A planning-oriented sustainability assessment framework for peri-urban water management in developing countries

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Urban Planning
• Sustainability Science

Background:

• Established sustainability assessment frameworks like DPSIR and the three-pillar model are widely used.
• A need exists for adaptive frameworks that define sustainability contextually for each planning challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a novel Planning-Oriented Sustainability Assessment Framework (POSAF).
• To emphasize a constructivist approach where sustainability is redefined for each planning problem.
• To integrate diverse participatory methods for consensus-building in sustainability planning.

Main Methods:

• POSAF combines participatory scenario analysis, participatory planning, technical feasibility studies, participatory assessment, trade-off analysis, and social network analysis.
• The framework was applied to water service provision and solid waste management in a peri-urban area of Mexico City.

Main Results:

• POSAF facilitated consensus among users regarding environmental issues.
• The framework provided planners with insights into stakeholder and user values.
• Local differences and potential conflicts were identified early in the decision-making process.

Conclusions:

• POSAF offers a flexible and effective approach to sustainability assessment in planning.
• The integrated participatory methods enhance stakeholder engagement and inform decision-making for complex environmental challenges.
• The framework supports the design of improved and integrated environmental service provision.