How Can Cities Become More Sustainable - Essay Example

?Running head: SUSTAINABILITY OF CITIES How Cities Can Become More Sustainable: Comparison And Contrast Of Cities In The Developed And Developing World. Insert name Insert grade course Insert instructor’s name April 11, 2011. How cities can become more sustainable: comparison and contrast of cities in the developed and developing world 1.0 Introduction The sustainability and resiliency of cities in both developed and developing world is a vital tool for enhancing economic development. However, the initiator and head of the consultancy universal Current, Warren Karlenzig, clings onto a strong believe that sustainability efforts currently being utilized are absolutely misplaced. Creation of cities has recently resulted from industrialization, technological advancements, as well as the recent agrarian revolutions that have taken place. The world population also grows drastically, that needs to be catered for in terms of sustainable living measures. Nevertheless, promotion of sustainable development efforts via improvement of economical and social conditions is no longer meeting the required ends. The recent years have seen the academicians, industrial developers, researchers, and scholars develop a global concern, and finding ways that would be ample to foster sustainability of worldwide cities to no avail. This is partially contributed to by the contrasting features and characteristics of cities in the developed world and those in the developing world. Cities in the developing world are not able to operate and enhance their survival in the standards of cities in the developed world (Mazmanian and Kraft 232). The discussion in this paper establishes various ways in which cities can become sustainable. Comparison and contrast of the status of cities in the developed and the developing world is also presented. 2.0 Enhancing cities’ sustainability A cluster of methodologies is available that can be effectively utilized to foster cities’ sustainability. Planning is a long-term strategy that would enhance the sustainability of cities in the world countries. In addition, effectiveness and efficiency measures should be in the company of economic, social, and cultural planning. Moreover, a multi-planning community including the state, employers, and country unions should lend provide a planning hand to ensure sustainability boost. Additionally, vibrant mixed-utilization of high-density national centers and societies development should be duly enabled, the result of which would be creating room for ample choices of transportation, sense of belonging and fostering public automobiles in place of private entities. Protection of regional agriculture and projects as well as wildlife ecology and cut-off points is promoted (United Nations Human Settlements Programme 126). The mobility realms improvement would act as a rationale to the enhancement of sustainability. Investments directed towards a quality establishment of infrastructure of public transit, and which is easily accessible should be emphasized on. Further, phone cell notifications from signage should be utilized in the improvement of mutual connectivity and enhancing rich sources of information. It is also important to build environment with new designs of buildings, landscaping strategies as the first priority towards sustainability of cities. This is a major step towards ensuring the efficiency of resources in regard to its integration with options of mobility (Benfield, Para 5). The overall economy should be intervened in every state in the world, as a prerequisite to the development of sustainability. Unlimited support of businesses, both local as well as international, should be a key step, while local jobs at this point can be easily available to ensure new economy’s requirements containing fresh technologies and energy that is renewable. Moreover, decision-makers in the economy (local and international) need be ideally supported in order that they would adapt the upcoming energy supplies that are highly volatile, as well as to cope with rising costs in the new world. Countries also need to embark on production of organic food, distribution focused on metro areas and networks and processing of high quality services. Furthermore, management should be a coordination of the state, citizens, business organizations, and all forms of unions. Moreover, management exploitation and utilization of resources should be governed by the application of suitable policies as well as methodologies in order to pave way for cities’ sustainability (Miller George and Spoolman 605). 3.0 Comparison and contrast of cities in the developed the developing world Distinctions existing between cities in the developed and developed world supersede the identified similarities. The occurrence of these distinctions is in regard to the political, social, cultural, as well as political realms. 3.1 Similarities Cities in both the developed and the developing world are similar in regard to infrastructural set ups. Increase in population in urban centers is the order of the day, owing to increase in rural-urban migration. In addition, industrial developments and adoption of new technological advancements are also rationales for the cities. Moreover, desire for stabilized economy, improved communication strategies, developed mobility features, as well as exploitation and utilization of new resources is an activity embraced by all cities, regardless of their development status (Rees Para 2). 3.2 Differences Enthusiastic embracing and adoption of GIS (geographic information systems) and spatial data infrastructures (SDI) has been a common phenomenon in the developed countries. As a result, it has been possible for these countries to utilize, identify the weaknesses of such systems, and implement change strategies based on these systems. On the Contrary, the developing countries often use the already experienced GIS systems (second hand), since it is hard for first hand adoption. Their operations in the developed countries are through developed and complex systems, while manual operations are normally used in the developing world. Moreover, industrial, agrarian, project, as well as human-based developments are highly possible in the developed cities as compared to the developing cities (Bishop et al 3). The population numbers are very high in the cities of developed world, and usually marked by high birth, death, infant mortality rates, as well as natural legislation processes. The vice-versa is true for the developing countries, where birth, death, and the like, occur at low rates due to low populations. The populations in developing countries are also likely to experience high occurrence of amenities and facility provision than high population cities. Moreover, dominance by disease and other health hazards is rampant in the developing cities than it is in the developed cities. Nevertheless, enjoyment of political and cultural sustenance privileges is also a rationale for cities in the developing countries as compared to those of developed countries (Bishop et al 3). Conclusion The sustainability and resiliency of cities in both developed and developing world is a vital tool for enhancing economic development. However, a variety of distinctions exists between cities in the developed and developing countries, including population and development realms. Nevertheless, sustainability of cities can be fostered by adoption of ample social, political, cultural, and economic strategies. Works Cited Benfield, Kaid. What cities should do to become more sustainable and resilient (and it’s not what they are doing currently). Natural Resources Defense Council. March 30, 2010. 12 April 2011. http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/what_cities_should_do_to_becom.html. Bishop, Ian, et al. Spatial data infrastructures for cities in developing countries: lessons from the Bangkok experience. The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia. 2010. 12 April 2011. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.140.9093&rep=rep1&type=pdf. Mazmanian, Daniel and Kraft, Michael. Toward sustainable communities: transition and transformations in environmental policy. NY: MIT Press, 2009. Miller, George and Spoolman, Scott. Living in the Environment: Principles, Connections and Solutions. Cengage Learning, 2008. Rees, William. Building More Sustainable Cities. Redesigning metropolitan areas as bioregional city-states can reduce our human footprint. Scientific American, Inc. March, 2009. 12 April 2011. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=building-more-sustainable-cities. United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Planning sustainable cities: global report on human settlements 2009. UN-HABITAT, 2009. Read More