Urbanization is intrinsically linked to and can function as a transformation driver of sustainable development. Cities in particular, face massive sustainability challenges in terms of housing, infrastructure, basic services, food security, health, education, decent jobs, safety, and natural resources.’ However, cities are also the arena for addressing many of today’s global challenges.
Good urbanization does not happen by chance but rather by design. It requires supportive rules and regulations, sound planning and design, and a viable financial plan. The New Urban Agenda is intended as a resource for different actors in different levels of government, ranging from central to local, and for civil society organizations, the private sector, and all who reside in urban spaces of the world that emphasizes “leveraging agglomeration benefits of well-planned urbanization.’ The New Urban Agenda presents a paradigm shift based on the science of cities and lays out standards and principles for the planning, construction, development, management, and improvement of urban areas along its five main pillars of implementation: national urban policies, urban legislation and regulations, urban planning and design, local economy and municipal finance, and local implementation.
The importance of four dimensions- Social, Economic, Environment, and Spatial in ensuring the sustainability of future urban planning and development across various sectors is set out in the New Urban Agenda (NUA) by UN-Habitat. These dimensions serve as a lens through which urban development and its sectors can be evaluated and understood sustainably.
Social Sustainability
Ensuring the equal rights of all people to the benefits that cities can offer. It envisages inclusive cities and human settlements that are participatory, promote civic engagement, engender a sense of belonging and ownership among their inhabitant, enhance social and intergenerational interaction, cultural expression, and political participation as appropriate, and foster social cohesion.
- Establish workplace protections for marginalized groups, including persons with disabilities, homeless persons or occupants of informal dwellings, ethnic minorities, or migrants, as marginalized persons can experience isolation and be vulnerable to workplace discrimination.
- Urbanization presents its challenges for women, and many intersecting issues may affect quality of life. Women’s empowerment rests on their capacity to secure land ownership, titles, inheritance rights, and financial resources thus, programs focusing on these are to be prioritized by the government.
- Ethnic minorities and indigenous peoples worldwide are often subject to exclusion and discrimination. Migrants, refugees, and internally displaced persons have a “right to the city,” which must be reinforced through explicit welcoming, inclusion, and integration efforts.
- Age-responsive planning for both youth and older persons as a component of providing access and enabling the participation of all marginalized groups in every area of urban development.
Economic Sustainability
Economic sustainability recognizes sustained and inclusive economic growth with decent employment for all as a key element of sustainable urban development. It highlights the importance of increasing economic productivity by providing the labor force with access to income-earning opportunities, knowledge, skills, and educational facilities that contribute to an innovative and competitive urban economy.
- Collaborating with industry stakeholders is crucial for cities that want to foster economic growth and development in existing industries while also nurturing new ones.
- Cities should strive towards developing the skills, training, and capacity of the members of their labor pools.
- Agglomeration economies provide the linkage between productivity and urbanization, Agglomeration allows workers to live closer to jobs and access educational opportunities while permitting firms access to suppliers, consumer markets, and the labor pool.
Environment Sustainability
It calls for the development of cities that “protect, conserve, restore and promote their ecosystems, water, natural habitats, and biodiversity, minimizes their environmental impact and changes to sustainable consumption and production patterns. The preservation of natural ecosystems and their services are fundamentally linked to urban sprawl and land area expansion in cities.
- Biodiversity and ecosystem conservation are essential considerations in sustainable urban development. Developing overarching municipal biodiversity goals, which may relate to a larger national biodiversity strategy, is crucial.
- Adaptation is an adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli. Resilience is the ability of a system, community, or society exposed to hazards to resist. Integrating economic development and quality of life measures into adaptation planning strategies is essential.
- Integrating climate change mitigation considerations decision of energy and infrastructure development in cities. Cities that seek to achieve emissions reduction goals should establish benchmarks and target dates by which initiatives should be achieved.
Spatial Sustainability
Spatial sustainability relates to the long-term ability of cities to plan for their increased urbanization and growth successfully. It intends to make public spaces universally accessible and safe, ensuring inclusion and accommodating for various groups, including women, children, older persons, and individuals with disabilities. Adequate spatial development can help cities sustain economic growth, maintain sustainable environments, and enhance social development.
- Creating a dynamic urban growth boundary (UGB) involves careful planning and flexibility to accommodate changing urban needs while preserving natural areas and promoting sustainable development.
- Cities can strategically rezone areas for denser development, encouraging building housing and mixed-use spaces.
- Integrating land value capture and transit planning can be a strategic approach for urban development that adds housing stock, commercial corridors, and amenities while improving transit infrastructure.
How cities respond to the challenges posed by increasing urban populations can profoundly impact their future. The outcomes can vary widely based on the strategies and policies implemented.
The article is based on report : New Urban Agenda
Image Courtesy :https://www.worldatlas.com/
