Sustainable urban development:

Question 1

Impact of urban areas on local and global environments:

Answer 1

• Urban areas contribute to climate change on a global scale.
• Local environments climate and air quality may be affected, increased flood risk aswell.
• Global scale urbanisation increases demands for goods and services.

Question 2

Ecological footprint of major urban areas:

Answer 2

Definition of ecological footprint = the area of land needed to provide the necessary resources and to absorb the waste generated.

• Urban areas have larger ecological footprints normally.
• Ecological footprint of a city depends on:
• Wealth
  Size of the city
• Quality of public transport.

Question 3

4 dimensions of sustainability:

Answer 3

Sustainability definition = meeting the needs of people today and in the future without destroying the environment.

• Natural
• Physical
• Social
• Economic

Question 4

Natural sustainability:

Answer 4

• How the environment, resources and waste is managed.
• Cities with high natural sustainability depend on renewable energy sources.
• Produce very little waste.
• Pedestrianised and good public transport.

Question 5

Physical sustainability:

Answer 5

• How well a city is able to support the people who live there.
• City needs to provide resources to support jobs
• Food, water and energy

Question 6

Social sustainability:

Answer 6

• How residents live and ensuring they have a good quality of life.
• Access to services and healthcares
• Peaceful and basic human rights.

Question 7

Economic sustainability:

Answer 7

• Maintaining long term economic growth without destroying the environment.
• Home to profitable well paid businesses.
• Local councils don’t have debt.

Question 8

Nature and features of sustainable
cities:

Answer 8

• Greener built environments, use energy and water efficiently.
• Improved transport.

Planned expansion, encouraging compact cities rather than uncontrolled urban sprawl.

Carbon-neutral development.

Question 9

The concept of liveability:

Answer 9

This is the sum of factors that add up to a community’s quality of life , including the natural and built environment, economic prosperity,
social stability, educational opportunity and cultural, economic and recreation possibilities.

Question 10

Contemporary opportunities and challenges in developing more sustainable cities:

Answer 10

Opportunities:
- Understanding urban sustainability, allows for greater investments and research into sustainable cities.
- Services can be implemented more easily into urban areas due to their high population density.

Challenges:
- Requires significant investment, which some cities cannot afford.
- Some residents are unwilling to change their habits.
- Rapid urbanisation rates.

Question 11

Strategies for developing more sustainable cities:

Answer 11

1) Reducing the number of cars on the road. e.g new cycles lanes or improve public transport e.g Freiburg in Germany have cycle routes and pedestrian only zones.

2) Increase green space

3) Improving recycling/change culture

4) making more buildings more energy efficient.