Are Sustainable Cities a Pipe Dream?

Credit: Oritro Karim

By Oritro Karim
NEW YORK, Jul 17 2024 (IPS)

Cities, once thought to be modern utopias that foster innovation, inclusivity, and commerce, actually ended up being hubs for environmental degradation. Although the concept of urban living is inextricable from humanity, there are proposed ways to make them less environmentally taxing. One such solution is the idea of a sustainable city, otherwise known as a metropolis that effectively consumes fossil fuels and disposes of emissions with regards to the longevity of the planet as well as the economic wellbeing of its citizens. Cities can also be considered sustainable so long as they curb the consequences of consumption through means such as recycling or using healthier energy sources. Although this sounds like a simple path forward in Earth’s journey of decarbonizing, we must take a plethora of issues into consideration, such as transportation, housing, manufacturing, trade, and comfort.

An example of a sustainable city is Bristol, England. The BBC article, “Lower Carbon Emissions Recorded in City in 2022” states that greenhouse gas emissions dropped by 7.5 percent between 2021 and 2022, in part due to higher bills prompting people to use less energy. Steps like this can be seen in a multitude of other urban settings as citizens are encouraged to prioritize financial stability over consuming in excess. Additionally, commerce related emissions are reported to have dropped the most. Furthermore, Bristol has introduced “Clean Air Zones”, which are designated areas where high emissions result in fines, for vehicles in an effort to reduce their emissions from transportation. Much of the vehicles in these zones, which are hybrids and electric powered, obey these restrictions. Although Bristol has had trouble lowering emissions from vehicles, it is taking the proper steps to curb their carbon footprint altogether. This is what truly makes this city “sustainable” as it puts guidelines in place for citizens to consume fossil fuels responsibly and ethically.

Zurich, Switzerland is another sustainable city that uses different methods to ensure lower carbon emissions. According to the article “Top Five Most Sustainable Cities in the World”, Zurich is known as a “biker’s haven”. The city offers universal access to bikes, free of charge and widespread. In addition, Zurich has constructed a great number of cycling roads as well as car-free roads. This goes an exceedingly long way in lowering transportation related emissions as cars are less often used. Additionally, the fact that these bikes are free to use is something that other metropolises can learn from. For example, New York City has also implemented public bikes that cost around 19 dollars a day which greatly discourages their widespread use. Zurich pales in size to New York so one can only imagine how beneficial it would be if bigger metropolises adapted these healthier habits. Furthermore, the same article states that Zurich produces 80 percent of its electricity with renewable sources and recycles over 40 percent of its waste. Zurich is truly a sustainable city as it does its part in encouraging citizens to partake in less energy consuming behaviors and responsibly remunerates for what they do consume.

Efforts towards sustainability can be seen prominently in Asian countries as well. One example is Singapore, which has built a reputation over the years for its use of “green spaces”. Green spaces are designated areas that are dedicated to preserving nature for recreational use in parks, fields, and other urban environments. According to the article, “Asia’s Eco-Warriors:12 Cities Making Strides In Sustainability”, other nations such as South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, and Vietnam have also turned their attention towards green space preservation. The progress of these nations greatly contrasts with that of North America. The United States, specifically, is losing much of its green spaces due to rampant industrialization. Ecosystems are being disrupted and cities often tend to choose using land for housing rather than green spaces. The article “America’s open spaces are vanishing; NY has lost 344 square miles since 2002” states that America’s course of development has contributed to over 68,000 square miles of forests have been lost. In addition, each state has seen a significant loss of rural space this century. It is clear to see that for North American locations, sustainability falls below commerce and housing in priority. Although Singapore, South Korea, and China have powerful booming economies as well, they seem to be able to balance it successfully with sustainability.

This brings up the question of if sustainability is realistic for all corners of the world. Smaller or less densely populated locations have a greater ability to employ healthier consumption habits as they are simpler in nature. Compare New York City to Wellington, England, for example. Wellington has a population of around 213 thousand while New York City’s population exceeds 8 million. Therefore, Wellington will have a much easier time in adopting healthier habits such as recycling and tracking. Bigger cities have bigger economies and larger demand for transportation, energy, and housing. Although it seems impossible, large metropolises like New York City have the ability to become sustainable, or at least more sustainable than they were before. However, we must take these differences into consideration in order to make an effective plan. “New York’s Gradual Transition to a Sustainable City” states, “our local regulatory structure is pushing large building owners to decarbonize their energy use and make it more efficient. Our electric utilities are struggling but slowly replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. Some of our early attempts at siting wind power in the ocean are proving less cost-effective than we hoped, but new technologies are being developed every day”. This indicates that bigger cities are having trouble implementing sustainable practices as there is a booming economy that must also be considered. However, there are steps in place that allow bigger cities to significantly reduce their carbon footprint. New York will never not be a commercial powerhouse and significant emission contributor as that is simply the way the city is wired. Attempts such as employing alternate fuel sources will greatly impact the carbon emissions but that practice becoming widespread will occur decades from now, but it’s important that we take the initial steps now. Sustainability is possible for the world, it’s just going to take some time and effort.

Sources Used:
1. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjjwv891nn0o
2. https://earth.org/most-sustainable-cities/
3. https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2024/02/12/new-york-citys-gradual-transition-to-a-sustainable-city/
4. https://earth5r.org/asias-eco-warriors-the-top-10-cities-making-strides-in-sustainability/
5. https://www.bxtimes.com/americas-open-spaces-vanishing/

Oritro Karim is a recent graduate from Rochester Institute of Technology and a working illustrator, graphic designer, painter, and writer.

IPS UN Bureau