9.7.2 Analysis of Policies: The Third Indicator Category
as an Indicator of Specific Characteristics
A bottom-up approach is possible for the maximization indicators, and it may be
possible to select indicators corresponding to the values of stakeholders. Nevertheless, it is not necessary for the values to demonstrate a certain tendency, and there
will probably be choices that are difficult to make even using a bottom-up approach.
Irrespective of the approach, there may be indicators that are difficult to choose as
maximization indicators. For example, there are various potential indicators relating
to diversity, but it is difficult to categorically say that the greater the diversity the
better the indicator. Likewise, optimal characteristics and ranges are also difficult to
identify. In some cases however there are important indicators among these that may
be considered to demonstrate specific characteristics of a city. While these are not
treated as indicators of the CSI, they may be collected and collated as indicators and
numerical values as “specific characteristic indicators,” the third indicator category
apart from the CSI, and considered for use in analyzing their relationship with city
sustainability. If it is understood that a certain type of characteristics of a city has
relevance in some way to the sustainability of a city, it may be possible to achieve the
sustainability of a city through a policy that exerts changes on those characteristics.
9.8 Conclusion
To assess current conditions and the future of megacities, it is crucial and effective to
consider issues from the viewpoint of the sustainability of mankind rather than the
sustainability of individual cities themselves. Nevertheless, there is no uniformly
shared definition of sustainability. Therefore, it is necessary to define “city sustainability” in line with the context of those cities (including megacities) while considering the main requirements relating to sustainability from literary reviews.
The definition of city sustainability in this chapter is to maximize the economic
and social net benefit (level of satisfaction) while permanently meeting the limiting
conditions concerning the environment, as well as meet the limiting conditions of
economic and social equity both in opportunity and distribution. Based on this
definition and using indicators that broadly cover the triple bottom lines of environment, economy, and society, the author proposed a system of indicators for assessing
cities individually by dividing the indicators into limiting indicators that determine
whether or not a city is meeting limiting conditions and maximization indicators that
determine the scale of the benefits a city is generating. This system is the CSI.
9 The City Sustainability Index (CSI): How Should the Sustainability of. . .
179
as an Indicator of Specific Characteristics
A bottom-up approach is possible for the maximization indicators, and it may be
possible to select indicators corresponding to the values of stakeholders. Nevertheless, it is not necessary for the values to demonstrate a certain tendency, and there
will probably be choices that are difficult to make even using a bottom-up approach.
Irrespective of the approach, there may be indicators that are difficult to choose as
maximization indicators. For example, there are various potential indicators relating
to diversity, but it is difficult to categorically say that the greater the diversity the
better the indicator. Likewise, optimal characteristics and ranges are also difficult to
identify. In some cases however there are important indicators among these that may
be considered to demonstrate specific characteristics of a city. While these are not
treated as indicators of the CSI, they may be collected and collated as indicators and
numerical values as “specific characteristic indicators,” the third indicator category
apart from the CSI, and considered for use in analyzing their relationship with city
sustainability. If it is understood that a certain type of characteristics of a city has
relevance in some way to the sustainability of a city, it may be possible to achieve the
sustainability of a city through a policy that exerts changes on those characteristics.
9.8 Conclusion
To assess current conditions and the future of megacities, it is crucial and effective to
consider issues from the viewpoint of the sustainability of mankind rather than the
sustainability of individual cities themselves. Nevertheless, there is no uniformly
shared definition of sustainability. Therefore, it is necessary to define “city sustainability” in line with the context of those cities (including megacities) while considering the main requirements relating to sustainability from literary reviews.
The definition of city sustainability in this chapter is to maximize the economic
and social net benefit (level of satisfaction) while permanently meeting the limiting
conditions concerning the environment, as well as meet the limiting conditions of
economic and social equity both in opportunity and distribution. Based on this
definition and using indicators that broadly cover the triple bottom lines of environment, economy, and society, the author proposed a system of indicators for assessing
cities individually by dividing the indicators into limiting indicators that determine
whether or not a city is meeting limiting conditions and maximization indicators that
determine the scale of the benefits a city is generating. This system is the CSI.
9 The City Sustainability Index (CSI): How Should the Sustainability of. . .
179