The 'wickedness' of governing land subsidence: Policy perspectives from urban Southeast Asia
Rapti Siriwardane
Tilo Schone
Johannes Herbeck
Julia Illigner
Mahmud Haghighi
Hendricus Simarmata
Alessio Rovere
Porio Emma
Hornidge Anna-Katharina
Abstract
Drawing on Jakarta, Metro Manila and Singapore as case studies, we explore the paradox of slow political action in addressing subsiding land, particularly along high-density urban coastlines with empirical insights from coastal geography, geodesy analysis, geology, and urban planning. In framing land subsidence as a classic ‘wicked’ policy problem, and also as a hybrid geological and anthropogenic phenomenon that is unevenly experienced across urban contexts, the paper uses a three-step analysis. First, satellite-derived InSAR maps are integrated with Sentinel-1A data in order to reveal the socio-temporal variability of subsidence rates which in turn pose challenges in uniformly applying regulatory action. Second, a multi-sectoral mapping of diverse policies and practices spanning urban water supply, groundwater extraction, land use zoning, building codes, tenurial security, and land reclamation reveal the extent to which the broader coastal governance landscape remains fragmented and incongruous, particularly in arresting a multi-dimensional phenomenon such as subsidence. Finally, in reference to distinct coastal identities of each city–the ‘Sinking Capital’ (Jakarta), ‘Fortress Singapore’, and the ‘Disaster Capital’ (Manila) the paper illustrates how land subsidence is portrayed across the three metropolises in markedly similar ways: as a reversible, quasi-natural, and/or a highly individualized problem.
Siriwardane R., Schone T., Herbeck J., Illigner J., Haghighi M., Simarmata H., Rovere A., Emma P. and Anna-Katharina H. (2021) The 'wickedness' of governing land subsidence: Policy perspectives from urban Southeast Asia. PLoS ONE. 10.1371/journal.pone.0250208
@article{Siriwardane2021,
Title = {The 'wickedness' of governing land subsidence: Policy perspectives from urban Southeast Asia},
Author = {Siriwardane, Rapti and Schone, Tilo and Herbeck, Johannes and Illigner, Julia and Haghighi, Mahmud and Simarmata, Hendricus and Rovere, Alessio and Emma, Porio and Anna-Katharina, Hornidge},
Editor = {},
Journal = {PLoS ONE},
Year = {2021},
Doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0250208},
Abstract = {Drawing on Jakarta, Metro Manila and Singapore as case studies, we explore the paradox of slow political action in addressing subsiding land, particularly along high-density urban coastlines with empirical insights from coastal geography, geodesy analysis, geology, and urban planning. In framing land subsidence as a classic ‘wicked’ policy problem, and also as a hybrid geological and anthropogenic phenomenon that is unevenly experienced across urban contexts, the paper uses a three-step analysis. First, satellite-derived InSAR maps are integrated with Sentinel-1A data in order to reveal the socio-temporal variability of subsidence rates which in turn pose challenges in uniformly applying regulatory action. Second, a multi-sectoral mapping of diverse policies and practices spanning urban water supply, groundwater extraction, land use zoning, building codes, tenurial security, and land reclamation reveal the extent to which the broader coastal governance landscape remains fragmented and incongruous, particularly in arresting a multi-dimensional phenomenon such as subsidence. Finally, in reference to distinct coastal identities of each city–the ‘Sinking Capital’ (Jakarta), ‘Fortress Singapore’, and the ‘Disaster Capital’ (Manila) the paper illustrates how land subsidence is portrayed across the three metropolises in markedly similar ways: as a reversible, quasi-natural, and/or a highly individualized problem.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Siriwardane, Rapti
AU - Schone, Tilo
AU - Herbeck, Johannes
AU - Illigner, Julia
AU - Haghighi, Mahmud
AU - Simarmata, Hendricus
AU - Rovere, Alessio
AU - Emma, Porio
AU - Anna-Katharina, Hornidge
TI - The 'wickedness' of governing land subsidence: Policy perspectives from urban Southeast Asia
T2 - PLoS ONE
PY - 2021
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0250208
AB - Drawing on Jakarta, Metro Manila and Singapore as case studies, we explore the paradox of slow political action in addressing subsiding land, particularly along high-density urban coastlines with empirical insights from coastal geography, geodesy analysis, geology, and urban planning. In framing land subsidence as a classic ‘wicked’ policy problem, and also as a hybrid geological and anthropogenic phenomenon that is unevenly experienced across urban contexts, the paper uses a three-step analysis. First, satellite-derived InSAR maps are integrated with Sentinel-1A data in order to reveal the socio-temporal variability of subsidence rates which in turn pose challenges in uniformly applying regulatory action. Second, a multi-sectoral mapping of diverse policies and practices spanning urban water supply, groundwater extraction, land use zoning, building codes, tenurial security, and land reclamation reveal the extent to which the broader coastal governance landscape remains fragmented and incongruous, particularly in arresting a multi-dimensional phenomenon such as subsidence. Finally, in reference to distinct coastal identities of each city–the ‘Sinking Capital’ (Jakarta), ‘Fortress Singapore’, and the ‘Disaster Capital’ (Manila) the paper illustrates how land subsidence is portrayed across the three metropolises in markedly similar ways: as a reversible, quasi-natural, and/or a highly individualized problem.
ER -
