Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4.3.2 Informal Areas Built on Desert Land
These appear on vacant land on city fringes where the land is publicly
owned, making the buildings there illegal. Their general characteristics are:
(a) curved, uneven streets; (b) temporary houses made of primitive materials
such as tin, carton or straw; and (c) insecure tenure.
4.3.3 Informal Area Upgrading Programmes
Informal areas and slums pose a significant threat to the green agenda
because many are built on physically unsafe land that is vulnerable to
natural hazards. They often deprive the city of surrounding agricultural land
and foreshore land for flood control and natural biofiltration from fringing
wetland vegetation. Severe erosion can result from steep slopes when they
are settled upon.
Informal area and slum upgrading programmes are mainly concerned
with a totally different agenda. These programmes are oriented towards
the brown agenda, with five main dimensions: access to safe water, sani-
tation, providing secure tenure, durable housing, and sufficient living
area. These are the indicators set by UN-Habitat to identify the improve-
ment of slum dwellers as stated by Target 11 of the Millennium Develop-
ment Goals (MDGs). However, this focus neglects other aspects of
environmental sustainability such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions,
minimising sprawling, sensibly using non-renewable resources, waste
recycling, reducing energy consumption and reducing cities' ecological
footprints.
4.4 Do Informal Areas Possess Sustainable
Potentials? Is Informalisation 'Smart'?
Usually, when informal areas or slums are addressed, the brown agenda and
its relative indicators are the main concern. However, these areas are rarely
seen as having green aspects or sustainable characteristics. Citing four exam-
ples, the following section discusses the presence of many of the sustainabil-
ity aspects as stated in new urban planning trends for informal areas in the
Egyptian context. Boulaq Al-Dakrour and Giza's northern sector (Imbaba)
are two informal districts of Cairo, each with around 700,000-900,000 inhab-
itants. The other examples are two upgrading projects, one located in vacant
land at the relocated Imbaba airport and the other in Zeinhom district,
a formerly shack area that was demolished.
