Transcript Sustainable City Management and the Urban Ecological Footprint

Sustainable City
Management and the Urban
Ecological Footprint
With over half the worlds population living in cities and the
vast majority of economic activity occurring in cities, it is
clear that if we are to successfully create a sustainable
future we have to focus on cities.
The global effort for sustainability will be won, or lost, in the
world’s cities, where urban design may influence over 70
percent of people’s Ecological Footprint. (Wackernagel et al. 2006)
Cities and the Environment
Cities are environments in their own right, that provide
habitat and amenity for their residents. We can think in
terms of the LAND AREA and LAND USE and the BUILT
ENVIRONMENT of a city.
Its physical size and appearance.
Also cities use resources from a much wider area, for
building materials, energy, food, disposal of waste,
pollution. This larger area can be considered the URBAN
ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT.
The amount of land needed to sustain the city’s
population and absorb its waste.
Cities can be designed in a way which increases their
urban ecological footprint.
Or
Cities can be designed in a way which reduces their
urban ecological footprint.
The design of a city’s built environment, its land area
and land use will affect its urban ecological footprint.
Urban densities and private transport
We need cities to satisfy human needs
(utility, amenity, livability, security, comfort, urban services,
health, opportunity, community, quality of life)
and minimize the human impact on the environment.
(ecological footprint)
Cities need to be
sustainable.
A sustainable city will use
less resources and
produce less waste than a
unsustainable city. This
concept can be built into
the design of cities and
buildings.
The City as a System
To help understand how cities can be designed in a more
sustainable way we can use a systems approach.
Inputs
Processes
Outputs
Unsustainable City
High level of inputs. Not satisfying
our needs (e.g. congestion,poor air
quality). Producing large amounts of
waste and pollution.
Sustainable City
Reduced level of inputs. Satisfying
our needs (good quality of life).
Reduced levels of waste and
pollution.
Achieving a Sustainable City
Need to change the city’s metabolism. (KEY CONCEPT!!)
(The flow of energy and resources in the urban system)
Unsustainable Linear Urban Metabolism
Unsustainable Linear Urban Metabolism
Sustainable Circular Urban Metabolism
Sustainable Circular Urban Metabolism
Resilience
Urban systems and communities need to be resilient (able
to withstand shock)
It is no use having a system which breaks down too easily.
Napoli
Some ideas to develop a Sustainable City
Sustainable City Management Case Studies
You need case study notes on two cities, describing and
evaluating examples of Sustainable City Management.
Curitiba – South West Brazil
(IB Study Guide – Page 142), TED Talks, Weblinks and attachments on Sustainable Cities
page. Use the Solutions section from the Frontline report to make your initial notes
Your LEDC City Case What have you already found out about your chosen city? Any examples of sustainable
city management?
Bratislava –
There are examples in Bratislava, particularly in terms of public transport, recycling, green
space.
Another city? -
Think in terms of the following…
Pollution
Waste
Energy
Transport
Housing
Public spaces
Green infrastructure
The syllabus asks specifically for examples of…
• Socially sustainable housing management strategy
• Environmentally sustainable pollution management
strategy
(this could include a transport policy which reduces car use
and therefore air pollution)