The global conversation about urban sustainability focuses primarily on the big picture: how to reduce the carbon footprint and energy consumption of cities? How can we provide the infrastructure and services necessary to meet the needs of a soaring urban population? How can cities create enough jobs for everyone?
These issues are critically important, no doubt. But what about the city itself as a physical space? What should a sustainable city "look like"? Are there any big design principles that all successful urban planners should follow?
Because urbanization is often a chaotic process, many countries feel like they don't have the time or resources to address those questions. Yet evidence has shown that considerations about urban form and design are anything but cosmetic: creating vibrant public spaces within a city, for instance, can boost competitiveness, improve health outcomes, and strengthen social cohesion.
In this video, Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez and Jon Kher Kaw delve deeper into the linkages between urban spaces and sustainability, and describe the many benefits that come with a well-designed city.
If you want to learn more about this topic, we invite you to discover our latest Sustainable Communities podcast.
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Very nice discussion. I'm
Very nice discussion. I'm looking forward to your next podcast. Could you possibly cover the strategies being considered for making sure that there is a physical real estate option for new urban arrivals to find / buy / rent properties built on/with sustainable infrastructure platforms. By preparing newly built mixed use walking village type spaces on new self contained sustainable infrastructure, the challenges being faced by urban planners to fix existing urban spaces would be greatly reduced. Just wondering what World Bank Group is seeing around the world's cities related to the strategy of containing the SIZE of the problem while trying to address the need to retrofit / upgrade existing infrastructure systems.
Dear Vince, thank you for
Can we hear of some examples
Can we hear of some examples where the WB has changes national government approach to urban development that has helped create better urban design and development. Colombia might have been an open door to new ideas but most developing supercities are struggling with pop growth and infrastructure collapses under extreme load. How do you fix something like the Rio flavela or almost zero urban planning in the most populated African cities where the next supercities will be created.
Dear Stephen, thank you for
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