental problems.
  • being ignored by the public.
  • uncomfortable or poorly-designed spaces.
  • Improper use or abuse.
  • new inequities.


Natural Environment 

Thousands of tons of invasive seaweed ‘overwhelming’ Spanish beaches >>>>
Further environmental consequences of untreated ballast water from ships serving international trade.
 

Politics, Philosophy, Economics, History

Harare capital of Zimbabwe – mismatch between a vision for a “world-class city” and a vision for a city that matches people’s daily lives - Cities
Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, is undergoing a transformation driven by a conflict between two competing visions:

  • Top-down vs. Bottom-up: City leaders want to create a "world-class city" with a modern, orderly look. However, the reality on the ground is shaped by the daily actions and survival strategies of people like street traders, who are often excluded from these official plans.
  • A "Co-Produced" City: The report argues that Harare's development isn't just about the government's plans being put in place. It's a "co-produced" space where official policies clash with informal, everyday practices. This constant negotiation reshapes the city in a way that is unique to its context.
  • The need for a new approach: The study suggests that city development in African and other Global South cities should be more inclusive and grounded in the actual lives and experience of the people who live there, rather than just focusing on the aspirations of an elite.

  
Airport Management Company-led development affecting the shape of cities - Cities
Airport management companies are increasingly involved in developing properties beyond the airport itself, such as hotels and business parks. This helps them make more money and diversify their business. The media tends to "naturalize" this market-driven approach, treating it as a normal and unquestionable part of metropolitan development. As a result, the public's understanding of these issues is limited, and there is little public debate about the kind of city this model is creating.
 
Park types and equity: Who has access to what? A national assessment of multidimensional park qualities and socioeconomic disparities across Local Authorities in Great Britain - Urban Forestry & Urban Greening
This study focuses on the quality of public parks, not just the quantity. It argues that focusing only on the number of parks can hide inequities in what is actually provided to different communities.  Six different categories of parks were used, based on their features: Basic, Biodiversity, Amenity, Comprehensive, Sports, and Zero (parks with no features).

The analysis found that poorer areas have a disproportionately higher number of sports-focused parks and a lower number of amenity-focused parks (which offer things like seating and decorative elements).

The study concludes that governments should move beyond simply thinking in terms of providing green space, but to consider the equitable distribution of different types of parks, especially in deprived areas, to ensure all residents have a range of environmental and recreational benefits within easy reach.
 
A Threat to Cultural Sustainability: Urbicide - Space and Culture
Cities are not just physical spaces; they are a living story built on the memories and lives of people. The destruction of parts of a city (urbicide) erases this memory and can harm the identity and resilience of the community. The article argues that this selective destruction of a city's layers, or urbicide, disrupts urban memory and harms cultural sustainability. It replaces a city's authentic, multi-layered history with a single, often state-sanctioned story.

The paper uses case studies from three Turkish cities—İstanbul, Bursa, and Ankara—to demonstrate how this process works and its negative effects.  Its conclusion is that urban planning and policy must move beyond a focus on new development. It calls for a more holistic approach that prioritizes preserving urban memory and building cultural resilience to ensure cities remain authentic and sustainable.
 
Rotten timbers in East London mark spot where the SS Great Eastern, at the time the world's biggest ship became huge Victorian blunder >>>>
This article shows the sort of thing that can be lost through “urbicide”. 
 
Devon campaigners call for ‘right to riverbank’ after finding River Dart has 108 owners >>>>


Humans, Health, Society

Home cooking and minimally processed foods best for weight loss, study finds >>>>
Past research has warned that some areas are junk-food jungles, with local shops that stock predominantly processed foods.  The challenge for urban design is to ensure that there are shops offering fresh food within easy reach. 
 
Effects of city design on transport mode choice and exposure to health risks during and after a crisis: a retrospective observational analysis - The Lancet Planetary Health
COVID-19 lockdowns initially reduced pollution. Early in the pandemic, as people stopped traveling, cities saw a drop in air pollution from vehicles. This led to a temporary decrease in health risks related to air pollution.  As lockdowns eased, these benefits were lost in many cities, especially those where people switched from public transportation to private cars. This caused pollution levels and health risks to rise again, sometimes even higher than before the pandemic.
The study found that cities with designs that favour public and mass transit (like those in Japan and South Korea) were more resilient. These cities maintained low air pollution and health risks, while those in places like the Americas and Oceania, where car use surged, saw a reversal of the early environmental benefits.

The findings suggest that city design, particularly a strong public transportation system, is a key factor in managing public health challenges like a pandemic. It shows that cities with robust public transit systems are better equipped to handle infectious disease threats and maintain environmental benefits.
 
Chemical pollution a threat comparable to climate change, scientists warn >>>>
This  new report concludes that the impacts of chemical toxicity in the environment and food chain are being seriously underestimated, with concern over rising cancer rates, fertility issues, chronic diseases, and environmental harm.

  • Widespread Contamination: The report highlights specific concerns, including over 3,600 synthetic chemicals from food packaging found in human bodies globally, and widespread contamination of the entire world with PFAS (so-called "forever chemicals").  Levels in rainwater sometimes exceeding safe drinking water limits.
  • Health Impacts: The report also points out that the impact of pesticide use on cancer incidence may be as significant as smoking. It is specifically linked to an increased risk of leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, and other cancers, especially in children exposed before birth.

The report identifies gaps in industry and regulation and highlights three key areas for urgent action and funding: pesticides, food contact materials, and personal care products.

The Full report can be downloaded here >>>>
 

Built Environment 

Housing for “ageing in place”: Urban densification projects and the provision of age-appropriate housing in Switzerland - Cities
Many countries are facing an aging population, and a popular solution is to help older adults "age in place"—meaning they can live safely and independently in their own communities as they get older.  To achieve this cities and housing need to be designed or adapted to meet the needs of older people. This paper focuses on how this connects with the need for urban densification and providing age-appropriate housing.  A study in Bern, Switzerland, showed that city officials and private developers often have a shared interest in both urban densification and creating suitable housing for older people, even if they don't always think of them as connected goals.

Urban densification, which is often done to limit urban sprawl and be more sustainable, also creates chances to build housing that is better for older people.  A major challenge is ensuring this housing is affordable for everyone, not just the better off.  To make "ageing in place" successful for all, better coordination between different government levels is needed, argues the paper.

  • Public policy and private interests clash. While the idea of "ageing in place" is about combining housing and care needs for seniors, the government policies for each are separate. This makes it hard for public organizations to work together, so private companies step in to fill the gap.
  • Privatization of care is a growing business. The withdrawal of government funding for renovating elderly care homes has created a profitable opportunity for private companies. This benefits landowners, developers, and private care providers.
  • Affordability is a major challenge. Urban densification can help create well-located, senior-friendly housing, but when this is left to the market, it often becomes too expensive. This results in a "weak" form of ageing in place, where the senior can find a suitable building but might have to leave their existing community because they can't afford to stay there.
  • A "weak" vs. "strong" form of ageing in place. A "weak" form focuses only on the physical housing structure (e.g., a barrier-free apartment). A "strong" form would also include social and economic incentives to keep seniors in their original communities.

The paper argues that to make "ageing in place" truly successful and affordable for everyone, it needs to be seen as a public policy challenge rather than just a business opportunity. This requires better spatial planning and government regulation.

Do facilities for people eventually catch-up as urbanization progresses - npj Urban Sustainability
China has been growing its cities very quickly, both in terms of population and physical size.  However, the social aspects of city life—like social services, environmental quality, and fairness—have not kept pace with this growth. These are important for creating sustainable cities.

This study looked at 16 different indicators of these "people-oriented" aspects of urbanization between 2005 and 2020. It found that while most of these indicators improved over time, economic and social service indicators lagged behind the rapid growth in population and land.  Environmental indicators, on the other hand, improved more and are now closer to catching up.

Since China launched a new urbanization plan in 2014, the gap between people-oriented and land/population urbanization has been closing.  To make cities truly sustainable in the future, the paper recommends that China invests more in social services and creates localized strategies for city development.

National Development Plan: Can Ireland deliver on €112bn infrastructure plans? >>>>
 
The tallest standpipe tower in Brentford, London could soon reopen to the public >>>>
 
Up to 40,000 homes to be built on disused railway land >>>>
 
First section of Armada Way tree-felling site in Plymouth opens >>>>
 
 HTA Design: Building the case for better housing >>>>
 
Work to start on Grimsby’s new £3.6m transport hub >>>>