Adaptive Pathways
There are new concepts of governance in Santiago at national and local level: new mayor aims to connect with all local districts. This could transform the urban & regional planning system: with very practical long running issues, e.g earthquake resilience on the San Ramon fault.
For the national policy for DRR - more social & gender participation: also ecological design: this addresses problems of social segregation, gated communities on agriculture land
Typical peri-urban problems: lack of public transport: national rail system may build more connections.
For urban development, how to envision alternatives to the gated community? many in Santiago want to live in a globalized way. We may need to rethink options e.g. social housing system: agenda for social integration from fragmentation: social insecurity, violence etc, is a driver for gated communities.
Locations to the west, new gated communities in older towns, with new jobs & businesses. Many international migrants living in poor conditions - can we propose a new kind of housing system? We should explore the potential of social change & possible new models of housing, co-housing etc.
Generally this needs both government combined with civil society governance - decentralized regional & local.
Meanwhile independent movements very popular, taking support from political parties. Independent mayors with local agendas not tied to parties - more bottom up planning. But complex problems also need top down regulation e.g. for seismic resistance. We need to look at Latin & Hispanic experience with policy transfer.
These are the most likely pathways for further debate and investigation:
Climate pathways: heat / drought adaptation
arid climate adaptation, calls for multi-level governance. Short term: arid zone water management in buildings and land: fire defence via forest breaks and natural fire cycle management. Longer term: (in some areas) we need to rethink – where are the settlements, what kind of forms & surroundings, how can low impact eco-design manage a transformation towards a drought / fire-friendly co-existence.
Agro-ecology & food democracy
Agro-ecology may be the most important pathway: first by challenging the chemical-intensive industrial production of global agri-business, and its disruption / depletion of ecosystems & adaptive capacity. Then it aims to rethink the relations of producers, markets and the ecosystems resilience in a changing climate. With the dimension of ‘food democracy’ it can mobilize social / cooperative enterprise on a large scale, which then fits with the adaptive pathways for landscape, soil, water, local livelihoods etc.
New demographics & eco-housing
While much peri-urban expansion is in middle-upper income suburbs & gated communities, some areas see an influx of alternative lifestyle, ex-urban small-holders, local eco-entrepreneurs etc. This bring new opportunities for co-housing, housing with small-holdings, low impact development etc. This can change the social mix & increase the local diversity & resilience.
Eco-real estate markets
Climate change brings a major rethink in the insurance industry, which now calculates the cost / benefit of adaptation as (global average) 7:1 net positive. Such principles can then feed into the real estate market, via green finance and the concept of ‘positive insurance’, which is re-invested to reduce risks & increase resilience.
Circular economy & eco-livelihood
The peri-urban can be a vital part of a city-region circular economy, with a continuous flow of re-use recycling & recovery. This may include shift from mainstream business models, towards cooperative, mutual or similar forms of social-eco business. These can then work in sectors such as food & forestry, biodiversity & ecosystems, education & health, leisure & well-being of all kinds.
Collaborative governance, civil partnerships
Livelihood-based pathways: civil society / grassroots action / cooperatives (e.g. indigenous groups): new forms of civil society partnerships, networks, forums, dialogues can emerge. These may be based on water catchments, bio-regions, or terrestrial eco-regions, as well as economic zones, commuting patterns etc. Government can enable these with round table structures, deliberative processes, core subsidies, rules for transparency & accountability.