Understanding shocks for sustainable urban open space development in selected cities in the Southern Ethiopian Corridors

The rapid and uncontrolled urbanization in developing countries raises concerns about sustainability as urban centers continue to expand in both size and population. In 1950, only 28% of the global population lived in urban areas, a figure projected to surpass 68% by 2050. The ongoing urbanization pattern in developing countries, notably in Ethiopian urban centers, suggests a decline in the overall quality of existing green spaces. The intention of this study is to draw attention to the growing demand and considerable pressure on the existing urban open spaces of the target cities in the southern Ethiopian corridor. Therefore, this study seeks to examine the major challenges for open space development, which is essential for ensuring the long-term resilience of the sampled cities. Different methods were used to gather primary data, including face-to-face interviews with higher administrative authorities, questionnaires for residents with the Likert scale, and field observation. Statistical analysis, including descriptive statistics, was conducted using IBM SPSS 26 software. Research findings indicate that a large number of respondents (474 and 230) believe that current green public spaces do not account for future population growth, leading to inadequacy for both present and future generations. In addition, 478 respondents highlighted issues of inclusivity based on age, gender, and disability. A significant portion of the respondents (656 out of 1402) noted that existing open spaces are diminishing due to urban expansion and infill projects, which often lack community engagement input in urban planning and implementation. Despite these challenges, cities like Hawassa and Butajira are reportedly taking steps to incorporate green spaces into their city planning. It is recommended to manage urban expansion, promote participatory planning, and establish inclusive environments in order to develop resilient cities. Further investigation on this topic should analyze spatial and temporal changes using medium- and high-resolution spatial data.