Chapter 10 - Making Cities More

Sustainable
 Overview
• Our Urbanising World
• Pillars of Achieving Sustainability in Cities

• Key Development Areas: Buildings/Energy, Transport,

Food, and Water and Waste
• Four Views on Urban Development
• Large Public Events
 Our Urbanising World
• Just over 50% of the world population lives in cities

• Up to about two billion additional city dwellers by 2050

• Without new policies: Most go to overcrowded mega-cities

• The rural push: Poor public services and infrastructure, soil degradation
and drought/flooding (aggravated by climate change), low incomes, few
jobs and insecure land titles

• The urban pull: Innovation, wealth creation and opportunity

• Cities occupy 2% of the Earth’s surface and use 75% of the resources 
Profoundly affect wide areas around them
Pillars of Achieving Sustainability in Cities
 Key Development Areas:
Buildings/Energy
• Seventy per cent of urban energy demand: Lighting, heating and cooling, and ventilation

• Saving potential: 30%–50% through insulation (ceiling, floor and walls), energy efficient

appliances and architectural adaptations

• Key moments: Design of new and renovations of existing buildings through retrofitting; new

housing estates (urbanisation)

Examples:
o Bishkek Municipal Energy Efficiency Plan, Kyrgyzstan

o Greening of Social Housing, South Africa

o Rizhao Solar City, China

Key Development Areas: Transport
—1
• Big nuisance in growing cities: Congestion, noise (engines and honking), air pollution
and unsafety (many accidents):
• Problem 1: Urban sprawl and infrastructure layout invites car use and neglects other
road users  Roads unsafe and public space unsuitable for community functions
• Problem 2: Underinvestment in public transport, safe walking and cycling  People
forced to use motorcycles/scooters/cars
• Urban potential for efficiency through mass transit system
• Problem 3: Car users enjoy full benefits at fraction of the cost of motorised car
mobility  Overuse
Key Development Areas: Transport
—1
• In fact: Cities should be developed for people, not cars

• Strong mass transit system is key to sustainable urban transport (SUT)

• Where the vast majority of people walk, cycle or use public transport 
Safe walking and cycling a matter of social justice

Examples:
– Bus rapid transit (BRT) in Curitiba (Brazil) and Bogota (Columbia)
– Cycling promotion in China and EU
– Electric rickshaws in Kathmandu
Key Development Areas: Food
• Hungry people 870 million   Obese people 500 million
• Feeding the world: Nutritious food is affordable and enough
• Environmental footprint: Production method, packaging, distance to market, and food
waste (globally 33%)
• Special interests: Meat (big footprint); fish (overfishing)
• Lifestyle challenges: Income growth  People eat more meat/fish, more processed
foods high on sugar and salt, more imported food, not enough fresh fruit and
vegetables, brown bread/rice and nuts/mushrooms

Examples:
o Dakar: Niayes—farmers market close to the city
o Istanbul: Bostans—form of urban market gardens
Key Development Areas: Water and
Waste—1
• Urban fresh water

– Supply: In DCs, not enough coverage; running water only in higher-income areas; tap water only safe after

boiling and/or filtering; limited metering

– Demand: Goes up with income and ease of access; use often charged at a flat, low rate regardless of quantity

• Waste water treatment: Absent or malfunctioning due to lack of funds and maintenance

• Surface water and flood control: The poor occupy land prone to flooding and landslides

Examples:
o Orangi project in Karachi

o Curitiba water and parks policy

Key Development Areas: Water and
Waste—2
• Solid waste: Per person, from 0.5 kg in poor to 2.1 kg in rich countries; tends to keep
growing
• DCs: Little or no reducing, re-using and recycling (3Rs), nor separate collection of
hazardous wastes; uncontrolled dumps rather than sanitary landfills; public health risks
• Middle-income countries: 54%–59% bio-degradable
• Waste management hierarchy: Preferred order of processing, from high to low returns

Examples:
o Waste Concern in Dhaka
o 3R in Curitiba
Four Views on Urban Development

• Bio-environmentalist: Cities have tremendous unused potential for making social and

environmental gains—walkable neighbourhoods, mixed use planning; safe cycling networks, 3R

waste policy, urban agriculture, etc.

• Institutionalist: Transport-oriented development (along bus/rail axes); high-visitor facilities around

public transport hubs; active land-use policies; and strong urban planning agency

• Market liberal: Happy to let market forces shape urban growth and expansion; gated

communities; high-tech business centres on the fringes; and minimal government planning/zoning

• Social green: Keep towns small and with minimal footprint so they can cope with decentralised

renewable energy and climate change; integrate urban functions including agriculture in

neighbourhoods; and safe walking and cycling

 Large Public Events—1
Examples: Cultural festivals, music concerts, trade fairs, policy conferences,
sports tournaments and national holiday celebrations

Large numbers of people within a short span of time need:

• Conference venue, etc
• Personal accommodation
• Food and drink (often on-the-go)
• Transportation services
• Ways to discard waste

These are great challenges for a sustainable city!

 Large Public Events—2
• Environmental responsibilities: Low-emission transport, waste reduction, reusing and recycling,

water/energy efficiency, exclusion of hazardous substances and material, climate targets, etc.

• Economic responsibilities: Savings through increased efficiency, avoidance of corruption, sensible and

transparent public procurement, quality of goods, boosting innovation, local job creation, acceptable pay-

back, responsible accounting, etc.

• Social responsibilities Fair use of human resources and a healthy and safe workplace for all (e.g.,

construction projects), respect for human rights, complying with international labour rights standards,

inclusion of minorities, attention to equal opportunities, sensitivity to cultural or religious groups,

accessibility for physically challenged, ensure ethical production and use of fair trade of inputs, and source

goods and services locally as much as possible

Source: UNEP Sustainable Events Guide 2012

End of Chapter 10
Cities have great potential to become
leaders in wealth creation,
innovative ways to use and share
resources, and environmentally
sustainable development. City
leaders should use the best models
available in the world.