Sustainable Urban Development Flashcards
Give for examples of how cities affect the environment.
-Increase water and air pollution
-Loss of open space =loss of biodiversity
-Cities increase demand for resources and account for 3/4s of resource use, leading to food water and energy insecurity.
-Cities responsible for 60% of greenhouse gas emissions.
How much of greenhouse gas emissions are cities responsible for?
60%
What is an ecological foot print?
The amount of land needed to produce everything a person consumes and to absorb their waste.
What does the ecological footprint of a city depend on?
-Wealth
-Side of city
-Quality of transport
How does wealth affect ecological footprint?
Consumption of waste is higher in richer countries.
How does the size of the city affect ecological footprint?
Compact cities are easier to travel around on foot so pollute less.
How does quality of public transport affect ecological footprint?
Efficient public transport decreased car use and therefor reduces pollution.
Define sustainability.
A city must meet the needs of today without preventing future generations from meeting their needs.
What is natural sustainability?
How the environment, resources and waste are managed.
Cities with high natural sustainability rely on renewable energy sources and produce little waste.
People walk and use public transport more to reduce pollution.
What is physical sustainability?
How well a city is able to support the people living there.
What are the features of a physically sustainable city?
-Plenty high quality housing
-Secure supplies of food, safe water and energy
What is social sustainability?
How people live together, their quality of life and the availability of basic services like healthcare.
What are the features of socially sustainable cities?
Peaceful, tolerant with respect for human rights and political sustainability.
What is economic sustainability?
Maintaining economic growth without causing long term negative effects like environmental damage.
What are the features of a city with economic sustainability?
Wealthy cities with low levels of inequality and little debt.
Home to profitable ethical businesses with well paid jobs.
What factors make sustainable urban development easier in urban areas?
-Higher population density so provision of services is easier (improving public transport and water)
-Understanding of urban sustainability increased research and investment into making urban areas more sustainable.
-Governments may invest more due to the higher population.
What are the 4 challenges of sustainable urban development?
-Requires significant investment.
-Cities are growing rapidly so services need to expand rapidly.
-Some people are unwilling to change habits.
-Some cities lack appropriate infrastructure like their roads are too narrow to add bike lanes.
Why is it more difficult to sustainably develop in developing countries?
Urbanisation is happening at a faster rate so growth is often unplanned making it hard to increase urban sustainability.
What are the 6 strategies to increase urban sustainability?
-Reducing car usage
-Increasing green space
-Improving urban waste disposal
-Renewable energy sources
-Reducing water use
-Energy efficiency
Describe how reducing the number of cars on the road will increase urban sustainability?
By constructing new cycle lane, park and ride schemes and improving public transport less pollution will be emitted.
How will increasing green space increase urban sustainability?
Green spaces can reduce pollution and increase bio diversity as it provides habitats for wildlife.
How will improving urban waste disposal increase urban sustainability?
By reducing amount of waste sent to landfill and recycling and encouraging people to compost emissions will decrease.
How will increasing renewable energy use increase urban sustainability?
Using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar decrease fossil fuel use and carbon emissions.
How will reducing water use increase urban sustainability?
Authorities can ensure that new buildings are fit with water meters to encourage people to use less water.
How will making building more energy efficient increase urban sustainability?
Governments can offer incentives to encourage homeowners to improve insulation in buildings and use energy efficient electrics.
