Abstract

Urbanisation is a global phenomenon that is of concern in many parts of the world. As a physical development process, it is closely associated with many aspects of land management including the manner in which humans choose to derive benefit from the use of property. The unique socioeconomic adaptation is abruptly abandoned and gradually replaced by societies more reliant on food crops, pottery, and weaving. Here, we review evidence and arguments for a severe cycle of social, environmental, political and natural changes and hypothesize that ensuing physical changes and terrestrial environments.

Coastal Development

Introduction

Urbanisation has been identified as a phenomenon that functions as a critical factor in many planning and development issues at global and national levels. It is equally important in Developing States. Over the past two decades, climate change has been presented as a global issue resulting from an increase in greenhouse gas emissions linked to human activities. Framed in relation to changes in the dynamic Earth System, climate change is frequently presented as a problem that, once scientific uncertainty decreases and knowledge of the impacts are understood, can be managed through behavioural and technological changes.

Despite frequent references to inter-generational equity in these discussions, climate change is only beginning to be framed as primarily an issue of equity. Yet even within these equity-based analyses, the focus is typically limited to questions of equity in mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions. Relatively less attention is paid to equity in impacts and adaptation, and there is virtually no mention of the connections between climate change, equity and issues of human security.

Discussion and Analysis

Many arguments can be made to support the contention that the collective security of humankind is at risk as the result of environmental change. Indeed, changes to ocean currents, rapid sea level rise, and other catastrophic events could have global consequences. Yet it is increasingly evident that not every global citizen equally contributes to climate change, and/or will be equally affected by climate change (Neale, 14). While climate change mitigation has already raised many equity-related issues related to international negotiations to reduce greenhouses gas emissions, equity perspectives on climate change drivers, impacts and adaptations are also beginning to frame international debates about climate change (Dore, 57). This can be seen through the emerging environmental justice movement within civil society, which is an increasingly visible force for action on climate change. This movement seeks to link climate change and human development, presenting the issue in the language of rights and focusing attention on inequitable economic relations (Gleditsch, 392). Climate justice inevitably demands a distinction between different types of equity. Adger (2004) identifies several aspects of equity related to climate justice. The first relates to welfare, such as the impacts of climate change on human health and material well-being. The second relates to the right to avoid increased impacts, or the right to development pathways unconstrained by new climatic risks. From a distributional standpoint, equity in outcomes would require that each individual, household, social group or region might have an equal chance of either ...