Sustainability In The Coastal Urban Environment

The process of globalization has been in the focus for much discussion and debate over its benefits and downsides. Globalisation has helped to raise productivity and employment; lift millions out of poverty; revolutionised communications; boosted international cooperation; fostered competition; boosted global economic growth and interdependencies through trade and FDI flows; and facilitated scientific discoveries (Gurria, 2007). However, at the same time, globalization is also blamed for a growing uncertainty and insecurity in the job market; depressed wages; increasing inequality; overexploitation of irreplaceable natural resources; the transfer of political power to large multinationals operating outside of the democratic processes; and the sacrifice of cultural and other values to the dictates of the marketplace.

In the age of urban geopolitics, in cooperation with the major city networks and initiatives, interconnected coastal cities lead towards a more resilient sustainable future. This book raises global awareness on the challenges and opportunities for coastal cities and the myriad of issues and stakeholders which impact them. The book offers a panoramic integrated view of the most critical urban coastal sustainability issues shaping the urban horizon of the future. Drawing on the most authoritative studies and asking further questions, the book embraces issues of smart, sustainable and inclusive blue green growth, active social integration, environmental conscience and resilience, food, energy and resource security, exploration and protection of the global ocean, ecosystem-based urban coastal planning and policy and progress in education and science, culture and the arts, coastal urban renaissance and accountable multi-layered governance. From large global ports to small tourism and fishing resorts, sustainable development calls for coastal cities to improve their functions. Coastal cities need to adopt ecosystem-based approaches to manage the land-sea continuum, invest in blue green energy and mobility, attract responsible business investment, and honour the sea as a source of infinite innovation and culture.

This book contains papers presented at the International Conference on Coastal Cities and their Sustainable Future. First held in 2015, the conference evolved from a series of conferences on coastal processes, sustainable development, and city sustainability that began in 1992. The growth of world population and the preference for living in coastal areas has resulted in their ever-increasing development. Coastal areas are the most common destination which brings in economic growth but implies additional urban development and increases the need for resources, infrastructure and services. The activities common to coastal cities require the development of well-planned and managed urban environments, not only for reasons of efficiency and economics, but also to avoid inflicting environmental degradation and the resultant deterioration of quality of life and human health. To resolve these problems it is necessary to consider coastal cities as dynamic complex systems which need energy, water, food and other resources in order to work and generate diverse activities, with the aim of offering a socioeconomic climate and better quality of life. As a consequence, it is essential to integrate the management and sustainable development of coastal cities with science, technology, architecture, socio-economics and planning all collaborating to provide support to decision makers. Because of the complex nature of such integrated planning, the support of computational models is essential in order for planners to explore various options and to forecast future services and plans. These models seek to simulate the dynamic of coastal cities leading to potential solutions. The multidisciplinary papers in the book examine some of the possible models and potential solutions. Contents include topics such as: Landscape and urban planning and design; The coastal city and its environs; Infrastructures and eco-architecture; City heritage and regeneration; Urban transport and communications; Commercial ports, fishing and sports harbours; Energy systems; Water resources management; City/Waterfront interaction; Coastal city beaches; Quality of life and city leisure; Tourism and the city; Coastal processes; Water pollution; Air pollution; City waste management; Acoustical and thermal pollution; Coastal risk assessment; Coastal flooding; Landslides; Emergency plans and evacuation systems; Health services management; Intercity issues; Socio-economic issues; Legal aspects; Modelling and simulation of coastal city systems.

The object of this book is to highlight how the nascent field of sustainability science is addressing a key challenges for scientists; that is, understanding the workings of complex systems especially when humans are involved. A consistent thread in the sustainability science movement is the wide acknowledgement that greater degrees of integration across what are now segmented dimensions of extant Science and Technology systems will be a key factor in matching the most appropriate science and technology solutions to specific sustainability problems in specific places.

Originating from the 3rd Conference on Coastal Cities, the papers contained in this volume presents important research covering the integrated management and sustainable development of coastal cities. An increased world population and the preference for living in coastal regions increases the need for improved resources, infrastructure and services.

As different parts of the globe deal with the challenges of coastal settlements in the Anthropcene landscape of increasing uncertainty, the methods of design offer new strategies for developing and testing solutions. These complex problems require collaboration across disciplines, with scientists, planners, engineers, designers, and others able to work together in finding new ways of living in coastal and changing landscapes. Sustainable Coastal Design and Planning is an outstanding collection of essays by leading practitioners and academics from across the globe on design and planning for coastal resilience in the face of climate change. It thoroughly explores the questions of coastal change at different scales and provides international case studies that illustrate diverse strategies in different geographies and cultures. Taken as a whole, they canvas a broad palette of approaches and techniques for engaging these complex problems. Divided in two parts, this book focuses on how to develop solutions through multidisciplinary design thinking and informs all stakeholders on specific methods and practices that will be needed to work effectively in this dynamic space.

Urban areas result in a series of environmental challenges varying from the consumption of natural resources and the subsequent generation of waste and pollution, contributing to the development of social and economic imbalances. As cities continue to grow all over the world, these problems tend to become more acute and require the development of new solutions. The challenge of planning sustainable contemporary cities lies in considering the dynamics of urban systems, exchange of energy and matter, and the function and maintenance of ordered structures directly or indirectly supplied and maintained by natural systems. The task of researchers, aware of the complexity of the contemporary city, is to improve the capacity to manage human activities, pursuing welfare and prosperity in the urban environment. Any investigation or planning for a city ought to consider the relationships between the parts and their connections with the living world. The dynamics of its networks (flows of energy-matter, people, goods, information and other resources) are fundamental for an understanding of the evolving nature of today’s cities. Large cities are probably the most complex mechanisms to manage. They represent a fertile ground for architects, engineers, city planners, social and political scientists, and other professionals able to conceive new ideas and time them according to technological advances and human requirements. Papers presented at the 14th International Conference on Urban Regeneration and Sustainability address the multidisciplinary components of urban planning, the challenges presented by the increasing size of cities, the number of resources required and the complexity of modern society. Various aspects of the urban environment are covered and a focus is placed on providing solutions which lead towards sustainability.