How could cities be planned and managed
to contribute to
sustainable development goals?
Fred Lee
Department of Geography
The University of Hong Kong
March 15, 2012
Why focus on cities in SD discourse?
~ policies aimed at achieving SD:
- greatest leverage at city-level [why?]
* rich countries: most people live in cities
* production/ consumption: mostly in cities
* high urban densities  savings (materials & energy)
* local govts: immediately accountable to constituents
How cities could help achieve SD goals?
~ meet human needs in cities without depleting
environmental capital
AND
~ improve environmental quality in cities
AND
~ reduce transfer of environmental costs:
- to other people
- to other ecosystems
- into the future
Cities: five environmental actions  SD goals
1. control infectious diseases
2. reduce chemical & physical hazards
3. create a high quality city environment for all
4. minimize transfer of env costs to people/ ecosystems
outside city boundary
5. ensure progress toward “sustainable consumption” of
world’s natural capital
Action 1: Control infectious diseases
~ mis-management of public health  diseases
- emerging diseases
- re-emerging diseases
- why emerging and re-emerging diseases?
~ cities: advantages for control of infectious diseases
- concentration of people  lower unit costs
- concentration of expertise & resources
Action 2: Reduce chemical & physical hazards
~ industrial production  + road traffic   hazards
- home: control indoor air pollution
- workplace: control occupational hazards
- neighbourhood: reduce risk from floods & landslides
- urban: traffic management
Action 3: Build a high quality city environment
~ provide facilities  pleasant & safe environment
- sufficient: on per capita basis
- accessible: for all city dwellers
- responsive: diverse needs & priorities
~ institutional barriers
- middle- & upper-income groups
* purchase/ rent: exclusive access to env provisions
* reduced pressure for public action
Action 4: Minimize transfer of env costs to city-region
~ demand for resources & waste generation in cities
 impact on ecology of city-region
- sewers & drains improve city environment
* impact of wastewater on wider region 
- tall smokestacks: transfer env costs of power stations
* acid rain damages on region’s ecosystems 
Action 5: Sustainable consumption: global natural capital
~ important distinction between Action 4 & Action 5
 Action 5: beyond city-region & into the future
~ consumption  in wealthy cities: consequences?
- imports: transfer env costs outside city-regions
- GHGs: transfer env costs into the future
~ a North-South issue [why?]
- concentration of high consumption HHs in North
- much greater historic contribution by North
Constraints on environmental actions
~ Actions 1, 2 & 3:
- whose responsibility?
- who oppose such actions?
- prospect?
Constraints on environmental actions
~ Action 4:
- whose responsibility?
- who oppose such an action?
- “environmental racism”
- institutional constraints
- prospect?
Constraints on environmental actions
~ Action 5:
- whose responsibility?
- “green consumerism”/ “eco-labelling”
- “fair trade”/ “ethical sourcing”
- who oppose such an action?
- prospect?
How cities could help achieve SD goals?
~ meet human needs in cities without depleting
environmental capital
AND
~ improve environmental quality in cities
AND
~ reduce transfer of environmental costs:
- to other people
- to other ecosystems
- into the future