Towards Sustainable Cities: East Asian, North American and European Perspectives on Managing Urban Regions(Urban Planning and Environment)

While there has been much recent research into achieving sustainability in urban areas, most of this is specific to a particular region. This volume broadens these discussions by extending the analysis from North American and European cities to include East Asian cities. Many cities in Asia have deep historical roots, have sustained dense populations through time and have grown prosperous in recent decades. They also face significant environmental degradation and other planning challenges. In bringing together and comparing strategies and experiences from three distinct global regions, this book offers unique insights and new perspectives on the challenges of moving towards greater urban sustainability. While questioning which strategies can promote sustainable cities in a global context, the book also illustrates that while formulae generated out of American and European experience cannot be universally applied, some of the analytical approaches and experience of the other developed countries can offer insights for those working in different contexts. It argues that managing urban change for greater urban sustainability in diverse regions requires detailed understanding of local issues and regional strategies as well as strong support from local communities.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Part I: Urban Sustainability Questions: Towards sustainable cities, André Sorensen, Peter J. Marcotullio and Jill Grant; Sustainable urbanism in historical perspective, Jill Grant; Why the Asian urbanization experience should make us think differently about planning approaches, Peter J. Marcotullio. Part II: Planning Strategies for More Sustainable Cities in North America and Europe: An inquiry into the promise and prospects of smart growth, Gerrit-Jan Knaap; Varieties of US growth management: lessons from New York and San Francisco, Rolf Pendall; Cross-border impacts of growth management regime: Portland, Oregon, and Clark County, Washington, Chang-Hee Christine Bae; Developing and employing sustainability indicators as a principal strategy in planning: experiences in the Puget sound urban region of Washington State, Donald Miller; Sustainable Portland? A critique, and the Los Angeles counterpoint, Harry W. Richardson and Peter Gordon; Canada's experience in planning for sustainable development, Jill Grant; Coping with the growing complexity of our physical environment: the search for new planning tools in the Netherlands, Gert de Roo; Central Belgium, a 'Park City'? A policy based on de-concentrated clustering, Jef Van den Broeck. Part III: Planning Strategies for More Sustainable Cities in Japan and Korea: Major issues of land management for sustainable urban regions in Japan, André Sorensen; Empowerment in the Japanese planning context, Hideki Koizumi; Green structure plan for a sustainable urban-rural relationship in Japan, Mikiko Ishikawa; Sustainable community improvement in Japan: infill redevelopment where everyone can continue to live, Shigeru Satoh; Reform of planning controls for an urban-rural continuum in Korea, Sang-Chuel Choe; Inner-city growth management problem in Seoul: residential rebuilding boom and planning response, Kwang-Joong Kim; Urban growth management and housing supply in the capital region of South Korea, Sang-Dae Lee. Part IV: Conclusions: Towards land management policies for more sustainable cities, Jill Grant, Peter J. Marcotullio and André Sorensen.

About the Author :
Peter J. Marcotullio, André Sorensen

Review :
’The volume is unique in using the contemporary discourse on urban sustainability as a bridge to research and policy in three different continents - Asia, Europe and North America. In particular, it places the challenges and recent experience in moving toward sustainable cities in Asia - the most rapidly growing part of our urban world - in a comparative context.’ Larry Bourne, University of Toronto, Canada ’The book provides a welcome addition to the Western focus of the literature on urban sustainability...a useful contribution, particularly for those interested in growth management and the Asian experience.’ Environment and Planning B: Planning and Design ’...provides an enthralling treatise of sustainable development issues.’ Centre for Education in the Built Environment: Projects and Initiatives