9 - Sustainable urban development

What is sustainable development?

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future

On a local scale what are the impacts of unsustainable development?

- Homelessness

- Social segregation

-Increased flood risk

- Urban heat island effect

- Longer wait times for GP

- Unemployment

- Air pollution causing health issues

On a global scale what are the impacts of unsustainable development?

- Climate change

- More extreme weather events such as wildfires

- Waste

- Rising sea levels

- Recourse demand

How is the ecological footprint calculation used to work out the environmental impact of cities?

The total area of productive land and water required to produce the resources a population consumes and absorb the waste produced based off these components:

-Built up land, fishing, forest, grazing, crop land, carbon

- Majority carbon

What is the ecological capacity and what might alter the ecological footprint of an area?

The maximum we can take from the earth that is sustainable

- Level of development (HIC/LIC)

- Location (coastal)

What is liveability and the factors which determine whether something is liveable giving examples?

The locations around the world with the best and worst living conditions.

- Stability, education, healthcare, culture and environment, infrastructure

- Vienna in Australia

- Damascus in Syria are the top and bottom liveable cities

What are 2 negatives of the liveability calculations?

- Culture is not necessary and just enhances the area however healthcare is necessary

- Subjective and based on opinion

Name 2 systems showing how sustainable and unsustainable cities work?

Linear and circular system

Name social development features in sustainable cities?

- Healthcare + education

- Limited inequality and social segregation

- Low crime rates

Name environmental development features in sustainable cities?

- Protecting greenfield sites

- Legistation protecting the environment

- Sustainable water/water management

Name economic development features in sustainable cities?

- Job opportunities

- Affordable housing

- Technology

Name urban governance development features in sustainable cities?

- Fair government and right to vote

- Involving the community

- Decentralisation

Define urban resilience

The capacity for an urban area to survive adapt and grow no matter what chronic stresses (slowly weaken the city each day eg: transport systems or food and water shortages) and acute shocks (Sudden sharp events eg: terrorist attacks or disease outbreaks) it may experience.

What are the 3 main challenges in cities becoming more sustainable and why?

Limited budgets -> short term cheap solutions

Lacking infrastructure -> Dangerous

Lack of legislation -> Poor planning or enforcement

Name 6 urban trends (social, economic and environmental)

Social - Populations living in small- medium sized cities, ageing population

Economic - Food insecurity, inequality

Environmental - Energy access, climate change

What are the challenges and opportunities for HIC's and LIC's regarding urban populations mainly living in small-medium sized cities?

LIC's Challenges - Improving access to housing

Opportunities - Investment into public infrastructure

HIC's Challenges - Social cohesion

Opportunities - Decentralisation

What are the challenges and opportunities for HIC's and LIC's regarding ageing populations?

LIC's challenges - making productive employment for people

Opportunities - extending the working age/ universal pension

HIC's challenges - pressure to reduce health costs

Opportunities - investment into training of older people

What are the challenges and opportunities for HIC's and LIC's regarding food insecurity?

LIC's challenges - improve access to food

Opportunities - investment in urban agriculture

HIC's challenges - reduce food waste

Opportunities - investment into storage infrastructure

What are the challenges and opportunities for HIC's and LIC's regarding inequality?

LIC's challenges - reducing underemployment

Opportunities - investment in green industry

HIC's challenges - strengthen international cooperation

Opportunities - policy coherence and coordination

What are the challenges and opportunities for HIC's and LIC's regarding energy access?

LIC's challenges - providing access to clean energy and reducing dirty energy from poor households

Opportunities - energy saving devices

HIC's challenges - reduce overconsumption to sustainable levels

Opportunities - investment and incentives for renewable energy

What are the challenges and opportunities for HIC's and LIC's regarding climate change?

LIC's challenges - reducing carbon emissions

Opportunities - investment in health and education infrastructures

HIC'S Challenges - upgrade disaster prevention systems

Opportunities - investment into training of mitigation

Name an NEE and LIC and how they are aiming to reduce their carbon footprint?

China - covered buildings with 2500 shrubs and 1000 trees which will absorb up to 10,000 tons of CO2 per year - biophilic design

Kenya (Nairobi) - turning one of the busiest streets from 2 way to 1 wayto reduce vehicle emissions by up to 50% and increase accessibility of the street so there will be more economic growth and improve air quality which will improve health

How is a place inside the UK being sustainable?

BedZED London is an environmentally friendly housing development which got electrical power usage to 25% less than the UK average and car milage was 65% less however the water treatment wasn't good.

• Insulated homes

• Solar panels

• Cycle storage for each home, car club for sharing cars and bus links

• Green space

• Sense of community

• Half of construction materials are sourced within 35 miles