Abstract
This chapter delves into the complexity of sustainable urbanization, climate justice, social inclusion, and participatory governance. Grounded in a one-year descriptive ethnographic study and meta-synthesis, the analysis deconstructs the disparities between the urban rich and poor in Jamaica, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, and Columbia, across five key development domains- wellbeing, education, security, infrastructure, and governance. Through sociocybernetics, the decision-making processes in urban ecosystems are interrogated, revealing unique challenges faced by the urban poor, trapped in a cycle of recovery, versus the mitigation-oriented urban rich. The analysis extends to the role of urban citizens, designers and integrators, governance structures, levels of social inclusion, resource allocation, and their amalgamated implications for socio-climate justice. It evaluates the international policy arena, translation of global mandates into local development plans, and the need for hyperlocal strategies that encourage a more people-centred planning approach for sustainable urbanization.
TopColonialism, Class, Citizenship, And Climate Change
While the global expansion of capitalism was made possible through various political, economic, and cultural manoeuvres- colonialism, class-compromise of social democracy; spatiotemporal fixes of footloose capital…The challenge posed by the concrete reality of natural limits in the Anthropocene re-signifies the centrality of distributional conflicts. (Arsel, 2023, p. 70)
Colonialism, class, and climate change are interconnected issues that have undeniably shaped LAC, institutionalizing inequality that persists today. Defined by cultural, political, and economic domination, colonialism involved the exploitation of natural resources, labour, and land for the benefit of the colonizing country (Horvath, 1972). It has had far-reaching impacts on the environment, with the poorest and most marginalized communities disproportionately affected. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) acknowledged these interrelated themes stating that “present development challenges causing high vulnerability are influenced by historical and ongoing patterns of inequity, such as colonialism, especially for many Indigenous peoples and local communities” (Pörtner et al., 2022, p. 12). This period in the Plantationocene reflects the environmental and social changes of plantation economies, influencing today’s labour and consumption systems. Evidence of this exists in the development histories of Colombia, Jamaica, Panama, Trinidad, and Tobago, which began with the arrival of European colonizers in the late 15th century and the subsequent resource extraction to fuel their growing economies, which many scholars consider the genesis of climate change (Barker, 2012; Whyte, 2018; Varanasi, 2022).
Key Terms in this Chapter
Autopoiesis: The self-creating, self-maintaining, and self-replicating nature of living systems. It describes the ability of a system to (re)produce its components continuously, maintaining its internal organization despite changes in its external environment.
Socio-Climate Justice: A concept that links social justice and climate change, recognizing that the impacts of climate change are not evenly distributed and often disproportionately affect marginalized and disadvantaged communities. It advocates for fair and equitable solutions to climate change.
Urban Imperialism: A term used to describe the dominance of urban values, norms, and ways of life over rural ones. It can also refer to the expansion of urban areas into rural ones, often driven by economic and political forces.
Sociocybernetics: A field of study that applies systems theory and cybernetics to social sciences. It views societies as complex, self-regulating systems and seeks to understand the interactions and feedback loops that drive social dynamics.
Anthropocene: The current geological epoch in which human activities have had a significant global impact on the earth’s ecosystems.
Hyperlocalism: The emphasis on small, local initiatives and solutions in dealing with larger issues. In the context of urban planning, it means focusing on community-based strategies and using local knowledge and resources to solve urban challenges.
Plantationocene: The current geological epoch, emphasizing the significant global impact of plantations as a specific form of land and labour use. It highlights the role of colonialism, capitalism, and racial hierarchies in shaping our world and its ecosystems.
Cultural Imperialism: The dominance of one culture over another, particularly when the dominant culture is imposed onto the less powerful one. This can be seen in the spread of language, religion, social norms, and economic practices.
Dominant Culture Narrative: The stories, values, beliefs, and norms most prevalent and influential within a society, reflecting the perspectives and interests of the society’s dominant groups.