The spotlight was on Istanbul’s trajectory within the Tomorrow’s Cities Hub and the insights garnered from our team’s efforts in the city during the UCLG Retreat 2024.

Emin Mentese, Leader of Visioning Scenario Development stage and co-lead of the Istanbul Team, provided a comprehensive overview of the deployment and outcomes of the Tomorrow’s Cities Decision Support Environment in the city and presented the recently published report. The report, available in Turkish with English translation, outlines the methodological process of the TCDSE and highlights key findings for each step. Istanbul, as one of our Learning Cities, has played a pivotal role in refining the TCDSE approach and offering valuable insights for local and national urban risk management planning.

Focussed on Büyükçekmece District, our work was undertaken in partnership with the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Büyükçekmece Municipality, Boğaziçi University Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute, Department of Earthquake Engineering.

Throughout the process, which gave voice to the diverse perspectives of disabled, social assistance beneficiaries, youth, Roma, women and elderly groups, our team facilitated the identification and drafting of policy recommendations. These focused on the development of open, green areas in every neighbourhood and low-density developments connected to accessible schools. In its turn, the impact hazard modelling work centred on assessing the effects on the physical and social fabric of earthquakes of varying intensities.  Ultimately, four key learnings emerged:

• The need to renew the building inspection process to ensure reliability.
• Prioritising zoning and urban transformation policies to mitigate disaster risks.
• Ensuring accessibility of critical facilities such as hospitals, schools, and green spaces for all members of society.
• Creating financial opportunities, particularly for low-income residents, in the urban renewal process.

Partners have identified three crucial pathways to institutionalize these priorities and achieve the broader goal of risk-sensitive and pro-poor urban land use planning:

• Participation: The TCDSE has illustrated that diverse communities can meaningfully participate in decision-making with the right tools.
• Planning: The TCDSE offers a scientifically informed and locally grounded foundation for planning decisions and processes.
• Disaster Risk Reduction: The TCDSE offers a decentralized approach to comprehending disaster risk and informing urban development policy.

For more information please contact:

tomorrows.instanbul@boun.edu.tr

emine.oner@boun.edu.tr

manager@tomorowscities.org