Seminar 3: Green Cities

Seminar 3: Green CitiesGreen Cities: Urban Growth and the

EnvironmentBy Matthew E. KahnProfessor of economics at the Fletcher School, Tufts University.Published by the Brookings Institute.

Will DinneenUrban Politics and Policy May 18th, 2010

Green Cities: Subject MatterUrban Environmental Quality

◦The Environmental Kuznets Curve Income Growth in Urban Environments

◦Role of the Market (EKC)◦Greener Governance◦Population Growth

Environmental Cost of Sprawl in the U.S.

Lessons Learned: Achieving Urban Sustainability

What defines a “Green” City?What defines a city as Green or Brown?

◦Three Concerns: Ecological Economic Public Health

◦“Green Cities Index” Environmental Morbidity Environmental Mortality Pollution Avoidance Expenditures Local Disamenities Ecological Footprint

Urban Environmental QualityGreen Cities

◦Consider: In 1950 30% of the world’s population

lived in cities. By 2000 47% a predicted 60% by 2030.

Environmental impacts on and from cities extends outside of the U.S.

◦How does pollution relate to free market growth? The Environmental Kuznets Curve

An economic hypothesis relating to economic development and urban environmental quality.

Urban Environmental Quality

Environmental Kuznets Curve Development is both a Friend and Foe.

◦ EKC: method to document relationship between income and environmental quality.

◦ Components of the EKC Pollution levels increase as income increases Triggers offsets Increases in income result in

less environmental damage

Confronting the EKC Is the Environmental Kuznets Curve’s

hypothesis correct in assuming that a city’s level of environmental impact is directly related to increases in individual wealth?

Income Growth and Greener GovernanceAs income rises:

◦The demand for and supply of environmental regulation (green governance) rises.

◦Quality of life investments are made. Homeowners have a greater stake

Location of work and living come into focus

Income Growth and Greener GovernancePolitics

◦Formulation of regulating policy is catalyzed by public participation and consumer trends.

The role of imperfect information◦Advances in income are

supplemented by available information.

◦More educated consumers are likely to make decisions advancing sustainability.

Areas of Green GovernanceGovernments meet increased

regulatory demand in varying ways:◦Green governance methods include

utilizing; taxation, zoning, and regulation.

◦Four specific areas focused on under green governance: Air Quality Water Quality Solid Waste Urban Land Management

How much Government?When considering future environmental

sustainability, is it reasonable to rely primarily on a laissez-faire approach when advocating for “green” cities?

Lessons LearnedAchieving Urban Sustainability

◦Addressing Sustainability must incorporate three trends Income growth

8,000? Population growth

Tragedy of the commons? Spatial growth (sprawl)

Green belts?

Lessons LearnedWealth gained by individuals in cities will lead

to urban sustainability, following the hypothesis of the EKC.

Solutions: Provide for green governance Greener governance is both a response to increased

demand for regulation and a means to promote urban stability and the idea of the “Green City”

Cap and trade systems Free trade policies

Final Question: Are current urban and public policies in United States cities, capable of confronting environmental challenges in the face of increasing urban growth?

Image sourceshttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/0815748159/ref=dp_image_0/182-8316470-4500836?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books http://filipspagnoli.wordpress.com/2008/09/02/human-rights-facts-58-the-environmental-kuznets-curve/http://tierneylab.blogs.nytimes.com/tag/

environment/

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