Urban sustainable development Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words - 1

Urban sustainable development - Research Paper Example Many major cities across the world are undergoing immense struggle in their efforts to accommodate the ever-rising populations and tackle the multi-dimensional challenges of urban development (Haughton, 1994). If the present inclinations continue into the near future, only a few states are likely to reap from the numerous aids of sustainable urban development (Sustainable Development Solution Network, 2013). Thus, there is an urgent need for cities to develop and integrate succinct models of sustainable development so that they can become better placed in confronting the challenges of the new century. The major aim of this paper is to discuss and analyze the concept of sustainable development with special attention to sustainable development in an urban context. The discussion begins with a precise definition of sustainable development before proceeding to an analysis of the incentives that led to the development of the concept of sustainable development over time. Finally, the paper discusses the effect of sustainable development on the planning of maintainable cities in the 21st century. This discussion is made clear by using the case study of Hong Kong city as one of the cities whose developments have been greatly influenced by the concept of sustainable development. Sustainable development can be perceived as a kind of development that addresses the needs of the current population without undue compromise to the capability of the future populations in fulfilling their needs (Rogers, 2008). To a larger extent, sustainable development encapsulates three different aspects of sustainability. These are economic, social, and environmental sustainability. It is important to note that these aspects form the basic premises of sustainable development. There is a consensus that a sustainable development entails an integrated and comprehensive approach to social, economic, and environmental aspects and processes. Several initiatives on sustainable