119
transform. In many cases these are decades or
centuries long tasks for which foresight is also
necessary to judge correctly the future prospects
of the development of cities. Box 4.5 presents the
diversity of planning necessary to shape the sustainable development strategy of cities.
Box 4.5 Sustainable Development Strategies of
Cities
“Think globally and act locally”. This is a common principle that is applied to organisations,
business, education and local governance.
The above definition indicates that the harmonisation of local action and global thinking
applies to the plans and actions of various organisations as well. Harmonisation of the development plans and environmental protection
programme of cities is especially important in the
interest of sustainable development since the
majority of humans live in cities and the ratio of
city dwellers will only increase. Therefore the
short- and long-term plans of the settlements have
to be designed by the leaders of local government
and representatives of the residents in order to
make the particular city more liveable without
harming the wider environment of the city.
Numerous plans and programmes are prepared in the cities of different countries related
to the development and operation of the settlement (traffic development, energy supply,
waste management, sewage treatment, etc.).
Recently, “integrated settlement development
strategies” and “sustainable development
strategies” joining smaller plans into a single
comprehensive document have become
increasingly frequent. These strategies cover
6–10 years and contain every important condition and action that are regarded important for
the sustainable development of the given settlement and that are in accordance with the
sustainable development of the society.
The strategies also analyse the settlement
network connections and their role in sustainable development. Environmental effects outside the cities are minimised according to
their strategy and try to reconcile with the
leaders of neighbouring settlements regarded
their own development plans.
They also analyse the social relations of the
city: demographic processes, immigration and
emigration, the ratio and situation of nationalities, interest relations and conflicts in the society and their reasons, income differences,
poverty ratio, human public services (nursery,
kindergarten, school, higher education, social
institutes), and the state of equal opportunity
in the city. Based on the results, social tasks
for the given time period are identified.
The economy of the settlement is an important topic in the strategy. The frames of the economic activities to be performed at the settlement,
and the system of local taxes and benefits are
elaborated. The measures of environmental protection regulation have to appear in the above
process. The competitiveness of enterprises and
economic organisations and the factors influencing this competitiveness are also considered. The
management of local governments, their institutional and means systems and settlement operations services are dealt separately.
The strategy discusses landscape and natural conditions, values to be protected, sustenance and development of the green area
network of the city separately. The conditions
and development of the built environment and
the protection of national monuments are
long-term programmes that has to be broken
down into the given time period.
Environmental protection, energy supply
and the development of traffic has to be considered closely together since the above cause
most environmental problems in cities.
Environmental protection is strongly associated with high level of water supply, drainage
and sewage treatment, maintaining their level
or developing it depending on the development level of the city. Analysing urban climate
and identifying related tasks cannot be omitted
in a city strategy in the twenty-first century.
If local strategies are completed in a similar view and the contents are realised humanity will take huge steps towards realising
global sustainable development.
4.1 Changes in the Outer Boundary Zone of the Earth’s Crust
transform. In many cases these are decades or
centuries long tasks for which foresight is also
necessary to judge correctly the future prospects
of the development of cities. Box 4.5 presents the
diversity of planning necessary to shape the sustainable development strategy of cities.
Box 4.5 Sustainable Development Strategies of
Cities
“Think globally and act locally”. This is a common principle that is applied to organisations,
business, education and local governance.
The above definition indicates that the harmonisation of local action and global thinking
applies to the plans and actions of various organisations as well. Harmonisation of the development plans and environmental protection
programme of cities is especially important in the
interest of sustainable development since the
majority of humans live in cities and the ratio of
city dwellers will only increase. Therefore the
short- and long-term plans of the settlements have
to be designed by the leaders of local government
and representatives of the residents in order to
make the particular city more liveable without
harming the wider environment of the city.
Numerous plans and programmes are prepared in the cities of different countries related
to the development and operation of the settlement (traffic development, energy supply,
waste management, sewage treatment, etc.).
Recently, “integrated settlement development
strategies” and “sustainable development
strategies” joining smaller plans into a single
comprehensive document have become
increasingly frequent. These strategies cover
6–10 years and contain every important condition and action that are regarded important for
the sustainable development of the given settlement and that are in accordance with the
sustainable development of the society.
The strategies also analyse the settlement
network connections and their role in sustainable development. Environmental effects outside the cities are minimised according to
their strategy and try to reconcile with the
leaders of neighbouring settlements regarded
their own development plans.
They also analyse the social relations of the
city: demographic processes, immigration and
emigration, the ratio and situation of nationalities, interest relations and conflicts in the society and their reasons, income differences,
poverty ratio, human public services (nursery,
kindergarten, school, higher education, social
institutes), and the state of equal opportunity
in the city. Based on the results, social tasks
for the given time period are identified.
The economy of the settlement is an important topic in the strategy. The frames of the economic activities to be performed at the settlement,
and the system of local taxes and benefits are
elaborated. The measures of environmental protection regulation have to appear in the above
process. The competitiveness of enterprises and
economic organisations and the factors influencing this competitiveness are also considered. The
management of local governments, their institutional and means systems and settlement operations services are dealt separately.
The strategy discusses landscape and natural conditions, values to be protected, sustenance and development of the green area
network of the city separately. The conditions
and development of the built environment and
the protection of national monuments are
long-term programmes that has to be broken
down into the given time period.
Environmental protection, energy supply
and the development of traffic has to be considered closely together since the above cause
most environmental problems in cities.
Environmental protection is strongly associated with high level of water supply, drainage
and sewage treatment, maintaining their level
or developing it depending on the development level of the city. Analysing urban climate
and identifying related tasks cannot be omitted
in a city strategy in the twenty-first century.
If local strategies are completed in a similar view and the contents are realised humanity will take huge steps towards realising
global sustainable development.
4.1 Changes in the Outer Boundary Zone of the Earth’s Crust