117
improving the quality of urban air that would
have beneficial effects in the wider environment
as well. (Reducing sulphur dioxide emission, for
example, decreases acid deposition in the surroundings of the city as well.) Rich cities are able
to improve the environment of the citizens significantly thus making the place of residence
clean and liveable. The welfare of the city, however, puts increasing load on the global environment: e.g. greenhouse gas emission increases the
degree of anthropogenic climate change. It has to
be also considered that currently poor cities will
hopefully be able to get into better economic conditions; therefore, they will face the problems
concerning today the currently rich cities.
It is apparent that work has to be done at every
level of poverty and richness to achieve environmental sustainability of cities but as mentioned
before this alone is not enough to realise sustainable development. Social tension within cities
can be very high and they are not always economic in nature. (Economic and social sustainability is discussed in Chap. 6.) This also means
that the global realisation of sustainable development will be a very complex and slow process.
Various institutes and a number of experts has
been working on identifying the factors expressing the liveability, environmental quality of cities
by calculating parameters (indicators) that can be
given numerically. Certain magazines help them
in passing on the information to many people.
Ranks presented to the wider public are definitely
useful in shaping the sustainable development
policies of cities as city leaders strive after making their city more attractive. At the same time,
the scientific quality of methods resulting in rank
numbers is doubtful. Since the different ranks are
based on different and sometimes subjective indicators taking into account different exact parameters it is better to draw conclusions by evaluating
several ranks together.
UN-Habitat City Prosperity Index is based
on the productivity of the city, the quality of life
of the residents, the development of infrastructure, environmental sustainability, equity and
social inclusion, and urban governance and legislation. Calculations are performed annually
for 72 cities on the basis of data supplied by UN
member states.
The Monocle Magazine (London) takes a lot
of subjective factors into account in surveying
liveability. It studies international relations, the
quality of airports, crime rate, the quality of communication and accessibility, the quality of public transport, accessibility and volume of green
areas, steps of urban design for improving the
environment, the number of sunny hours and
mean temperature, the level of employed women,
the rights of homosexuals, education, public
health, tolerance and recipient social atmosphere.
(Apparently threats to human health are somewhat relegated into the background.)
Fig. 4.37 Tasks of
urban sustainability as a
function of economy.
Environmental Kuznets
curve (Lee 2007)
4.1 Changes in the Outer Boundary Zone of the Earth’s Crust
improving the quality of urban air that would
have beneficial effects in the wider environment
as well. (Reducing sulphur dioxide emission, for
example, decreases acid deposition in the surroundings of the city as well.) Rich cities are able
to improve the environment of the citizens significantly thus making the place of residence
clean and liveable. The welfare of the city, however, puts increasing load on the global environment: e.g. greenhouse gas emission increases the
degree of anthropogenic climate change. It has to
be also considered that currently poor cities will
hopefully be able to get into better economic conditions; therefore, they will face the problems
concerning today the currently rich cities.
It is apparent that work has to be done at every
level of poverty and richness to achieve environmental sustainability of cities but as mentioned
before this alone is not enough to realise sustainable development. Social tension within cities
can be very high and they are not always economic in nature. (Economic and social sustainability is discussed in Chap. 6.) This also means
that the global realisation of sustainable development will be a very complex and slow process.
Various institutes and a number of experts has
been working on identifying the factors expressing the liveability, environmental quality of cities
by calculating parameters (indicators) that can be
given numerically. Certain magazines help them
in passing on the information to many people.
Ranks presented to the wider public are definitely
useful in shaping the sustainable development
policies of cities as city leaders strive after making their city more attractive. At the same time,
the scientific quality of methods resulting in rank
numbers is doubtful. Since the different ranks are
based on different and sometimes subjective indicators taking into account different exact parameters it is better to draw conclusions by evaluating
several ranks together.
UN-Habitat City Prosperity Index is based
on the productivity of the city, the quality of life
of the residents, the development of infrastructure, environmental sustainability, equity and
social inclusion, and urban governance and legislation. Calculations are performed annually
for 72 cities on the basis of data supplied by UN
member states.
The Monocle Magazine (London) takes a lot
of subjective factors into account in surveying
liveability. It studies international relations, the
quality of airports, crime rate, the quality of communication and accessibility, the quality of public transport, accessibility and volume of green
areas, steps of urban design for improving the
environment, the number of sunny hours and
mean temperature, the level of employed women,
the rights of homosexuals, education, public
health, tolerance and recipient social atmosphere.
(Apparently threats to human health are somewhat relegated into the background.)
Fig. 4.37 Tasks of
urban sustainability as a
function of economy.
Environmental Kuznets
curve (Lee 2007)
4.1 Changes in the Outer Boundary Zone of the Earth’s Crust