Sustainable cities of future Possibilities for Action

Our Cities, Our Homes Cities are a hub of activity, transition and living. cities are now home to more than half of the world’s population and by the year 2020 estimated to reach 80% of the total population Today cities account for more than 80% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and the cost of adaptation to climate change estimated around billion per year Have we already passed the earth’s regenerative capacity?

Population growth-by regions

Are our cities too crowded?

Alert!? Rise in co2 causes increase in temperature, ELECTIRICY GRID, CLIMATE CHANGE, SEA LEVEL RISE, STORMS AND CYCLONS,MASSIVE LOSSES IN VEGITATION AND extinctions of EXOTIC SPECIES.. THE PRESENT TRAJECTORY IS NOT SUSTAINABLE and has caused: strain on the already struggling infrastructure including road, rail, telecoms, electricity and water infrastructure. We need transition,…!

Challenges,.. (OECD) estimates $71 trillion, or about 3.5 percent of the global GDP, is needed through 2030 to improve the basic infrastructure of the cities including road, rail, telecoms, electricity and water infrastructure Innovations to rebuild new structures, tools and buildings. This must start now or must have started already; Urban development: either by piecemeal replacement of old with new structures or more costly options of complete overhauls

Shift in paradigm MAJOR CHALLENGE FOR THIS CENTURY IS TO WIND BACK ON CONSUMPTION RAPIDLY and to rejuvenate and recycle Is creating giant economies with citizens who buy, sell and consume desirable or sustainable? SHIFT TO RENEWAL REQUIRES A CHANGE OF BEHAVIOR. WIND FARMs AND SOLAR COLLECTORS are more space consuming We must reject views of “more consumers are the better off citizens” and find alternative ways of promoting sustainable human and economic development. Behavioral transitions to understand the difference between “livability” and “sustainability” are needed

Option 1-Better cities

Problems associated with Op 1 Choosing Option 1, such as: Songdo in South Korea or Masdar City in Abu Dhabi, require pre-planning, investments and time. These are purpose-built urban areas, designed to attract businesses and residents with a master plan that uses IT systems to deliver world-class services

Better cities,….option 2

Wuxi and San Francisco

Selection criteria How the selection was made?

How much can be done to make a present city more sustainable? To face the multitude of challenges arising from urbanization and demographic change, existing cities should look at ways to improve the efficiency of their infrastructures: Power generation and distribution Sustainable transportation Sustainable healthcare infrastructure Information technologies

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Challenges for sustainable cities Massive investment in public infrastructure including transport, water, sanitation, health and education services Food security and safety beyond industrial agriculture and innovative waste management resource management at the center of all policy making transformation of urban centers into efficient, sustainable cities by integrated water system, green economy, reuse and smart grid infrastructure and fast urban transportation systems devising efficient waste disposal systems, energy efficient buildings, water conservation and reuse, public safety

Challenges,.. reducing traffic congestion, implementing alternative fuel technologies, promoting electric vehicles, devising efficient waste disposal systems, energy efficient buildings, water conservation and reuse, public safety systems and healthcare imaging and diagnostics. Promoting super high-way connectivity systems,

Challenges,… Promoting sustainable energy by highly efficient use of combined gas and steam turbines, solar power plants and wind turbines. technologies are already creating: Hyperefficient buildings that are intelligently controlled to maximize comfort and energy use. Intelligent cities that can, among other things, reduce emission and enhance safety of residents through smarter management of resources from parking to lighting. Platooning technologies that let (autonomous) vehicles travel in close range and at high speeds, eliminate traffic jams and make unproductive work commutes a thing of the past.

Who will pay for it? Causing 80% of co2, the urban cities have to shoulder the costs of transition to sustainability Growing realizations for the public-private partnerships to transit cities to sustainable infrastructure development Examples: NY City Plan 2030 calls for a comprehensive infrastructure development and reducing GHG emissions; India with expected urban population of 590 million in 2030, encouraged private investments of $81.4 billion;

'Non-Cities’ what to do with slums in future?

“Non-City” Slums More than one billion people live in slums today This is equivalent to one –third of global inhabitants Unless urgent actions taken more than 1.4 billion will live in slums by 2020 China and India together have lifted 125 m out of slums to date.

What to do with,..? Slums and sub-urban cities and towns

Deprived and in need of help.. Shortage of food Shortage of basic sanitations Shortage of investments Malnutrition and disease Poverty and lack of access to education Massive shortage of housing This is the true challenge of the future. The planet can not remain sustainable without tackling the slum dwellers issues