THE GEOGRAPHY OF DESPAIR: URBAN ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE THROUGH INCOMEBASED RESIDENTIAL ZONATION, GABORONE CITY, BOTSWANA

• Main Authors: Nnyaladzi Batisani, O. Ranko
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Paraiba 2012-01-01
• Series: Journal of Urban and Environmental Engineering
• Online Access: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=283224989008

Urban inter-race environmental injustice is a well-researched field particularly in the northern hemisphere. However, few studies have addressed intra-race urban environmental injustice especially within a developing country setting. An appreciation of the type and extent of this injustice is needed to help policymakers and city planners curb and mitigate its negative effects at this infancy stage before getting worse with economic development. The goal of this paper is to determine the presence and extent of environmental injustice in Gaborone city. To reach this goal, the paper inventories hazardous facilities and also determines the spatial variability of exposure to hazardous facilities with socioeconomic status across the city. The paper finds no relationship between income-based residential area zoning and location of hazardous facilities in the city although these facilities tend to be closer to residential areas in low income municipalities. The paper discusses policies that city planners could adopt to prevent and also minimize the effects of this exposure.