How do governance visions, institutions and practices enable urban sustainability transformations? A study of Battambang and Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Abstract

Whilst research has highlighted the challenges of rapid urbanization in Cambodia, few studies have focused on increased interest within Cambodia on how reforming urban governance can support urban sustainability transformations. Addressing this research gap, this study explores how urban governance might enable sustainability transformations in two second-tier cities—Battambang and Sihanoukville—in Cambodia, based on the analysis of open-ended interviews with fifty-five representatives involved in the development and implementation of urban sustainability plans and policies for these cities. The findings identify how urban governance visions, institutions and practices can be strengthened to enable sustainability transformations within these cities. The study highlights that alignment between the three tiers of governance—meta-governance (visions and worldviews), second-tier (structural and institutional) and third-tier (day-to-day interactions) is needed for urban sustainability transformations.