COMPARATIVE SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT METHODS

Abstract

As land increasing becomes constrained all around the world and with natural resources in danger of being completely exploited, world leaders are focusing on the phenomenon known as ‘sustainable development', which is the road to travel if one wants to preserve and conserve existing natural resources to sustain the future generations. Sustainable development represents a holistic way to achieve recovery and enhance the quality of life for everyone by developing local assets to revitalize economies, limiting waste and pollution, improving the status of all people, conserving natural resources, and promoting cooperation and efficiency. It is about developing where and how it is most appropriate for our communities and natural environment. This study discusses the concept of sustainable development and its related subject of sustainable urban development and the idea of a sustainable city. This study also attempts to explore some of the methods of sustainable urban development employed by specific cities around the world, make comparisons of the respective methods to the ones used by Singapore, and whether Singapore can and should utilize the methods by the other cities. From this study, it is seen that though Singapore is considerably as active as the other cities in terms of advocating sustainable urban development, but the island city still lags behind the mentioned cities in many aspects, especially concerning the protection of the environment. Finally, the dissertation offers recommendations in order to improve and further aid sustainable urban development in Singapore.