The New City: How to Build Our Sustainable Urban Future

Cities are both a source of human achievement and a driver of the climate crisis. Dickson D. Despommier proposes a plan to create a new, self-sustaining urban landscape through biomimicry, emulating successful strategies found in nature. This will include wood-based construction, vertical farms, renewable energy, and clean water supply. The New City provides a blueprint for a sustainable future.

Format: Hardback
Length: 216 pages
Publication date: 10 October 2023
Publisher: Columbia University Press

Cities, the epitome of human achievement and a central factor in the climate crisis, stand at a crossroads. Their reliance on external resources for survival is contributing to the alarming rise in global temperatures and the shrinking habitats of wildlife. However, there exists a transformative path toward making cities more sustainable. In his visionary proposal, Dickson D. Despommier advocates for a new urban landscape that can thrive independently. He suggests that biomimicry, the imitation of nature's successful strategies, holds the key to finding solutions. By emulating the carbon storage capabilities of forests, the food production abilities of trees, the rainwater harvesting techniques of trees, and the conversion of sunlight into energy, we can envision a better city.

The New City, a comprehensive exploration of established and cutting-edge technologies, presents a blueprint for the urban environment of tomorrow. Cities constructed from wood, rather than concrete and steel, will exhibit greater resilience and be less destructive to the environment. Moreover, they will foster reforestation efforts, enhancing carbon sequestration. Within city limits, vertical farms will provide residents with a reliable and healthy food supply, while buildings will harvest moisture from rain and air to ensure a clean water supply. Renewable energy sources, encompassing wind, solar, geothermal, clear photovoltaic window glass, and nonpolluting hydrogen fuel cells, will power a cleaner and more sustainable city.

The New City serves as a powerful call to action, urging humanity to halt climate change and embrace a sustainable future that lies within our reach. It paints a vivid picture of a city that is not only environmentally friendly but also thriving, providing a high quality of life for its inhabitants. By adopting the principles of biomimicry and implementing innovative technologies, we can create a better city for ourselves and future generations. Let us seize this opportunity and work towards a more sustainable and resilient world.

Weight: 792g
Dimension: 185 x 263 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231205504