The Environmental Advantages Of Cities

The Environmental Advantages Of Cities Book in PDF, ePub and Kindle version is available to download in english. Read online anytime anywhere directly from your device. Click on the download button below to get a free pdf file of The Environmental Advantages Of Cities book. This book definitely worth reading, it is an incredibly well-written.

The Environmental Advantages of Cities

Author : William B. Meyer
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 249 pages
File Size : 51,6 Mb
Release : 2013-03-15
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780262314107

Get Book

The Environmental Advantages of Cities by William B. Meyer Pdf

An analysis that offers evidence to challenge the widely held assumption that urbanization and environmental quality are necessarily at odds. Conventional wisdom about the environmental impact of cities holds that urbanization and environmental quality are necessarily at odds. Cities are seen to be sites of ecological disruption, consuming a disproportionate share of natural resources, producing high levels of pollution, and concentrating harmful emissions precisely where the population is most concentrated. Cities appear to be particularly vulnerable to natural disasters, to be inherently at risk from outbreaks of infectious diseases, and even to offer dysfunctional and unnatural settings for human life. In this book, William Meyer tests these widely held beliefs against the evidence. Borrowing some useful terminology from the public health literature, Meyer weighs instances of “urban penalty” against those of “urban advantage.” He finds that many supposed urban environmental penalties are illusory, based on commonsense preconceptions and not on solid evidence. In fact, greater degrees of “urbanness” often offer advantages rather than penalties. The characteristic compactness of cities, for example, lessens the pressure on ecological systems and enables resource consumption to be more efficient. On the whole, Meyer reports, cities offer greater safety from environmental hazards (geophysical, technological, and biological) than more dispersed settlement does. In fact, the city-defining characteristics widely supposed to result in environmental penalties do much to account for cities' environmental advantages. As of 2008 (according to U.N. statistics), more people live in cities than in rural areas. Meyer's analysis clarifies the effects of such a profound shift, covering a full range of environmental issues in urban settings.

The Environmental Advantages of Cities

Author : William B. Meyer
Publisher : MIT Press
Page : 249 pages
File Size : 53,9 Mb
Release : 2013
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9780262019040

Get Book

The Environmental Advantages of Cities by William B. Meyer Pdf

An analysis that offers evidence to challenge the widely held assumption that urbanization and environmental quality are necessarily at odds.

Handbook of Cities and the Environment

Author : Kevin Archer,Kris Bezdecny
Publisher : Edward Elgar Publishing
Page : 480 pages
File Size : 48,7 Mb
Release : 2016-12-30
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9781784712266

Get Book

Handbook of Cities and the Environment by Kevin Archer,Kris Bezdecny Pdf

With an ever-growing majority of the world's human population living in city spaces, the relationship between cities and nature will be one of the key environmental issues of the 21st Century. This book brings together a diverse set of authors to explore the various aspects of this relationship both theoretically and empirically. Rather than considering cities as wholly separate from nature, a running theme throughout the book is that cities, and city dwellers, should be characterized as intrinsic in the creation of specifically urban-generated ‘socio-natures’.

Urbanization and Climate Co-Benefits

Author : Christopher N. H. Doll,Jose A Puppim de Oliveira
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 324 pages
File Size : 40,6 Mb
Release : 2017-02-24
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781317357711

Get Book

Urbanization and Climate Co-Benefits by Christopher N. H. Doll,Jose A Puppim de Oliveira Pdf

Urban areas are increasingly contributing to climate change while also suffering many of its impacts. Moreover, many cities, particularly in developing countries, continue to struggle to provide services, infrastructure and socio-economic opportunities. How do we achieve the global goals on climate change and also make room for allowing global urban development? Increasing levels of awareness and engagement on climate change at the local level, coupled with recent global agreements on climate and development goals, as well as the New Urban Agenda emerging from Habitat III, present an unprecedented opportunity to radically rethink how we develop and manage our cities. Urbanization and Climate Co-Benefits examines the main opportunities and challenges to the implementation of a co-benefits approach in urban areas. Drawing on the results of empirical research carried out in Brazil, China, Indonesia, South Africa, India and Japan, the book is divided into two parts. The first part uses a common framework to analyse co-benefits across the urban sectors. The second part examines the tools and legal and governance perspectives at the local and international level that can help in planning for co-benefits. This book will be of great interest to students, practitioners and scholars of urban studies, climate/development policy and environmental studies.

Dimensions of the Sustainable City

Author : Mike Jenks,Colin Jones
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 288 pages
File Size : 43,9 Mb
Release : 2009-12-17
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781402086472

Get Book

Dimensions of the Sustainable City by Mike Jenks,Colin Jones Pdf

The CityForm consortium’s latest book, Dimensions of the Sustainable City, is the first book to report on an empirical multi-disciplinary study specifically designed to address urban sustainability. Drawing together the various dimensions of sustainability – economic, social, transport, energy and ecological – the book examines their relationships both to each other and to urban form. The book investigates the sustainability dimensions of cities through a series of projects based on a common list of elements of urban form, and which draw on the consortium’s latest research to review the sustainability issues of each dimension. The elements of urban form include density, land use, location, accessibility, transport infrastructure and characteristics of the built environment. The book also addresses issues such as adapting cities, psychological and ecological benefits of green space and sustainable lifestyles, each presenting a critical review of the relevant literature followed by an empirical analysis presenting the key results. Based on studies across five UK cities, the book draws out findings of relevance to sustainable cities worldwide. As well as an invaluable reference to researchers in sustainable planning and urban design, the book will provide a useful text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses and for policy makers dealing with these issues. The CityForm consortium is a multi-disciplinary group of researchers from five universities funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Science Research Council from 2003-07.

Building the Ecological City

Author : Rodney R. White
Publisher : CRC Press
Page : 264 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2002-03-05
Category : Nature
ISBN : 0849313791

Get Book

Building the Ecological City by Rodney R. White Pdf

Our cities are plagued by problems of congestion, waste, and pollution that deplete natural resources, damage the environment, and reduce the quality of life for their citizens. The irony is, as this fascinating new study shows, it doesn’t have to be like this. Building the Ecological City describes the problems we face and puts forward solutions to the question – how can we build cities that provide an acceptable standard of living for their inhabitants without depleting the ecosystems and bio-geochemical cycles on which they depend? The book suggests and examines the concept of urban metabolism which characterizes the city as a set of interlinked systems of physical flows linking air, land, and water. A series of chapters looks at the production and management of waste, energy use and air emissions, water supply and management, urban land use, and air quality issues. Within the broader context of climate change, the book then considers a range of practical strategies for restoring the health of urban ecosystems from the remediation of ‘brownfield’ land to improving air quality and making better use of water resources. A major contribution to better urban management and planning for both citizens and the environment, Building the Ecological City is an invaluable sourcebook for urban and national planners, architects, and environmental agencies.

Sustainable Cities

Author : Richard E. Stren,Rodney White,Rodney R. White,Joseph Whitney
Publisher : Westview Press
Page : 390 pages
File Size : 52,6 Mb
Release : 1992
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : UOM:39015024818208

Get Book

Sustainable Cities by Richard E. Stren,Rodney White,Rodney R. White,Joseph Whitney Pdf

The idea of sustainability has become central to international dialogues on development. This study focuses on cities and examines the implications that urbanization has for the future of the environment. The contributors explain how the development of infrastructure and industries poses serious threats to the environment through the pollution of air, water and soil. Many urban governments are actively initiating programs to mitigate harmful environmental impacts, and the discussions show that some forms of urban settlement are more benign than others. To assess whether cities can be sustainable in environmental terms, this book brings together comprehensive studies of the urban experience in nine major countries and regions: the United States, Canada, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Japan, Southeast Asia, China and Hong Kong, Africa, and Latin America. The chapters examine the meaning of sustainable development in a specific region, the growth and structure of urban systems, the effects of possible climatic changes on urban areas, the political environment within which cities operate, and the pressures caused by intense urban use of services and natural resources. Chapters conclude with policy proposals for increasing sustainability.

Green Cities

Author : Matthew E. Kahn
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
Page : 170 pages
File Size : 53,6 Mb
Release : 2007-04-01
Category : Political Science
ISBN : 9780815748144

Get Book

Green Cities by Matthew E. Kahn Pdf

What is a green city? What does it mean to say that San Francisco or Vancouver is more "green" than Houston or Beijing? When does urban growth lower environmental quality, and when does it yield environmental gains? How can cities deal with the environmental challenges posed by growth? These are the questions Matthew Kahn takes on in this smart and engaging book. Written in a lively, accessible style, Green Cities takes the reader on a tour of the extensive economic literature on the environmental consequences of urban growth. Kahn starts with an exploration of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC)—the hypothesis that the relationship between environmental quality and per capita income follows a bell-shaped curve. He then analyzes several critiques of the EKC and discusses the implications of growth in urban population and surface area, as well as income. The concluding chapter addresses the role of cities in promoting climate change and asks how cities in turn are likely to be affected by this trend. As Kahn points out, although economics is known as the "dismal science," economists are often quite optimistic about the relationship between urban development and the environment. In contrast, many ecologists and environmentalists remain wary of the environmental consequences of free-market growth. Rather than try to settle this dispute, this book conveys the excitement of an ongoing debate. Green Cities does not provide easy answers complex dilemmas. It does something more important—it provides the tools readers need to analyze these issues on their own.

Integrating the Environment in Urban Planning and Management

Author : David Dodman,Gordon McGranahan,D. Barry Dalal-Clayton,International Institute for Environment and Development
Publisher : UN
Page : 84 pages
File Size : 50,7 Mb
Release : 2013
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : UIUC:30112116039972

Get Book

Integrating the Environment in Urban Planning and Management by David Dodman,Gordon McGranahan,D. Barry Dalal-Clayton,International Institute for Environment and Development Pdf

This publication is intended to encourage and support urban decision-makers as it recognizes that action taken in towns and cities is essential for addressing global environmental problems, and with an increasing proportion of the world's population living in urban areas in low- and middle-income countries, these are important sites for engaging with the environment. Recognizing the increasing role of cities, it builds on the 2007 report, Liveable Cities: the benefits of urban environmental planning. Since the launch of the Liveable Cities report in 2007, cities have become increasingly prominent in terms of addressing global environmental issues. Much of this has been around climate change, with the expansion of initiatives such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, the launch of the Carbon Cities Climate Registry in 2010, and the initiation of the Durban Adaptation Charter in 2011.

Making Cities Work

Author : Richard Gilbert,Don Stevenson,Herbert Girardet,Richard Stren
Publisher : Routledge
Page : 223 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 2013-11-05
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781134052103

Get Book

Making Cities Work by Richard Gilbert,Don Stevenson,Herbert Girardet,Richard Stren Pdf

For too long, cities have been thought of as environmental blackspots, with high levels of air and soil pollution, overcrowding, poor sanitation and growing waste disposal problems. This book takes a more positive attitude: cities can be made to work sustainably. Their high population density can work in the environment's favour if they can achieve efficient use of resources such as energy and water supplies, and improve transport and infrastructure. The best cities today are clean, resource efficient, green and pleasant, and not only act as cultural and entertainment centres, but also harbour great varieties of wildlife. Making Cities Work looks at the vital role which local authorities can - and must - play in safeguarding and developing our towns and cities. Their role is crucial, and the aim of the book is to make governments, international bodies and local authority associations aware of how potential environmental and social problems can be overcome, and what can be achieved. This book is being written by urban development experts, based on material supplied by the world's leading city associations. It is being edited by one of the world's most highly regarded cultural ecologists, and has been commissioned by UNHCS for the Habitat II conference. Clearly written, accessible, and fully illustrated throughout with photographs, figures and graphs, it is ideal for students, fascinating reading for the general public, and essential for those involved in local authorities, planning and development.

Nature-Based Solutions for More Sustainable Cities

Author : Edoardo Croci,Benedetta Lucchitta
Publisher : Emerald Group Publishing
Page : 400 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2021-11-05
Category : Business & Economics
ISBN : 9781800436367

Get Book

Nature-Based Solutions for More Sustainable Cities by Edoardo Croci,Benedetta Lucchitta Pdf

Nature-Based Solutions for More Sustainable Cities makes a clear case of performances, impacts, and benefits generated by NBS in cities providing a comprehensive framework approach to understand the real and full potential of NBS at the urban level.

Greenspace-Oriented Development

Author : Julian Bolleter,Cristina E. Ramalho
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 94 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2019-09-24
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783030296018

Get Book

Greenspace-Oriented Development by Julian Bolleter,Cristina E. Ramalho Pdf

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) planning principles have informed Australian city planning for over two decades. As such, policy makers and planners often unquestioningly apply its principles. In contrast, this book critiques TOD and argues that while orientating development towards public transport hubs makes some sense, the application of TOD principles in Australia has proven a significant challenge. As a complementary strategy, the book stakes out the potential of Greenspace-Oriented Development (GOD) in which urban density is correlated with upgraded green spaces with reasonable access to public transport. Concentrating urban densification around green spaces offers many advantages to residents including ecosystem services such as physical and mental health benefits, the mitigation of extreme heat events, biodiversity and clean air and water. Moreover, the open space and leafy green qualities of GOD will ensure it resonates with the lifestyle aspirations of suburban residents who may otherwise resist urban densification. We believe in this way, that GOD could be an urban dream that befits the challenges of this 21st century.

Planning Cities with Nature

Author : Fabiano Lemes de Oliveira,Ian Mell
Publisher : Springer
Page : 285 pages
File Size : 41,6 Mb
Release : 2019-02-02
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783030018665

Get Book

Planning Cities with Nature by Fabiano Lemes de Oliveira,Ian Mell Pdf

This book explores novel theories, strategies and methods for re-naturing cities. It enables readers to learn from best practice and advances the current theoretical and empirical understanding in the field. The book also offers valuable insights into how planners and policymakers can apply this knowledge to their own cities and regions, exploring top-down, bottom-up and mixed mechanisms for the systemic re-naturing of planned and existing cities. There is considerable interest in ‘naturalising’ cities, since it can help address multiple global societal challenges and generate various benefits, such as the enhancement of health and well-being, sustainable urbanisation, ecosystems and their services, and resilience to climate change. This can also translate into tangible economic benefits in terms of preventing health hazards, positively affecting health-related expenditure, new job opportunities (i.e. urban farming) and the regeneration of urban areas. There is, thus, a compelling case to investigate integrative approaches to urban and natural systems that can help cities address the social, economic and environmental needs of a growing population. How can we plan with nature? What are the models and approaches that can be used to develop more sustainable cities that provide high-quality urban green spaces?

Environmental Problems in Third World Cities

Author : Jorge E. Hardoy,Diana Mitlin,David Satterthwaite
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 212 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2024-01-26
Category : Architecture
ISBN : 9781134161096

Get Book

Environmental Problems in Third World Cities by Jorge E. Hardoy,Diana Mitlin,David Satterthwaite Pdf

Describes and analyses the environmental problems of Third World cities, showing how they affect human health and the local ecology. The authors show how readily available practical solutions are, if the political means can be found.

Urban Ecology

Author : Philip James,Ian Douglas
Publisher : Taylor & Francis
Page : 556 pages
File Size : 47,6 Mb
Release : 2023-12-22
Category : Architecture
ISBN : 9781000996890

Get Book

Urban Ecology by Philip James,Ian Douglas Pdf

This fully revised second edition reflects the great expansion in urban ecology research, action, and teaching since 2015. Urban ecology provides an understanding of urban ecosystems and uses nature-based techniques to enhance habitats and alleviate poor environmental conditions. Already the home to the majority of the world’s people, urban areas continue to grow, causing ecological changes throughout the world. To help students of all professions caring for urban areas and the people, animals, and plants that live in them, the authors set out the environmental and ecological science of cities, linkages between urban nature and human health, urban food production in cities, and how we can value urban nature. The authors explore our responsibilities for urban nature and greening, ecological management techniques, and the use of nature-based solutions to achieve a better, more sustainable urban future and ensure that cities can climate change and become more beautiful and more sustainable places in which to live. This text provides the student and the practitioner with a critical scientific overview of urban ecology that will be a key source of data and ideas for studies and for sound urban management.