University of Twente Student Theses

Login

Improving the integration of environmental considerations in planning for industrial development locations using Spatial Multi Criteria Evaluation: A case study in: Huye and Kigali districts, Rwanda

Mossink, Anne Sijbrand (2021) Improving the integration of environmental considerations in planning for industrial development locations using Spatial Multi Criteria Evaluation: A case study in: Huye and Kigali districts, Rwanda.

[img] PDF
5MB
Abstract:Many African developing countries have been struggling to adequately address the environmental impacts of new industrial development locations in spatial planning practices next to the consideration of economic and social impacts. Especially in countries facing challenges with data availability and cross-sectoral coordination among institutions, the integration of environmental impacts during the planning processes can be lacking. The adaptation of strategic spatial planning methods conform to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) guidelines may improve the consideration of environmental impacts during the spatial planning and decision-making processes for industrial development locations. On that note, this study examines the development of such a method for countries where SEA is recently introduced. It applies the Spatial Multi-Criteria Evaluation (SMCE) to integrate environmental considerations: into planning practices for industrial park locations and complementary to plans that guide regional planning of industrial activities in Rwanda. First, the study reviewed the consideration of environmental issues in these planning practices. Then, based on a case study conducted in the Huye and Kigali districts, a method was developed to assess the suitability of locations for industrial development considering information about flood issues. Last, this study showed the contribution of this information to planning practices by illustrating how to assist planners in identifying potential industrial development locations and evaluating the information against designated industrial development locations. As a result, this study developed a participative approach that considers flood issues to inform spatial planning about: more sustainable alternative options in regard to the location, shape or size of industrial development, or potential flood mitigation measures. To this extent, the assessment of flood issues in this research illustrated the potential of the SMCE method to implement SEA in a context characterised by data scarcity and difficulties with cross-sectoral coordination; thereby, introducing a method that can help to avoid environmental impacts that emerge from industrial development.
Item Type:Essay (Master)
Faculty:ITC: Faculty of Geo-information Science and Earth Observation
Programme:Spatial Engineering MSc (60962)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/86411
Export this item as:BibTeX
EndNote
HTML Citation
Reference Manager

 

Repository Staff Only: item control page