09/11/2014
Sustainable Urban Living: an Imperative for the future
Mehri Madarshahi
One of the defining challenges of our time is how to reconcile the need for rapid growth and sustainable development in many parts of the world with the need to avoid irreversible and costly environmental damage. This is a challenge that will be played out in the world’s cities.
More than half of the world’s population already live in cities and this is expected to reach 75 per cent by 2050. Cities occupy only two per cent of the earth’s land, yet account for 60 to 80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions. Natural hazards such as flooding and drought, temperature extremes, and tropical cyclone activity already impact cities and these will be exacerbated by climate change.
The growth of cities puts additional pressure on resources and environmental assets such as forests, water, and air that
support the needs of their inhabitants. People living in cities are particularly at risk from changes in the price of and disruption in the flow of resources such as energy, water, and food.
Given that 95 per cent of this urban expansion is projected to take place in the developing world, it is cities in developing countries which will be at the front line of managing this challenge
Future planning of cities should, therefore, deal with utilizing and developing the capabilities of cities to respond to the risks associated with climate change, resource scarcities, and damage to ecosystems in a way that catalyzes inclusive urban development, There is an important – but closing – window of opportunity for many cities to act now before they are locked into unsustainable and unsuitable development pathways. This should be the tasks of National and regional government and development agencies, national and multinational companies to identify the risks facing them and develop solutions which can respond effectively to those risks over the long term.
The majority of studies focus on measures to address one or two risks such as carbon emissions or flood risks, and provide insufficient attention to issues such as potential resource scarcities in energy, water, and food, and the need to safeguard natural habitats and biodiversity.
Most policy guidance is also inadequately tailored to the specific challenges facing cities with different characteristics. Additional attention is also needed to identify which solutions can generate social and economic benefits, alongside environmental ones; this is crucial if cities are to build support among communities and city stakeholders for sustained programmes of action.
a wide range of policies can respond to multiple environmental risks by: (1) reducing carbon emissions and energy use; (2) responding to climate hazards, and (3) helping protect or manage water and food systems and natural habitats. These can be thought of as ‘win-win’ policies in addressing environmental risks. many of these policies are an extension of sound integrated urban planning and infrastructure investment. This includes policies such as mixed use zoning, use of greenbelts, developing mass transit, pedestrian and bike orientated development plans, and prudent land management. This provides an opportunity for cities to build on existing initiatives and good practice in urban planning and combine these with more specific ‘win-win’ policies such as urban greening and tree planting programmes which are often overlooked.
Cities should unlock opportunities in the built environment by combining measures which incorporate rainwater harvesting and grey water reuse, recycling, pollution control, and solar power systems to generate ‘triple-win’ and ‘win-win’ benefits.
Although various groups of cities face common environmental risks, they usually differ markedly in their vulnerability to those risks based on their levels of poverty and inequality, strength of basic services, and urban form.
calls for leadership by city stakeholders, regional and national government, international funding agencies, philanthropic, academia, and private sector companies to plan for the long term by acting now to support cities to future proof their development. This will require skills to be leveraged from across the infrastructure, engineering, environment, planning, design, economics, and social science professions to help for the long term by acting now to support cities to future proof their development. This will require skills to be leveraged from across the infrastructure, engineering, environment, planning, design, economics, and social science professions to help