Environmental Studies

Assignment 3

Submitted to:-
Ar. Amod Sir

Submitted By:-
Prajakta Sushil Vaidya
• What do You Understand by Sustainable
City?

The concept of sustainable cities is closely interconnected

with environment and economy and safeguard protection
of natural resources, which in turn leads to a minimum
acceptable quality of life. There is a constant struggle with
issues of air pollution, congestion of human population and
availability of open, green spaces. Strong, healthy, liveable
cities depend on a healthy environment, a robust economy
and ample employment opportunities for its citizens.

A sustainable city is a city which has :

• A controlled population for whom adequate,
meaningful employment is available.
• Planned housing colonies with adequate infrastructure
like schools, parks, drainage system, local medicare
establishments.
• Effective environmental infrastructure to address the
issues of untreated sewage and waste polluting rivers,
lakes and coastal zones, (thus threatening water
ecosystems.
• Empowerment of women and encouraging their
participation in the political, social and economic life of
a city and adoption of urban policies that take into
account women’s needs and initiatives.
• Development of an efficient urban private sector, both
formal and non-formal which reduces poverty by
generating jobs and helping in economic growth.
• An efficient health-care system which would also
address issues of nutrition, family planning and
sanitation.
• A mechanism in the form of a policy initiative for
industrial dispersal to satellite townships where better
employment opportunities are created.

For example :- Singapore. With a population of more

than five million people, Singapore is often recognized as
one of the most forward-thinking green cities in Asia.

• Explain Urban Ecosystem Services

The ecosystem services generated

by ecosystems within the urban area. ' Ecosystem
services' refers to the benefits. Human populations
derive from ecosystems. Seven different urban
ecosystems have been identified: street trees;
lawns/parks; urban forests; cultivated land; wetlands;
lakes/sea; and streams.
.
 Urban ecosystems are especially important in providing
services with direct impact on human health and
security such as air purification, noise
reduction, urban cooling, and runoff mitigation.
Examples of ecosystem services include products such
as food and water, regulation of floods, soil erosion and
disease outbreaks, and non-material benefits such as
recreational and spiritual benefits in natural areas.

• Write a note on CO2 Sequestration.

• Carbon sequestration, the long-term storage

of carbon in plants, soils, geologic formations, and
the ocean.
• Carbon sequestration occurs both naturally and as a
result of anthropogenic activities and typically refers to
the storage of carbon that has the immediate potential
to become carbon dioxide gas.
• In response to growing concerns about climate
change resulting from increased carbon
dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere, considerable
interest has been drawn to the possibility of increasing
the rate of carbon sequestration through changes in
land use and forestry and also through geoengineering
techniques such as carbon capture and storage.
• Anthropogenic activities such as the burning of fossil
fuels have released carbon from its long-term geologic
storage as coal, petroleum, and natural gas and have
delivered it to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas.
Carbon dioxide is also released naturally, through the
decomposition of plants and animals.
• The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has
increased since the beginning of the industrial age, and
this increase has been caused mainly by the burning of
fossil fuels.

• Carbon dioxide is a very effective greenhouse gas—that

is, a gas that absorbs infrared radiation emitted from
Earth’s surface. As carbon dioxide concentrations rise in
the atmosphere, more infrared radiation is retained, and
the average temperature of Earth’s lower atmosphere
rises. This process is referred to as global warming.
• Reservoirs that retain carbon and keep it from entering
Earth’s atmosphere are known as carbon sinks. For
example, deforestation is a source of carbon emission
into the atmosphere, but forest regrowth is a form of
carbon sequestration, with the forests themselves
serving as carbon sinks.

• Write a note on resilient city.

• Resilient cities are cities that have the ability to absorb,
recover and prepare for future shocks (economic,
environmental, social & institutional). Resilient cities
promote sustainable development, well-being and
inclusive growth.
• A resilient city is one that has developed capacities to
help absorb future shocks and stresses, so as to
maintain the same functions, structures, systems, and
identity.
• Climate resilient cities have the capability to
reduce and manage the negative impacts of
climate change because these cities have planned
and factored these changes in their development
goals and planning
Following four factors that drive resilience
Economy
 A diverse number of industries
 A dynamic economy to generate growth
 Conditions allow innovation to take place
 People have access to employment,
education, services, skills training.

Society
 Society is inclusive and cohesive
 Citizens’ networks in communities are active
 Neighbourhood is safe
 Citizens enjoy healthy lives

Environment
 Ecosystem is sound and diverse
 Infrastructure can meet basic needs
 Adequate natural resources are available
 Coherent policy towards land use
Governance
 Clear leadership and management
 Strategic and integrated approaches are taken by
leaders
 Public sector has the right skills
 Government is open and transparent