World of Planning - Essay Example

Planning and sustainability Author’s name Institutional affiliation Introduction How would most cities be without adopting City planning in the current era? Urbanization has seen growth of in numbers of people in cities as opposed to the rural areas. In most cases rural-urban migration in search of white collar jobs causes this kind of growth. The emergence of this city growth began in the eighteenth century with Europe and Britain as the pioneers (Driscoll, 2010). However, since it as a slow process, they had time to plan for urban population and the essential facilities needed. The current rate of urbanization is rapid and leads to sudden exploitation and strain on the available natural resources. It is coupled with enormous industrialization and increase in motorcycles. Such developments have caused immense environmental pollution which has resulted to climate change (Blakely, 2007).The multidimensional technique of urban planning which entails proper land use strategies, environmental protection and infrastructure and distribution of networks. It has been as a key tool if well utilized to steer development towards sustainability. The main objective of this essay therefore is to explore how urban planning can bring about sustainability in climate change and its adverse effects. Planning and sustainability is an essential topic since it will provide potential planners with knowledge about the emerging issues which ought to be addressed as far as sustained urban development is concerned. Overview of urbanization and climate change Urban growth especially in Australia has caused depletion of many natural resources like forestry. This has in return led to splash rains and heavy siltation in water bodies. The natural wildlife has no places to live and hide since most of the land has been paved for construction of roads, industries and settlement areas (Brown, 2014). Climate change in Australia has had diverse impacts: Some animal species have suffered trauma especially the Koala species which currently face threat to extinction.it has also other sectors like infrastructure, coastal communities, and agriculture and water security. Since nineteen seventy, Southwest of Western Australia has experience low rates precipitation especially rainfall up to date. This is as a result of greenhouse effects brought about by human activities (Mathew, 2011). The residents have had to adapt to the short rainfalls for them to survive. The southern parts of Australia face risks of bushfire since they are dry and have high levels of fuel loads due to carbon four oxide fertilisation. According to research, if the trend in Australia’s climatic changes continue to prevail more adverse effects will be realized. These range from rise of the ocean and sea level, increased acidity in the ocean due to scant precipitation as compared to rate of chemical and waste dumping, reduced agricultural production hence increased rates of food insecurity and bush fires. The effects of climate change are evidently seen to be embedded in the development of all world societies (Brown, 2014). They cut across the political, social and economic dimensions of development. The constant emission on Green House Gases has led accumulation of carbon four oxide levels in the atmosphere. Due to the interrelation of many sectors of development that climate change cuts across, it becomes a wicked problem which could probably be solved through systems thinking approach or any integrated and multidimensional urban planning. Case study of urban planning in South-East Asia According to a research by Yuan and Kong (2009), Southeast Asia is one of the areas with a fast growing population and rapid urbanization. However, it contains most of the poorest countries in the world like Myanmar. It only has two economically stable countries: Singapore included. This research reviewed that increased urbanization and other human activities have rendered it highly vulnerable to climate change and it adverse effects. The rapid rate of urbanization has exerted a lot of pressure on the local Municipal regional planning sector. This has rendered growth of many informal settlements and an approximation of the population’s a quarter occupies them. In most cases the slums settlements are usually located in areas vulnerable to health hazards, poor transport systems and at a higher risk of effects of poor climatic conditions like floods and other related disasters. They highlighted that despite the fact that climate change is not an emerging issue, less efforts have been made in urban development to enhance its sustainability. Most urban planners have in the recent years adopted multidimensional techniques in tackling climate change. Coordinated measures ranging from mitigation to adaptation have been outlined in the set policy to climate change. According to UN-HABITAT (2009), well implemented urban planning is a key factor in creating a baseline for sustainable development as opposed to unplanned ones. The two researches notes that an integrated approach especially on vulnerable areas helps curb possible adverse effects of climate change as a result of urbanization. Spatial planning and climate change Studies have shown that for an effective sustainable urban planning, there has to be an integration of interconnected systems which affect climate change. These include transport systems, urban morphology, natural systems and energy sources systems. Spatial planning is a key tool n mitigating climatic changes. Therefore, urban planners ought to instill their efforts towards coming up with strategies which cut across regions, nations and continents. Ideally, the effects of climate change are contagious and can affect a vast region in a short period of time. Driscoll (2010) in his research indicated that today’s protection of both natural and human systems will play a key role in maintaining sustainability as far as climate change is concerned. Reversing greenhouse effect is deemed to bring a lot of changes in high temperature rises which have been experienced in the recent years. Urban planning and climate change sustainability Urban planning as a broad technique is key in handling climate change to ensure sustainable development. Urban planning has adopted mitigation measures in fighting global warming. regional and national policies which indicate the strategies essential like placing price of carbon in order to reduce carbon products use has been seen to help curb the problem (Blakely, 2007). Laying strategies on land use and building construction is essential to realize a well-planned city. Mitigation strategies researches have shown that planning is just a temporary roadmap. Nonetheless, the presence of highly qualified city planning professionals and strong municipal and national government structures ensures successful implementation of the laid down plans. Cities which are well planned ensure proper land utilization and use of other resources like water and energy. Integrated, comprehensive and urban planning leads to construction of mass buildings which have been reviewed to emit less pollutants into the environment (Yuen &Kong, 2009). This also leads to proper establishment of durable transport systems. This from of clustered settlements is deigned to also reduce the possibilities of personal car use and encouraging adoption of public transport systems. This helps reduce motorcycle emissions hence reduced accumulation of carbon four oxide in the atmosphere. Proper urban planning has led to construction of public houses which are environment friendly especially in Singapore. Urban surveyors have ensured that strategies are laid down include engineering tools to detect climatic changes which are satellite based, effective land use concepts, sustainable infrastructural systems and ways to settle land disputes. The main strategies adopted are not to be used exclusively but in a complementary manner (Mathew, 2011). They include mitigation, governance and adaptive. Mitigation measures like venturing in to renewable energy sources or placing price on carbon reduces the effects or carbon emissions. Adaptation strategies especially in times of floods entail establishing warning systems in urban areas especially the densely populated or those in vulnerable locations, elevating low-level buildings, extensive creation of awareness and public education on possible mitigation measures to adapt (UN-HABITAT, 2009). Governance strategies are coupled with inclusive participation in setting up urban planning and climate change policies. Good governance in development policies ensures transparency and accountability in implementation of the set policies. Conclusion It can be summed up that urbanizations has over the last few years taken a different dimension. Its rapid increase has caused immense environmental pollution and land degradation. These in return have caused climate change. Since it is a developmental issue cutting across social, economic and political dimensions of urban development, it is essential that it is considered in developmental planning strategies. The impacts of climate change like greenhouse effect and low levels of precipitation have caused low agricultural food production and extinction of various wild animals. These are not only experienced in Australia but also in the entire world. Urban and regional and urban planning are key tools in reducing the adverse effects of climate change. This is because they are likely to amplify the existing urban development issues. A review of a case study in Southeast Asia has shown how proper environmental planning has caused reduced climatic effects in Singapore. Spatial planning a component or regional planning has caused sustainability in land use and reduced effects of climate change across a wide range. Urban surveyors have been instrumental in discovering tools essential for these mitigation measures. However, more studies ought to be done to provide recent literature on how urban planning can be of use in ensuring climate change effects are more sustainable. References Blakely, E. J. (2007). Urban planning for climate change. Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Working Paper. Brown, A. (2014). Climate impacts: Suffering pollen. Nature Climate Change, 4(12), pp.1050-1050.Château, J., Saint-Martin, A. and Manfredi, T., 2011. Employment Impacts of Climate Change Mitigation Policies in OECD. Driscoll, P. A. CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION, ADAPTATION AND SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT. Matthews, T. (2011). Climate change adaptation in urban systems: Strategies for planning regimes. UN Habitat. (2009). Planning Sustainable Cities: Global Report on Human Settlements. London: Earthscan. Yuen, B., & Kong, L. (2009). Climate change and urban planning in Southeast Asia. SAPI EN. S. Surveys and Perspectives Integrating Environment and Society, (2.3). Read More