Sustainable Urban Development

Question 1

Give for examples of how cities affect the environment.

Answer 1

-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.

Question 2

How much of greenhouse gas emissions are cities responsible for?

Answer 2

60%

Question 3

What is an ecological foot print?

Answer 3

The amount of land needed to produce everything a person consumes and to absorb their waste.

Question 4

What does the ecological footprint of a city depend on?

Answer 4

-Wealth
-Side of city
-Quality of transport

Question 5

How does wealth affect ecological footprint?

Answer 5

Consumption of waste is higher in richer countries.

Question 6

How does the size of the city affect ecological footprint?

Answer 6

Compact cities are easier to travel around on foot so pollute less.

Question 7

How does quality of public transport affect ecological footprint?

Answer 7

Efficient public transport decreased car use and therefor reduces pollution.

Question 8

Define sustainability.

Answer 8

A city must meet the needs of today without preventing future generations from meeting their needs.

Question 9

What is natural sustainability?

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

What is physical sustainability?

Answer 10

How well a city is able to support the people living there.

Question 11

What are the features of a physically sustainable city?

Answer 11

-Plenty high quality housing
-Secure supplies of food, safe water and energy

Question 12

What is social sustainability?

Answer 12

How people live together, their quality of life and the availability of basic services like healthcare.

Question 13

What are the features of socially sustainable cities?

Answer 13

Peaceful, tolerant with respect for human rights and political sustainability.

Question 14

What is economic sustainability?

Answer 14

Maintaining economic growth without causing long term negative effects like environmental damage.

Question 15

What are the features of a city with economic sustainability?

Answer 15

Wealthy cities with low levels of inequality and little debt.
Home to profitable ethical businesses with well paid jobs.

Question 16

What factors make sustainable urban development easier in urban areas?

Answer 16

-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.

Question 17

What are the 4 challenges of sustainable urban development?

Answer 17

-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.

Question 18

Why is it more difficult to sustainably develop in developing countries?

Answer 18

Urbanisation is happening at a faster rate so growth is often unplanned making it hard to increase urban sustainability.

Question 19

What are the 6 strategies to increase urban sustainability?

Answer 19

-Reducing car usage
-Increasing green space
-Improving urban waste disposal
-Renewable energy sources
-Reducing water use
-Energy efficiency

Question 20

Describe how reducing the number of cars on the road will increase urban sustainability?

Answer 20

By constructing new cycle lane, park and ride schemes and improving public transport less pollution will be emitted.

Question 21

How will increasing green space increase urban sustainability?

Answer 21

Green spaces can reduce pollution and increase bio diversity as it provides habitats for wildlife.

Question 22

How will improving urban waste disposal increase urban sustainability?

Answer 22

By reducing amount of waste sent to landfill and recycling and encouraging people to compost emissions will decrease.

Question 23

How will increasing renewable energy use increase urban sustainability?

Answer 23

Using renewable energy sources such as wind and solar decrease fossil fuel use and carbon emissions.

Question 24

How will reducing water use increase urban sustainability?

Answer 24

Authorities can ensure that new buildings are fit with water meters to encourage people to use less water.

Question 25

How will making building more energy efficient increase urban sustainability?

Answer 25

Governments can offer incentives to encourage homeowners to improve insulation in buildings and use energy efficient electrics.