Speaker
Description
Urban transport systems are increasingly susceptible to natural hazards and climate-induced disruptions by posing significant challenges for urban resilience and public safety (Mattsson and Jenelius, 2015; Priolo et al., 2023). Ensuring the continuity of transport networks during and after crises is critical for both economic stability and sustainable urban development (Yang et al., 2022). Istanbul, a megacity exposed to seismic risks and climate-related hazards, exemplifies these challenges with its complex urban mobility landscape.
This study investigates how disaster resilience strategies are incorporated into Istanbul’s transportation policy and legislative frameworks, which emphasizes the role of law as a catalyst for resilient urban transformation. Using a dataset of 35 policy documents (14 national and 21 local) and employing qualitative content analysis with MAXQDA software, this research systematically evaluates the presence and coherence of resilience-related strategies across multiple policy levels. The analysis is guided by a structured codebook covering seven core categories: (1) governance and policy resilience, (2) risk management and disaster preparedness, (3) physical and structural resilience, (4) operational resilience and service continuity, (5) social resilience and equity, (6) economic and financial resilience, and (7) alignment with international policy frameworks. Sub-codes such as policy integration, risk identification, and infrastructure robustness further refine the assessment criteria. This codebook guides the analysis, which incorporates frequency analysis, code co-occurrence analysis, comparative analysis, and Word Frequency and Keyword-in-Context analyses.
The results reveal critical gaps in the legal frameworks governing urban resilience in Istanbul’s transport policies, particularly regarding policy integration, equity in disaster preparedness, and alignment with international resilience frameworks. Findings highlight inconsistencies in the enforcement of disaster preparedness measures across governance levels and an uneven distribution of resilience strategies across policy categories.
A significant contribution of this study is its identification of areas where legal reforms and policy adjustments can strengthen disaster resilience within Istanbul’s transportation planning framework. Key recommendations include enhancing the clarity and enforceability of resilience measures in both national and local legislation by fostering multi-level governance collaboration. This research offers theoretical and practical insights into the intersection of spatial planning law and disaster resilience by emphasizing the critical role of legal frameworks in shaping adaptive, equitable, and sustainable urban mobility systems. By presenting policy misalignments and resilience gaps, it aims to inform policymakers seeking to enhance disaster preparedness and transport resilience in high-risk urban environments.
References
Mattsson, L.G. and Jenelius, E. (2015) 'Vulnerability and resilience of transport systems – A discussion of recent research'. Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, 81, pp. 16-34.
Priolo, M., Santamaria, A. and Torrisi, V. (2023) 'Urban resilience centered on transport systems'. Journal of Urban Mobility Research, 12(3), pp. 301-320.
Yang, Y., Liu, X., Zhang, J. and Wang, Y. (2022) 'Resilience Indicators of Urban Transport Infrastructure: A Review on Current Approaches'. Sustainable Cities and Society, 80, 103726.
| Keywords | content analysis; disaster preparedness; Istanbul’s transportation system; urban mobility resilience |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
