Sabrina Dekker - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Sabrina Dekker
Cities Leading Climate Action offers a reflexion on how cities may build resilience against clima... more Cities Leading Climate Action offers a reflexion on how cities may build resilience against climate change through shared narratives in planning. Dekker researched how three cities created and implemented this kind of planning strategy; namely Glasgow, Vancouver and Portland. Her findings draw attention to the role of cities in addressing climate change, and the appropriateness of the local scale of intervention to foster resilience. The author makes a case for cities to take leadership in that space while exploring how local governments can overcome statutory barriers, potential disjunctions with national governments' policies on climate change and the political challenges that emerge from such tensions. The book coalesces into how the author utilised insights from the three case studies to contribute to the development of Climate Change Action Plans for the four Dublin Local Authorities. Towards the conclusion, Dekker elaborates on intersections between theory and practice as both a researcher and a planner, putting forward the importance of becoming "self-cognisant" in practising planning. Chapter 1 takes the reader through a comprehensive literature review on climate change. From the realisation that the world's population more than doubled over the past 50 years, Dekker argues that the extreme weather events observed around the world are of anthropogenic origins but not exclusive to either urban or rural areas, nor developed or developing countries. Drawing from the literature, she then details different "causes and impacts", such as "air pollution" and "extreme temperatures" (Dekker 2018, p.5-9). This erudite discussion provides a platform for conceptualising the different risks embedded in climate change and the difficulties faced by cities for establishing a hierarchy of priorities in policies, bylaws, strategic development and statutory planning guidelines. By conceptualising socio-ecological resilience, Dekker lays the ground for elaborating on the importance of collaboration with diverse stakeholders for cities to achieve resilience against climate change. At the end of Chapter 1, the author discloses the book's outline, emphasising collaborative planning and adaptive governance as the pivotal underpinners of consensus among stakeholders regarding climate change. Chapter 2 conceptualises both adaptative governance and collaborative planning. The beginning presents some repetition, as the author reiterates the importance of shared narratives as a pathway for achieving consensus among stakeholders. On page 31, Dekker starts shaping a new argument around the importance of understanding communication processes for enacting collaborative planning on the ground. She elaborates on the role of planners in the engagement with citizens and how that can lead to decisions that are not always informed. Dekker explains that, as planners try to present actions for building resilience, citizens may respond based on a variety of emotional backgrounds. Chapter 2 finalises highlighting the importance of "exploration and discovery for planners and stakeholders alike with the goal of building a resilient city (.. .)" (Dekker 2018, p. 50). Chapter 3 explores the institutional structures of the four case study cities. Sabrina highlights throughout the chapter how Glasgow, Vancouver and Portland have more autonomy than Dublin concerning each city's respective national government. Glasgow has a Chief Resilience Officer, and its actions to build resilience strongly connect with the city's Health Plan. In Vancouver, the author claims, sustainability features high in the city's institutional structure. One of her interviewees explained that Vancouver "recognises its position as an opportunity, and sees its capacity as a brand for being a leader in green policy (.. .)" (Dekker 2018, p. 63). Sabrina indicates that Portland presents a similar institutional structure than that of Vancouver, which enables the city
Review of Environment, Energy and Economics - Re, 2014
Can using the social determinants of health to develop climate change policy ‘build’ resilient ci... more Can using the social determinants of health to develop climate change policy ‘build’ resilient cities? Current climate change policy focused on resilience, while effective, can acquire more depth with a health focus. How though, is the question? The social determinants of health can act as a guide for resilience-focused policy. The SDH with their focus on the causes of the causes may assist with the strengthening of policy aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change. The paper emerges from the findings of a content analysis and a survey of 51 cities to identify policy areas with potential for growth based on a policy matrix developed using the social determinants of health.
Direct funding opportunities 4.2 Indirect funding opportunities 4.3 Cross-cutting initiatives and... more Direct funding opportunities 4.2 Indirect funding opportunities 4.3 Cross-cutting initiatives and territorial cooperation 4. 4 Coordination and complementarity with other EU instruments 4.5 Prioritised Action Frameworks (PAFs)
Building a Climate Resilient Economy and Society
Nature plays an important role in addressing the risks posed by climate change. In this chapter, ... more Nature plays an important role in addressing the risks posed by climate change. In this chapter, the authors explore nature’s contribution to improving micro-climatic conditions in cities and mitigating urban heat stress, thereby helping cities become climate resilient. Green infrastructure, such as parks and tree-lined streets, can contribute to climate resilience and the health of urban populations by reducing heat stress, as well as hospitalisations and mortality. Today, with more than half of the global population urbanised, population densities and the heat island effect amplify heat-related risks in cities and necessitate appropriate solutions. The chapter presents a range of examples illustrating the benefits of nature, building mainly on insights from Europe. It also details how stakeholders collaborate to invest in urban and suburban green infrastructure and use a variety of tools, measures, processes and financing sources. The chapter then outlines a road map for moving forward.
Cities Leading Climate Action, 2018
Cities Leading Climate Action, 2018
Can using the social determinants of health to develop climate change policy ‘build’ resilient ci... more Can using the social determinants of health to develop climate change policy ‘build’ resilient cities? Current climate change policy focused on resilience, while effective, can acquire more depth with a health focus. How though, is the question? The social determinants of health can act as a guide for resilience-focused policy. The SDH with their focus on the causes of the causes may assist with the strengthening of policy aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change. The paper emerges from the findings of a content analysis and a survey of 51 cities to identify policy areas with potential for growth based on a policy matrix developed using the social determinants of health.
International Journal of User-Driven Healthcare, 2011
The Real Time Biosurveillance Program (RTBP) Pilot, is an active collaboration between multipartn... more The Real Time Biosurveillance Program (RTBP) Pilot, is an active collaboration between multipartners that is utilizing collective intelligence to improve rural health outcomes, in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, India. This paper presents how the RTBP is detecting, preventing, and therefore, improving the health systems of these two nations through the use of ICT to strengthen health reporting systems. It puts forth the challenges that the RTBP pilot has faced initially, and how they have been addressed. The RTBP is also differentiated from other mHealth initiatives by acknowledging how it is not disease specific and how it engages all stakeholders, from the receipients, the health workers, and the government.
Cities Leading Climate Action, 2018
Cities Leading Climate Action offers a reflexion on how cities may build resilience against clima... more Cities Leading Climate Action offers a reflexion on how cities may build resilience against climate change through shared narratives in planning. Dekker researched how three cities created and implemented this kind of planning strategy; namely Glasgow, Vancouver and Portland. Her findings draw attention to the role of cities in addressing climate change, and the appropriateness of the local scale of intervention to foster resilience. The author makes a case for cities to take leadership in that space while exploring how local governments can overcome statutory barriers, potential disjunctions with national governments' policies on climate change and the political challenges that emerge from such tensions. The book coalesces into how the author utilised insights from the three case studies to contribute to the development of Climate Change Action Plans for the four Dublin Local Authorities. Towards the conclusion, Dekker elaborates on intersections between theory and practice as both a researcher and a planner, putting forward the importance of becoming "self-cognisant" in practising planning. Chapter 1 takes the reader through a comprehensive literature review on climate change. From the realisation that the world's population more than doubled over the past 50 years, Dekker argues that the extreme weather events observed around the world are of anthropogenic origins but not exclusive to either urban or rural areas, nor developed or developing countries. Drawing from the literature, she then details different "causes and impacts", such as "air pollution" and "extreme temperatures" (Dekker 2018, p.5-9). This erudite discussion provides a platform for conceptualising the different risks embedded in climate change and the difficulties faced by cities for establishing a hierarchy of priorities in policies, bylaws, strategic development and statutory planning guidelines. By conceptualising socio-ecological resilience, Dekker lays the ground for elaborating on the importance of collaboration with diverse stakeholders for cities to achieve resilience against climate change. At the end of Chapter 1, the author discloses the book's outline, emphasising collaborative planning and adaptive governance as the pivotal underpinners of consensus among stakeholders regarding climate change. Chapter 2 conceptualises both adaptative governance and collaborative planning. The beginning presents some repetition, as the author reiterates the importance of shared narratives as a pathway for achieving consensus among stakeholders. On page 31, Dekker starts shaping a new argument around the importance of understanding communication processes for enacting collaborative planning on the ground. She elaborates on the role of planners in the engagement with citizens and how that can lead to decisions that are not always informed. Dekker explains that, as planners try to present actions for building resilience, citizens may respond based on a variety of emotional backgrounds. Chapter 2 finalises highlighting the importance of "exploration and discovery for planners and stakeholders alike with the goal of building a resilient city (.. .)" (Dekker 2018, p. 50). Chapter 3 explores the institutional structures of the four case study cities. Sabrina highlights throughout the chapter how Glasgow, Vancouver and Portland have more autonomy than Dublin concerning each city's respective national government. Glasgow has a Chief Resilience Officer, and its actions to build resilience strongly connect with the city's Health Plan. In Vancouver, the author claims, sustainability features high in the city's institutional structure. One of her interviewees explained that Vancouver "recognises its position as an opportunity, and sees its capacity as a brand for being a leader in green policy (.. .)" (Dekker 2018, p. 63). Sabrina indicates that Portland presents a similar institutional structure than that of Vancouver, which enables the city
Review of Environment, Energy and Economics - Re, 2014
Can using the social determinants of health to develop climate change policy ‘build’ resilient ci... more Can using the social determinants of health to develop climate change policy ‘build’ resilient cities? Current climate change policy focused on resilience, while effective, can acquire more depth with a health focus. How though, is the question? The social determinants of health can act as a guide for resilience-focused policy. The SDH with their focus on the causes of the causes may assist with the strengthening of policy aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change. The paper emerges from the findings of a content analysis and a survey of 51 cities to identify policy areas with potential for growth based on a policy matrix developed using the social determinants of health.
Direct funding opportunities 4.2 Indirect funding opportunities 4.3 Cross-cutting initiatives and... more Direct funding opportunities 4.2 Indirect funding opportunities 4.3 Cross-cutting initiatives and territorial cooperation 4. 4 Coordination and complementarity with other EU instruments 4.5 Prioritised Action Frameworks (PAFs)
Building a Climate Resilient Economy and Society
Nature plays an important role in addressing the risks posed by climate change. In this chapter, ... more Nature plays an important role in addressing the risks posed by climate change. In this chapter, the authors explore nature’s contribution to improving micro-climatic conditions in cities and mitigating urban heat stress, thereby helping cities become climate resilient. Green infrastructure, such as parks and tree-lined streets, can contribute to climate resilience and the health of urban populations by reducing heat stress, as well as hospitalisations and mortality. Today, with more than half of the global population urbanised, population densities and the heat island effect amplify heat-related risks in cities and necessitate appropriate solutions. The chapter presents a range of examples illustrating the benefits of nature, building mainly on insights from Europe. It also details how stakeholders collaborate to invest in urban and suburban green infrastructure and use a variety of tools, measures, processes and financing sources. The chapter then outlines a road map for moving forward.
Cities Leading Climate Action, 2018
Cities Leading Climate Action, 2018
Can using the social determinants of health to develop climate change policy ‘build’ resilient ci... more Can using the social determinants of health to develop climate change policy ‘build’ resilient cities? Current climate change policy focused on resilience, while effective, can acquire more depth with a health focus. How though, is the question? The social determinants of health can act as a guide for resilience-focused policy. The SDH with their focus on the causes of the causes may assist with the strengthening of policy aimed at mitigating the impacts of climate change. The paper emerges from the findings of a content analysis and a survey of 51 cities to identify policy areas with potential for growth based on a policy matrix developed using the social determinants of health.
International Journal of User-Driven Healthcare, 2011
The Real Time Biosurveillance Program (RTBP) Pilot, is an active collaboration between multipartn... more The Real Time Biosurveillance Program (RTBP) Pilot, is an active collaboration between multipartners that is utilizing collective intelligence to improve rural health outcomes, in Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu, India. This paper presents how the RTBP is detecting, preventing, and therefore, improving the health systems of these two nations through the use of ICT to strengthen health reporting systems. It puts forth the challenges that the RTBP pilot has faced initially, and how they have been addressed. The RTBP is also differentiated from other mHealth initiatives by acknowledging how it is not disease specific and how it engages all stakeholders, from the receipients, the health workers, and the government.
Cities Leading Climate Action, 2018