Infrastructure Commons^™

10 Meters To Disaster: The Challenges Of Premature Application Of Circular Economy Strategies In Jakarta’S Waste Management Structure, Almira Bowo

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Jakarta's complex issue of waste management encompasses a multitude of challenges that include inefficiencies in infrastructure, a lack of public awareness of the consequences of an inadequate waste system, socioeconomic disparities, and a deficiency in intersectoral collaboration. The urgency for holistic and sustainable solutions that prioritize proactive waste collection is underscored by the complexities of these dynamics. This field study paper argues that the attention that is being drawn towards trending waste management innovations, which are reactive strategies, could bring the waste crisis in Jakarta to an even more critical state. The sections will critically examine current waste management efforts …

Identidad Bajo Amenaza En Chinchero, Perú: El Megaproyecto Del Aeropuerto Internacional Plantea La Cuestión: ¿Cuál Es Más Importante Para El Estado Peruano—El Turismo O El Patrimonio?, Celeste Funari Muse

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

El megaproyecto del Aeropuerto Internacional de Chinchero inicialmente fue propuesto hace 46 años, así que ha sido un símbolo del futuro del distrito durante casi cinco décadas. Ubicado a sólo una hora de distancia de la ciudad de Cusco, el pueblo de Chinchero es conocido por su hermoso paisaje, tradición e impresionantes ruinas incas. De todo el mundo, los turistas desembarcan en el aeropuerto de Cusco y pasan por Chinchero de camino al valle sagrado y Machu Picchu. Desde el inicio de la construcción en 2017, el sitio del nuevo aeropuerto es visible desde casi cualquier lugar de Chinchero, como …

Carbon Credibility: Strategic Opportunities For Asean Regional Industrial Policy In Voluntary Carbon Markets, Bryan Jed Soh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Carbon offsets have come under increasing scrutiny due to uncertainties in real carbon abatement, transparency, and fears that it will exacerbate global inequality by allowing the global North to ‘pay to pollute’ through ethically questionable projects in the South. Following Article 2.1.C of the Paris Agreement, this paper argues that the global green transition requires private capital to be fully mobilized through voluntary carbon markets (VCMs). Given that ASEAN states face some of the world’s greatest climate risks while being a fast-growing region, this case study answers the question: how can states play a more proactive role in regulating VCMs …

Taking The Waste Out Of Wastewater: Evaluation And Implementation Of Sustainability Measures At Base Aérea N.°5’S Wastewater Treatment Plant, Abigail Monahan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Wastewater treatment is a critical process by which the concentration of pollutants in wastewater are reduced to minimize the resulting effluent’s impact on human health and the environment. Base Aérea N.°5, an airbase located in Monte Real, Portugal, is striving to enhance their wastewater treatment methods to decrease the impact of the treated effluent on the environment. They can reduce the effluent’s impact by implementing more advanced wastewater treatment to decrease the concentration of micropollutants and pathogens in the effluent, and they can reuse the treated effluent to decrease the volume of freshwater they extract. This work seeks to evaluate …

The Role Of Public And Private Sectors: How To Promote National Cybersecurity Strategies And Critical Infrastructure Protection In Southeastern Europe, Larry Cruz

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper seeks to address the important role of public and private interests in protecting critical infrastructure in Southeastern Europe, providing examples from Serbia. While the public sector does have a role in protecting critical infrastructure needs, it is the private sector which holds major oversight of the critical infrastructures of the region, therefore having an important role in maintaining their functionality and protection. The literature in this field argues for more collaboration and information sharing between the public and private sectors of the region, though the task is not as simple as it appears given the varying aspirations of …

Strategic Implications For The United States Of The Belt And Road Initiative In Africa, Alec Monnie

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The belt and road initiative is one of the most significant developments of the twenty-first century, which the United States will need to learn to adapt to. Much of the academic literature regarding the belt and road initiative mentions that Africa is a significant participant in this policy development, but fail to elaborate as to why that is, or what the implications for this are for the United States. This article expands upon the strategic significance of the African continent, and explains the implications thereof for the United States and China. This article argues that the belt and road initiative …

"Waste Is Not Just Waste Anymore": Deconstructing The Relationship Between Sustainable Waste Prevention And Individual Socio-Demographic Characteristics (The Juxtaposition Of Ushongo Mtoni Village And Moshi Urban, Tanzania), Mahalia Smith

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

I am going to tell you a story about humans — their lives, livelihoods, environments, and their individual relationships to sustainable waste prevention. As developing countries, such as Tanzania experience economic growth, waste overflow and proper waste disposal become even more arduous challenges. Thus, it is becoming increasingly important to explore sustainable solutions such as waste prevention. Through conducting semi-structured interviews in two distinctly unique locations, Moshi Urban of the Kilimanjaro Region and Ushongo Village on the coast of Tanga Region, Tanzania, I explored how levels of awareness and involvement in sustainable waste prevention practices, specifically reducing, reusing, and recycling, …

An Abbreviated Leap: The Geopolitical And Geoeconomic Significance Of The China – Pakistan Economic Corridor To The New Silk Road, Emma Nichols

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The objective of this analysis is to reveal the geopolitical and geoeconomic significance of the China – Pakistan Economic Corridor of the Belt and Road Initiative to its major stakeholders; Pakistan and China. In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled one of the most ambitious international infrastructure plans in modern history. The plan, in its earliest stages, is currently underway with its first portion, the China – Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). Through careful preliminary analysis of the greater Belt and Road Initiative, the China – Pakistan Economic Corridor, and history of Sino-Pak relations, the motivations of the collaborating nations are …

Solid Waste Management In The Developing World: The Role Of Local Government In Kisumu, Kenya, Rachel Schlueter

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the world becomes more urbanized, more waste is being produced. According to United Nations projections in 2014, 66% of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050 with the majority of growth occurring in African cities. Managing urban waste in lower-middle income countries, such as Kenya, poses a particular challenge as income levels rise, municipal capacities are stretched, and foreign loans complicate accountability. This project sought to assess the practical role of local government when managing solid waste in the context of long-term development strategies. The objectives of this study are to first establish the current role …

Exploring Access To Portable Water And Sanitation Practices In A Post-Conflict Environment: The Case Of Gulu District, Northern Uganda, Peyton Going

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Over the course of 30 days of fieldwork in October and November of 2016, data was collected through interviews conducted with local government officials, researchers and academics, and village community members of Gulu District.

The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which agencies have improved water and sanitation in the region. The case study of Gulu utilized in-depth interviews with key informants, focus groups, and observations, and sought to determine who the local stakeholders in water and sanitation are, the water sources and sanitation facilities available and their uses, the perception local people have about their …

Use Of Cycling Paths Along The Morogoro Brt Line, Ford Sanger

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As the urban population continues to increase rapidly in Dar es Salaam it will become increasingly important to find sustainable means of urban transportation. With planned infrastructure improvements in the city to help alleviate traffic congestion, bicycles, which represent a largely underutilized form of urban transportation, have the potential to play a large role in the future of the city. Through background research, direct observations, community surveys, and interviews, both formal and informal, this study sought to understand the impact of the recent addition of bike lanes along the first phase of the Dar Bus Rapid Transit line. It was …

Trash On Taboga: A Case Study On Solid Waste Management And Feasible Methods For Sustainable Improvements, Taboga Island, Panama, Madison Marra

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

On Taboga Island, a touristic island located just 20km outside of Panama City, solid waste can be found both littered and accumulated in an open-air dump that contributes to air, land, and ocean pollution. While more sustainable waste management systems are possible, as seen in other developing countries, differences in perceptions of waste management by users may result in differences in acceptance of new ideas. In this study, semi-structured interviews were used to gauge the status of waste management on Taboga and the perceptions of waste by its residents and visitors in order to ensure the participation of users in …

Kenya’S Konza Techno City: Utopian Vision Meets Social Reality, Amina Johari

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This paper explores Kenya’s ambitious Konza Technology City. In 2008 the Kenyan government unveiled its plan to construct a city from scratch 60 kilometers outside of the nation’s capital, Nairobi. Konza Technology City is a flagship project for Kenya Vision 2030, the country’s development program covering the period 2008 to 2030. The new city is expected to relieve Nairobi of some of its traffic and overcrowding issues, and also support the country’s growing technology sector. Konza City is just one of many proposed city plans all over sub-Saharan Africa reflecting a growing phenomenon. Due to the challenges many African cities …

Ulaanbaatar’S Ger District Issues: Changes And Attitudes, David Engel

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Several of Ulaanbaatar’s current issues are directly related to Ulaanbaatar’s sprawling Ger District. The Ger District is home to approximately 736,000 residents, 61% of Ulaanbaatar’s population (Galimbyek, 2015). The significant growth in Ulaanbaatar is shown by its 52.8% of residents who were born outside of the city, the majority of migrants moving into the Ger District due to a lack of housing. (Chilkhaasuren & Baasankhuu, 2012). The development of Ulaanbaatar has not kept up with the rapid growth leading to inadequate infrastructure in much of the Ger District. In turn, inadequate infrastructure has lead to high pollution levels, negatively affecting …

Killing To Save: Trophy Hunting And Conservation In Mongolia, Lucy Page

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Since transitioning to capitalism in 1990, Mongolia’s wildlife has faced growing threats from the development of infrastructure, increasing livestock populations, and the expansion of an illegal trade in wildlife products. As wildlife populations face these growing risks, Mongolia needs to develop and implement strong wildlife management practices, including tighter enforcement of existing wildlife trade laws, more frequent wildlife population studies, and better legislation. However, these revisions will require significant funding. Trophy hunting, the system through which the Mongolian government sells wealthy foreigners expensive permits to hunt species like argali, ibex, wolf, and roe deer, may be a major source for …

Vision 2035 And The Kribi Deep Seaport: An Analysis Of The Economic Impacts For Cameroon, Charlotte Fisken

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the effects of the Kribi Deep Seaport project will be positive for economic development in Cameroon, and how the Port will affect Cameroon’s regional and global role. The study was conducted over a one-month period and was primarily qualitative in nature. The principal method of inquiry was interviews, which were complemented by quantitative secondary source research. Although most informants asserted that the project was a positive step for the country, the information they provided led me to conclude that the project was undertaken prematurely and will not promote sustainable economic development …

Investigating The Paradigms Of Sikkim’S Built Environment, Bennet Song

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The region of Sikkim is located on the Aplide-Himalayan global seismic belt, a seismically vulnerable area of the world. The 2011 M6.9 earthquake caused a severe disruption in the functions of both rural and urban Sikkim. In areas populated by humans, most of the visible damage and harm done in an earthquake is due to poorly designed and constructed buildings and infrastructure rather than the earthquake itself. The focus of this paper lies in study of the relationship between the predominant building types of rural vs. urban Sikkim. Ikra is a low cost vernacular building type found in Sikkim’s rural …

The Art Of Controlling A Meteorological Event: Responsibility Of The Government And Perspectives Of The People Regarding Flooding In The City Of Buenos Aires, Jennifer Giffels

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The city of Buenos Aires bears a long history of flooding, notable throughout the twentieth century as the city grew and developed into the urban capital it is today. Although the floods are provoked by natural causes such as the location of the city on flat and low land, as well as the obvious meteorological causes of weather patterns and heavy rains, there are many other aggravating circumstances caused by humans and that consequently can be controlled by humans. With the most recent tragic floods at the beginning of April 2013 in the city of Buenos Aires, the questions and …

Tsunamis: Desprevenidos Por La Realidad De La Geología Un Estudio De La Posibilidad Y Precauciones Por Un Tsunami En Puerto López, Manabí, Ecuador, Abigail Eurich

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean about once every 1.5 years (Berninghausen, 1962). Forty-nine Tsunamis are recorded to have hit the western coast of South America since 1562, though only 3 hit the coast of Ecuador specifically (Berninghausen, 1962). However, it is still important to recognize the possibility of having a tsunami in Ecuador and plan accordingly. On a very complex junction of the Nazca and South American plate, with the Nazca and Carnegie Ridges as well as the Galapagos hotspot, this part of the world is apt to many earthquakes, submarine landslides, and volcanic activity which all have the …

The Management Of Residential Solid Waste In Mombasa, Kenya, Yen Joe Tan

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Residential solid waste management refers to the managing of unwanted materials discarded by households so that these materials are either properly disposed of or reprocessed to reenter the production material stream. This issue is usually the responsibility of the municipal council; however in Kenya just like many other developing countries, this critical issue is often mismanaged, causing environmental pollution and exposing residents to health risks. Through one month of full-time archival research and field work, this study presents the current state of residential solid waste management in Mombasa, examines the roles played by various stakeholders involved in this area through …

Housing And Urbanization: A Socio-Spatial Analysis Of Resettlement Projects In Hồ Chí Minh City, Michael J. Stumpf

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

As Hồ Chí Minh City continues to undergo rapid urbanization, especially with the creation of a multitude of new urban zone developments on the periphery of the inner districts, the resettling of people has become common. Families who live within areas that are selected for urban upgrading or, as in other cases for the construction of new miniature cities, must face the realities of relocation. Many issues arise in the complicated process of resettling the displaced, due to complex land-use laws, bureaucratic dissonance, and lack of investment in actual resettlement housing. The authorities of Hồ Chí Minh City have faced …

Local Solutions For A Global Problem: The Role Of Ngos In Maximizing The Efficacy Of Local Government Sanitation Efforts In Rural Maharashtra, Jorge Aceves

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This independent study project looks at the topic of sanitation within rural Maharashtra. Although the Government of India, through the state governments, has initiated nationwide campaigns against poor sanitation and waterborne illnesses, these programmes do not reach all communities or find significant success in improving sanitation. Recent revisions of these sanitations programs have shifted their focus from a centralized supply-driven approach to a localized demand-driven approach, yet the system requires more work to become fully functional. In some areas, non-government organizations, such as the Comprehensive Rural Help Project (CRHP), have stepped up to bridge the gap between the available government …

Public Perceptions Of Corruption In Tanzania: How Does The Corruption Perceived By A Sample Of People In Arusha, Tanzania Compare To Tanzania’S Transparency International Cpi Rating Of 3.2 And What Does It Mean For Tanzania?, Kelly L. Mcdonnell

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The World Bank defines corruption as “the abuse of public power for private benefit.” The definition of corruption can have many permutations, however, and acts of corruption are rarely recorded, thus it is difficult to quantify the level of graft in a town, city, or nation. In response to this problem, non-governmental agencies like Transparency International proposed using questionnaire-based surveys to measure public perceptions of corruption. This particular study focuses on trying to measure perceptions of corruption in Arusha, Tanzania. Arusha is a major metropolitan area in Tanzania, located in the northeastern part of the nation. Using Arushans as the …

The Successes And Shortcomings Of Participatory Slum-Upgrading In Villa 31, Jacob Perten

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In Villa 31, an urban shantytown in the heart of Buenos Aires, a team of technical professionals and community members are working together on a slum-upgrading project. Through a participatory approach, in which community members are involved in all aspects of the upgrading process, this project seeks to better overall conditions through infrastructural and structural improvements. This study investigates the participatory process used in the upgrading of Villa 31, and using theoretical best practices as a basis of comparison, underscores key achievements and limitations of the current project. Based on chosen shortcomings, the final section makes recommendations to maximize participatory …

A Case Study Of Health Interventions And The Caste System: Addressing The Social Determinants Of Health Through Development At Crhp Jamkhed, Laura Kroart

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

In the Southeast Asian country of India, the ancient but in some cases still rigidly intact caste system plays a role in determining health status and outcomes for much of its population of over 1.2 billion people.[1] The Comprehensive Rural Health Project, located in Jamkhed in the state of Maharashtra, India, approaches health interventions from a development standpoint, addressing biomedical needs, structural and environmental concerns, and the social and economic determinants of health that impact the lives of over a million villagers in the surrounding area.[2] This independent study project was designed to analyze how the Comprehensive Rural …