The urban environment: twenty-sixth reportMore than half the world's population lives in urban areas with the growth of super-cities of tens of millions of inhabitants, and although cities only encompass two per cent of the world's land surface, they are responsible for consuming over 75 per cent of the planet's resources and produce 75 per cent of the world's waste. In the UK, over 80 per cent of the population already lives in urban areas, and the country is going through a new phase of urban expansion and regeneration that will affect the way we live for decades to come. This study, the Commission's 26th report, focuses on the environmental impacts of towns and cities, and considers the relationship between the urban environment and human health and wellbeing. The report finds that although there are many opportunities and attractions in urban living, there are also many environmental problems including contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, excess water consumption, traffic congestion and poor housing conditions. The report highlights the need for an over-arching urban environment policy to deliver environmental sustainability by co-ordinating the provision of key services and to create the institutional and social environment which encourages the uptake of existing technology to improve urban environmental performance. It calls for a new 'environmental contract' be established to forge partnerships between local and central government and the private and voluntary sectors, with high-level urban environmental targets that government regards as essential, while devolving to local authorities the responsibility for defining and prioritising action on environmental problems of local concern. |
Contents
Chapter | 1 |
Chapter | 3 |
Chapter | 5 |
Figures | 7 |
CURRENT CONTEXT | 8 |
Introduction | 12 |
Current governance and policies | 14 |
Water | 22 |
Sewerage systems | 95 |
Example of a zerocarbon dwelling East London | 97 |
Refurbishment and improvement | 101 |
Water and waste in buildings | 107 |
GETTING THE FRAMEWORK RIGHT | 113 |
6A Web of constraints on environmental progress in urban areas | 115 |
6C Milton Keynes development tariff | 129 |
Instruments and incentives 6 57 | 130 |
THE BUILT URBAN ENVIRONMENT | 26 |
Conclusions | 28 |
Health and wellbeing | 31 |
Urbanisation as mental health risk factor | 44 |
Conclusions | 53 |
34 | 64 |
Urban climate and air quality | 70 |
Introduction | 85 |
Modes of transport | 89 |
5A Examples of local energy generation | 92 |
90 | 137 |
New infrastructure should contribute to environmental sustainability 7 26 | 144 |
References | 151 |
Appendices | 170 |
B Conduct of the study | 179 |
Urban Environments Wellbeing and Health 31 March 2004 | 185 |
E Examples of regulatory controls on the urban environment | 193 |
G Stress and depression in augmenting complex human disease | 199 |
| 206 | |
Common terms and phrases
air pollution air quality authorities benefits biodiversity brownfield land built environment carbon Chapter climate change CO2 emissions Commission constraints DCLG Defra density Department for Communities devolved administrations economic energy efficiency England and Wales Environment Agency environmental contract environmental impacts environmental issues environmentally sustainable evidence example existing factors flood risk framework government and devolved green infrastructure green roofs habitats health and wellbeing health impacts heat homes household housing human health Impact Assessment important improve increase integrated interactions levels London natural environment noise Northern Ireland ODPM particulates Partnerships Planning Policy Statement planning system population potential Professor programme protection recognise recommend recycling reduce refurbishment Regional Report rural Scotland Scottish Scottish Executive sector social standards Strategic Environmental Assessment Strategy Sustainable Communities Plan sustainable development tackle targets technologies towns and cities traffic transport UK government UK's urban areas urban environment urban rivers waste wicked problem