Lesson 27-How can Mumbai and Sheffield be more sustainable?

Question 1

What are the main challenges to becoming a sustainable city?

Answer 1

• Main obstacle tends to be financial
  -cities will often choose more short-term ‘cheaper’ options
• Cities which lack the basic facilities, such as cheaper water and infrastructure, will tend to focus on these priorities over investments in sustainable projects
• Further challenges include poor infrastructure, weak institutions and lack of enforcing police regulations

Question 2

Developing country opportunities for sustainability

Answer 2

• SOCIAL-Investment in universal access to water and sanitation; public transportation and creation of jobs to reduce growth of slums-
• ECONOMIC-Investment in green industry, adaptation to climate change, structureal econoomic change
  -strenghtening regional cooperation
• ENVIRONMENTAL-Investment in capacity development, energy-saving devices, production and use of renewale sources of energy

Question 3

Challenges for developing countries?

Answer 3

• SOCIAL-Requires improvement of access to housing, water and sanitation; improve public infrastructure; foster industrial capacity
• ECONOMIC- Needs improved access to services
• SOCIAL-Many use dirty energy sources

Question 4

Challenges for developed cities?

Answer 4

• SOCIAL-Lacks social cohesion and high fiscal pressure to reduce health costs
• ECOMOMIC-Reduced employment
• ENVIRONMENT-Overproduction and overconsumption, need more disaster risk protection

Question 5

Strategies for developing more sustainable cities

Answer 5

1) Investment in infrastructure
2) Green investment in low income countries
3) Investment in the reduction of waste production
4) Investment in renewable energy
5)Provision of more ‘green’ areas
6)Investment in more sustainable and affordable housing
7)Adaption of local currencies
8)Active participation of different city stakeholders
9) Disaster risk reduction-flood defences

Question 6

How is Mumbai becoming more sustainable?

Answer 6

-Mumbai Climate Action Plan; plan aims to acheive carbon neutrality by 2050, 20 years ahead of Indias national target and it focuses on
-sustainable waste management, urban greening and biodiversity, urban flooding and water resource management, energy and buildings, air quality and sustainable mobility

-Also created the disaster management cell to co-ordinate releif and rescue efforts by widening the Mithi River which drains out to the Arabian Sea