Land readjustment: Solving urban problems through innovative approach
Felipe Francisco De Souza, Takeo Ochi, Akio Hosono
According to an estimate by the United Nations, the world’s urban population is set to grow by an additional 2.5 billion people by 2050, with nearly 90% of that growth occurring in Africa and Asia. The “World Development Report 2016” states that the rapid urbanization of the developing world “creates urgency to get our cities ‘right’ because global response to our most pressing challenges – from climate change to rising inequality – will likely succeed or fail in cities.” Against this background, Goal 11 of the “Sustainable Development Goals” (SDGs) aims to “[m]ake cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” Land readjustment may be an effective approach for achieving this goal and addressing the global issues of urban population and human settlements. Definitions of land readjustment differ according to country contexts. However, the essential concept can be found in the general provisions of the Japanese Land Readjustment Law enacted in 1954. According to this law, land readjustment means to alter the shape and land conditions of lots, and to install or improve public facilities in a city planning area in order to provide better public facilities and increase the usage of each lot. As this volume discusses, one advantage of land readjustment is that all dwellers remain in the area after project implementation and community cohesion is therefore maintained. Japan is considered a pioneering country in mainstreaming the land readjustment approach in its urban development policy. Japan has provided technical cooperation to developing countries related to land readjustment since the 1980s, with the former Ministry of Construction and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) playing a central role. This book is the outcome of a research program on land readjustment conducted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency Research Institute (JICA-RI) with the participation of 33 researchers and practitioners, many of whom have played key roles in urban development in their respective countries. This book aims to provide insights into the main features of the land readjustment approach, focusing on its effectiveness, advantages, and challenges. This volume explores how experiences in Japan and other countries have been applied and further improved in developing countries. I am convinced that this book will offer insightful lessons for the inclusive, sustainable, and resilient urbanization/reurbanization that is essential for quality growth and the achievement of the SDGs, in particular Goal 11.
Event: Land Governance in an Interconnected World_Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty_2018
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