Principles of Good Practice in City Development Strategy - Coursework Example

PRINCIPLES OF GOOD PRACTICE IN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY By Location of the Principles of Good Practice in City Development Strategy The world’s fastest developing cities in the late 1990s were majorly found in Asia. Between the year 2000 and 2009, the urban demographics in Asia and Europe grew tremendously by an average of 3.2 and 3.1 percent respectively. However, decades ago, Europe and Asia had a cradle of civilization that shaped the modern world and the ways of life to many of their citizens. The two regions had been a battle field for several wars which lead to destruction of millions of properties and wealth. Due to the multinational economic aspects of globalization, several cities in Europe and Asia have become the so called global cities or world cities. The urban development in Europe and Asia has progressively moved away from the standard model of locational economy, for instance, the monocentric model. This model has extremely been a fertile instrument due to its simplicity, conceptual elegance and rigour. The model is crucial to upcoming cities more so in Europe and Asia because it explains the process of residential decentralisation vividly. According to Anas, urban development has revealed substantial variations in the structure of metropolitan areas which can not be justified by the standard model (ALLANWOOD, & BEARE 2014, p.353). There have been a lot of changes especially in the growing polycentrism withing central business districts where employment is concentrated. Urban developemnt is very crucial for every citys growth due to the advancing technology. The rapid urban development may be a threat to human health and urban productivity if ignored. This is so because cities are the engine of economic growth. However, the environmental implications should be thoroughly assessed and managed well. Most cities in Europe and Asia for instance Nagoya are tremendously affected by the health impacts of urban pollution that derive from insufficient water, drainage of waste materials, poor cities waters management, sanitation, and air pollution. Therefore, the best way to confront urban environmental issues is to formulate a city specific environmental management strategy and an action plan. In order to do this, the urban planning personnel should mobilize public support and participation, choose policy instruments that can alter the behavior, encourage cooperative arrangements, and relieve conflicts. They should also build local institutional capacity, strengthen the urban service delivery, and increase local knowledge about urban environment (ROOTMAN 2000, p. 273). In Europe, protecting and improving the urban environment has become a necessity rather than a luxury. This has been so because large cities are the powerhouse of economic growth with more than 82% of GDP growth in developing nations. Consequently, environmental development should be managed and assessed properly by the municipal authorities in urban areas so as to improve and make the surrounding conducive for development. Having well-structured municipal authorities will also help the city in managing of the solid and liquid waste materials and this make the environment to be user friendly (JACK 1999, p.194). In most cases, developed cities such as Podgorica are normally environment friendly and this will promote many business activities. In some cities for example Ho Chi Minh City, the environment is not user friendly or comfortable for business activities due to the poor disposal of waste materials. This is one of the factors that hinder several activities such as trade which is the main factor that has led to the development of many cities along Asia and Europe. The other strategy that can be used to curb barriers to environmental development is by mobilizing public support and participation. This is so because many cities like Kathmandu are unlikely to grow without constituencies that demand environmental quality and willingness to pay for it. This will help curb the vested interests. It is therefore important for the public to also assist in curbing some of these environmental barriers which may drag behind the development of a city. Having the public support is very essential as it will help in finding, implementing and financing solutions to some of these barriers of development. For instance, in Shenyang, due to the low income of the residents, the participation of the community groups and NGOs helps a lot in driving away some of the barriers (CALKINS 2012, p. 673). The public will also help in formulating and implementing new urban environmental strategies and action plans. It will therefore important for the in charged authorities to integrate workable environmental strategies and initiate the new environmental programs to address the critical urban environmental problems. This may require better facilities and equipment, incentives for improved institutional functioning, and stronger institutions. It is important for such cities to mobilize financial resources for both capital and recurrent expenses. The city should the set achievable goals. Poverty has contributed to urban congestion and environmental degradation in numerous ways. The migration of poor citizens to cities in search of a living has been dragging some of the cities backward. Due to lack of financial resources to compete for serviced land and adequate housing, the poor will occupy illegal settlements on the hazardous regions. Due to the high population, many of the citizens will be unemployed and this may lead to emergence of some illegal activities such as theft which may lead to insecurity in the area. The government should therefore educate its citizens and create job opportunities so as to curb some of this menace. I cities such as Ban Houayxay there are youth programs that helps the youths in acquiring different skills. The rate of economic development is very imperative determinant of environmental conditions of a city. From the available descriptions of metropolitan, environmental glitches and impacts on the following presents a general characterization of the diverse complications and severity of impacts most often faced by Asia cities such as Dhaka which has four different income strata-low-income, lower-middle income, upper-middle income, and high-income. This typology is very essential to large upcoming cities and developing cities like Kathmandu that ahs been affevted by pollution problem. City is brought about by concentrated municipal sewerage, motorization and industrialization, and poor sanitation. The pollution problems normally bring advance technological changes and economic developments of a city (NAS 2002, 632). The climatic changes have brought a lot of changes in urban areas governance. Although metropolitan areas in upcoming cities are most at risk from effects of climate variations, the institutional basis for adaptation to climate changes in these cities. It is imperative for the local to develop an information base historical and current conditions that would allow one to undertake detailed local risks assessment. The design of local city adaptation programs of action can provide a platform for cities such as Bangkok and Manila to receive external support from different organizations such as NGOs. In other cities like Iran, the hot climate is not favorable to many individuals, and this tends to drive away investors. Although urbanization offers outstanding opportunities for poverty eradication and the support of sustainable development, sufficient planning is essential to acquire the potential reimbursement of urbanization and reduce its costs and adverse side-effects. Having a social environment is essential for the growth of future cities like Bangladesh. It is expected that cities that have real social environment should be able to double in the next 30 to 40 years. Practically, this will only be applied to cities that concentrate mostly on the resident’s poverty and how to curb some of these situations. It is therefore important for such cities to adopt and try to emulate cities such as Tokyo that have better social and economic development. This is so because the social environment is critical for the future development of a city. The continuing urban transition provides imperative opportunities for curbing poverty and improving sustainability. One particular issue that will have a significant influence on sustainability, and that is very much in need of clear orientation, is the metropolitan use of territorial space. Attaining a suitable environmentally growth can be a hectic experience to many developing cities. In Asia, the rapid economic growth has been generated by the highest level of air pollution levels. This has increased the greenhouse gas emissions in the world. This has made the air quality in such cities to be poor hence dangerous to human’s health. Noise and air pollution is a major threat not only to the environment but also to humans’ health and animals. According to World Health Organization, more than one million premature deaths are caused by air pollution that has continually impacted health and mortality rates. Most developed cities ie Lhasa , industrial wastes are frequently treated before emission so as to curb some of this health hazards incurred when dangerous gases are emitted to the atmosphere. Having the spatial information is an indispensable aspect of metropolitan and rural development, management and planning. The growing importance of spatial information has been due to recent strides in spatial data capture, management and access as well as the development of analytical techniques such as high-resolution mapping of urban environments. If a town utilizes such information and technologies available, it will be able to support the operation of the allocated properties rights, housing needs, land use planning, and taxation and land management. This will also support the management of primary problems like flooding control, disaster management, environmental management, health, and transportation. Most importantly, managing performance of a city includes monitoring, evaluation and reporting functions is a significant challenge to many large cities. This may include data collection and analysis that can be performed without relevant spatial information. Understanding citizen’s behavior is one of the most important keys to the successful development program in a large city. Nowadays, the political and social sciences like sociology have helped in the understanding of why citizens behave in a certain way. In order to increase the programme effect, the city should develop interventions that are strategically applied. Thess is important to the development professionals in determining and understands various factors that influence an individual’s decision in performing specific chores. Applying a behavioral perspective to the programme planning process enables one to identify the populations most ready for change. This is very critical in developing plans that will help in addressing development problems. This is so because individual’s opinions hold on a particular issues and problems. In Asia, most cities are affected by the cyclones, storm surges, floods, and earthquakes are the major natural hazards in the Chittagong region. However, CCC has tried to develop necessary awareness Programs as well as infrastructure to cope with such events. This has driven away many investors who may be interested in starting a business that may bring a lot of revenue to the city. It is fundamental for such cities to hold motivational programs on various occasions to generate awareness among the public and to develop adequate preparedness regarding earthquake disaster risk mitigation. Enacting appropriate legislation for land-use control is also necessary. Such legislation should consider the objective conditions and the reality that the majority of the urban and rural population is poor. The role of the informal sector should be appreciated and recognized in urban legislation and planning. Educational and recreational facilities can also help in the developemt of a city. Most cities in Europe for example Batumi and Positano has developed due to the availability of the coastal region that has provided reactional activites such as swimming, skiing and boat riding. This has attracted many torurists who come to visit such cities hence earning income. Theatres are also other reactreational faciities that can attract many investors and tourist to certain cities. During holidays, cities along the coastal regions normanlly receive a lot of tourist who have come for summer holidays (GREENE & LEE 2011, p.738). It is also fundamental for cities that tend to develop to have resources that can act as an income generating activity. The income can be used to develop other sectors of the city ie the health facilities which will attarct many peiople to live in the city.therefore, it is important for such citie to uidentfy their potential an what the can do best in order to earn imcome. Many cities and towns have been expanding through conversion and subdivision of nonurban areas on the periphery of major cities and along the main roads. However, it is clearly visible to anyone traveling on roads between major cities that the conversion of land tends to be disorderly rather than carefully planned. Industrial factories built on what used to be rice fields are very common along the major roads, although better planned industrial estates do exist in some metropolitan regions, such as Jakarta, Surabaya, and Makassar. Urban service improvement and urban infrastructure development lagged behind the ever-increasing demand brought about by the urbanization processes outlined above. Several cities sin Asia and Europe have a plethora of options when it comes to improving their overall environmental performance. Policy and good environmental governance play a tremendous role in the overall growth of a city. These help out in ensuring that new buildings and infrastructure are developed with certain minimum efficiency standards in mind. They also encourage citizens to change their behavior, for instance, the establishment of a congestion charge to minimize traffic to promote affordable alternative means of commuting (SCHRENK 2011, p. 612). City leaders can ensure that the natural environment remains preserved within the city’s boundaries by providing that green spaces within city boundaries are off limits for further development. This encompasses regions where a city administration can lead the way, as well as measures that the residents of a city will have to implement themselves. City authorities play a vital role in ensuring that large cities function sustainably. Given that resources are limited addressing environmental issues inadequately has harsh consequences such as loss of biodiversity, health hazards, and lower quality of life. Poor and weak strata of the city population are probable to suffer most from these impacts. Very few cities can maximize benefits to their residents while reducing the impact on the environment. The majority, however, faces increasing challenge to govern successfully, develop infrastructure, plan, and support the fast growing population and urbanization of their cities for expample Vientiane. According to UNEP, integrated planning is an ideal entry point to ensure environmentally sensitive urban development. Urbans Alliance and the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) have developed a standard approach to improving and integrate environmental concerns in planning at a city level. This approach has been drawn from the experience of large cities in different parts of the world as well as from international organizations and reputable research institutions. It has tremendously helped cities more so those in developing nations in setting up a sustainable infrastructure. External events can help the development, or they may hamper it. Current terms of trade that experienced by the exporters of primary goods canna affect the development of a city (WRIGHT 1997, 564). It is important for large cities to develop tariffs against the manufacture of goods which has made it harder for the local goods to be sold. Tis will promote local companies within the city, and this will lead to employment opportunities and development of the city. The local authorities will therefore collect enough revenue that maty be used to develop other parts of the city. Urbanization has increased the vulnerability of life because of loss of assets which is larger in cities that countrysides. In this case, the climatic issue becomes relevant since it dictates a lot of these factors such as s disaster. Climate change can cause extreme weather conditions which may raise the sea level. This may lead to catastrophic disasters’ cuh as tsunamis or even earthquakes. The consequences of climate variation will result in an increase in the sea level and intensity of floods. Undeveloped cities that are located below the sea level are the most vulnerable. This is particularly relevant for Asian cities for example. Therefore, cities that are found along the coastal regions should develop engineering protection that will help in protecting the city residents (PROFES, BOMARIUS & IIDA 2004, p. 497). Transportation and road infrastructure is yet another aspect that contributes to economic development and growth. A town requires having good roads in order to enable its occupants to carry out day-to-day activities efficiently. It should have well designed and maintained streets and public places. Having a well-structured plan will lead to the provision of efficient and affordable urban transportation. These will give the residents an opportunity to have mobility and access to other places. A good number of towns and cities in Europe include New Delhi today have invested in underground tube train tunnels and subway stations as an effort to provide its occupants with a reliable form of transport together with the now renowned electric trains (LEWIS 2006, 894). Other than providing trains as a means of public transportation, these cities have also done massive road expansion together with effective and impressive road architecture to curb dragging traffic jams and save lots of time and energy for its occupants. In a nutshell, the principles of a good practice may help tremendously in the devolepment of many large cities. However, this does not guarantee that all cities that use this princioples will develope with ease. In most cases, the development proces require a lot of proper planning and scrutiny of every plan and decision that is made. Most citie in Asia and Europe are tremendously affected by enviromental factors that have hindered them from developing succesfully. Climate change affects cities along the coastal regiosn for instance Indonesia, Maldives, Taiwan, and Brunei which are aligned along the coastal regions. These cities are normally affacet by the variations of tides which may cause various earth disasters such as tsunamis which may lead to destruction properties and death of citizens. However, such disasters can be avoided by having a proper disaster management team that studies the climatic chanes in these cities. It is therefore important for these cities to build walls along theour boundaries so as to reduce the pressure and magnitude of the sea and ocean waves. In Asia, most cities are affected by the cyclones, storm surges, floods, and earthquakes are the major natural hazards in the Chittagong region. However, CCC has tried to develop necessary awareness Programs as well as infrastructure to cope with such events. This has driven away many investors who may be interested in starting a business that may bring a lot of revenue to the city. References ALLANWOOD, G., & BEARE, P. (2014). User experience design: creating designs users really love. ROOTMAN, I. (2000). Evaluation in health promotion: principles and perspectives. WHO Regional Publications. JACK, W. (1999). Principles of health economics for developing countries. Washington, DC, World Bank. (2003). Best practice in the development of entrepreneurship and SMEs in countries in transition: the Belarusian experience. New York [u.a.], United Nations. CALKINS, M. (2012). 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