Envisioning the City of the Future

Cities have long been known to be the society’s predominant engine of innovation and wealth creation, yet they are also its main source of pollution and disease. However, in many cities there is still scope for further improvement in environmental quality through targeted policies.

Making cities ‘green and healthy’ goes far beyond simply reducing CO2 emissions. Environmental factors are highly modifiable, and environmental interventions at the community level, such as urban and transport planning, have been shown to be promising and more cost effective than interventions at the individual level. However the urban environment is a complex interlinked system.

While in cities there are often pillars of urban planning, mobility and transport, parks and green space, environmental department, (public) health department that do not work together well enough, multisectorial approaches are needed to tackle the problems. A holistic approach to urban planning, environmental, transport and energy issues has to be adopted, as the many components of the natural ecosystem are interwoven with those of the social, economic, cultural and political urban system in a unique manner.

Further information at this link.