Developing a framework for coping with uncontrolled urban sprawl of war: A case study for environmentally resilient Benghazi city

The environmental components of the green lands and the farms that are spread around Benghazi in a limited manner are among the most important resources for the city. These ecosystems were affected by the war that erupted after the Libyan uprising in 2011. This effect appeared in the spread of the phenomenon of urban sprawl as a result of the displacement of the population escaping from clashes and destroyed areas to the city periphery. The literature and studies reviewed dealt with the problem of urban sprawl in several dimensions, but they did not address the exacerbation of the problem of urban sprawl as a result of wars and civil conflicts, and its consequence in the environment. This research was directed at specific objectives in response to the risks that threaten the city's environmental resources, which were greatly affected by the spread of uncontrolled urban sprawl. The main aim of the research is to examine the case of Benghazi, and develop an environmentally resilient framework to cope with the uncontrolled urban sprawl resulting from the war. This framework is investigating the reasons of urban sprawl problem and the relationship of civil war in the city with the spread of the phenomenon. The research also aims to assess the damage in the city's dimensions resulting from this war and from urban sprawl by focusing on the destruction in the environmental dimension. One of the aims of the research is also to investigate environmental vulnerability. The study aims to define the city vision and objectives and propose a resilient action plan sensitive to urban sprawl and city environment to build and increase the city's adaptive capacity to cope with environmental vulnerability. This environmental resilience strategy plan will be a stage to may overcome the effects of war in urban dimensions of the city and reduce environmental vulnerabilities by suggesting an effective participation of the community and decision makers in preparing the action plan and assigning priority to proposed projects. The study has a mixed research approach. Quantitative and qualitative techniques were used in a complementary manner. Quantitative data were collected from secondary data on the city and its environment, and analyzed using the results of remote sensing satellite imagery and Eight regions, Pearson's chi-square, and Urban Expansion Intensity Index techniques. Qualitative data were collected from the primary data through discussion groups and interviews and were analyzed using the SWOT analysis technique. The research used the quantitative data to understand the effects of war on the dimensions of the city, to define the problem of urban sprawl, and to understand its causes and effects. It has also been used to uncover the destruction of the environmental dimension within the framework of environmental vulnerability resulting from the uncontrolled urban sprawl. Qualitative data and their SWOT analysis were used to formulate the city vision that is sensitive to the environmental resilience and to prepare the initial environmental resilience action plan based on the goals of this vision. By synthesizing the analysis results of the primary and secondary data to understand where the city stands today, the study reached to a comprehensive evaluation of the second-generation plans in terms of evaluating the unimplemented stages, vacant areas within the plan boundary, decentralization possibilities in the plan, renewal possibilities in slum areas, and possible development areas according to the threshold analysis. The synthesis also formulated the environmental resilient vision "where the city should stand in the future'' by proposing the action plan and presenting the environmental resilience strategies to increase the city's adaptive capacity to overcome environmental vulnerability and future developments, and propose projects with priorities to reach this aim. The study concluded that the urban sprawl in Benghazi resulted from urbanization and war and environmental risks resulted from war, and urban sprawl. The study presented a deep understanding of the main issues affecting the increasing environmental degradation and the spread of the problem of urban sprawl. The study showed the relationship between war and the urban sprawl in the city. The study concluded that traditional planning methods may not be beneficial in the special case of Benghazi, and that the use of environmental resilience strategies in planning may be useful to cope with environmental vulnerability, increasing the city's ability to adapt to future developments. The study formulated a framework model plan, including details of the actions within the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threat of the city. The study concluded that these valuable information in policymaking and implementing an urban action plan based on resilience strategies may overcome urban and environmental problems that exist in other Libyan cities in the present and future. Although the results are relevant to the case of Benghazi and the resilience plan was built according to its specific conditions, it may be beneficial for planners and policy makers in other cities that have gone through or are experiencing similar conditions.