Global Sustainable Cities: City Governments and Our Environmental Future

Cities around the world are facing significant environmental challenges such as global climate change, droughts, wildfires, and increased flooding. To address these challenges, some cities have begun to develop local environmental regulations that supplement national and environmental laws. Global Sustainable Cities takes stock of the policies that have been implemented by cities around the world in recent years in several key areas, including water, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate adaptation. It examines the advantages and potential drawbacks of allowing cities to assume a significant role in environmental regulation, given the legal and political constraints in which cities operate. The contributors present a series of case studies of the actions that seven leading cities are taking to improve their environments and adapt to climate change.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 24 January 2023
Publisher: New York University Press

Over half of the world's population now resides in cities, a number that is projected to rise in the coming decades. As urbanization continues to expand, cities and their inhabitants face significant environmental challenges, including elevated temperatures, droughts, wildfires, and increased flooding. In response to these pressing concerns, some cities have taken the initiative to develop local environmental regulations that complement national and environmental laws. By doing so, cities have assumed a role that has traditionally been dominated by higher levels of government.

Global Sustainable Cities provides a comprehensive assessment of the policies implemented by cities worldwide in key areas such as water, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and climate adaptation. It explores the benefits and potential drawbacks of allowing cities to play a significant role in environmental regulation, considering the legal and political constraints that cities operate within. The book features a series of case studies that showcase the actions taken by seven leading cities, including Abu Dhabi, Beijing, Berlin, Delhi, London, New York, and Shanghai, to improve their environments and adapt to climate change.

The first volume of its kind, Global Sustainable Cities offers a critical comparative analysis of the actions taken by major cities in the global North and South to advance sustainability. The contributors provide valuable insights into the strategies and approaches employed by these cities, highlighting their successes, challenges, and lessons learned. By examining the experiences of these leading cities, Global Sustainable Cities contributes to the growing body of knowledge on urban sustainability and offers valuable guidance for policymakers, city officials, and community members alike.

In conclusion, as cities continue to grow and evolve, they will play an increasingly important role in addressing the environmental challenges of our time. By developing local environmental regulations and taking proactive measures to improve their environments, cities can demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and contribute to the global effort to combat climate change. Global Sustainable Cities provides a valuable resource for understanding the actions taken by cities around the world and offers insights into the potential for cities to assume a leading role in shaping a more sustainable future.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781479805747