Green Economy is a key theme of the June 2012 Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development. The inclusive Green Urban Economy approach embodies a challenge to local government leaders and city practitioners to apply existing tools and methods in new ways to develop innovative approaches by engaging economic-environmental considerations and stakeholders in a much more active fashion. This volume bridges the gap between the global promotion of the Green Economy and the manifestation of this new development strategy at the urban level. Green cities are an imperative solution, not only in meeting global environmental challenges but also in helping to ensure socio-economic prosperity at the local level.
Environmentalists must learn to understand the language and dynamics of the economy, and to combine important economic interests (such as cost savings) with ecological interests (such as saving of resources). Business and economic leaders must also understand and accommodate ecological interests to advance social improvement and sustainable development. The editors compiled contributions of varying perspectives and practical experiences from the emerging fields of environmental economics, urban development and green cities, along with concrete examples from city governments.
The Economy of Green Cities documents and demonstrates the different layers of knowledge required for a Green Urban Economy. The compendium supports researchers, business thinkers and practitioners to explore, detail and discuss an urban Green Economy agenda.
PART I: Agenda Setting for the Urban Future with a Green Urban Economy
1. Introduction: Agenda Setting for the Urban Future with a Green Urban Economy Monika Zimmermann and Richard Simpson
PART II: Setting a Green Economy Agenda for Cities
2. Introduction: Setting a Green Economy Agenda for Cities Richard Simpson
3. New Urban Spaces: The Emergence of Green Economies Kenneth Odero
4. Environmental Discourse and Economic Growth in the Greening of Post-Industrial Cities Corina Mckendry
5. Sustainable Urban Transformation and the Green Urban Economy Kes Mccormick, Stefan Anderberg and Lana Neij
6. Green Cities: Benefits of Urban Sustainability Essam Hassan Mohamed Ahmed
7. Working in Green Cities: Improving the Urban Environment While Creating Jobs and Enhancing Working Conditions Edmundo Werna
8. Sustainable Development for Cities and Citizens: Green Housing, Employment and Transport Asif Kabani and Maliha Kabani
9. Cities and the Green Economy Philipp Rode
10. Green Cities Into Practice Vito Albino and Rosa Maria Dangelico
11. Emerging-Market Cities Could Set a New Standard for Sustainable Development Jonathan Woetzel, Shannon Bouton, Molly Lindsay
PART III: Joining Forces to Accelerate Action
12. Introduction: Joining Forces to Accelerate Action Phoebe Stirling
13. Accelerating Green Urban Growth Bernd Hendriksen and Eric Copius Peereboom
14. Linking Green City Politics with Green Business Ulrich Mans and Sara Meerow
15. Policy Instruments for Promoting a Green Urban Economy: The Changing Role of the State Golam Rasul
16. Local Sustainability: Driving Green Urban Economies Through Public Engagement Rosalie Callway
17. We Know Enough: Achieving Action Through the Convergence of Sustainable Community Development and the Social Economy Sean Connelly, Sean Markey, and Mark Roseland
18. Seven Conditions for Effective Green Governance Rula Taher Qalyoubi PART IV: Strategies and Approaches for Greening Urban Economies
19. Introduction: Strategies and Approaches for Greening Urban Economies Shay Kelleher
20. The Economics of Low Carbon Cities: Approaches to a City-Scale Mini-Stern Review Andy Gouldson, Niall Kerr, Corrado Topi, Ellie Dawkins, Johan Kuylenstierna and Richard Pearce
21. City Development Strategies and the Transition Towards a Green Urban Economy Le-Yin Zhang
22. Low Carbon Enterprise Zones: Towards a Fossil Fuel Free City Economy Philip Monaghan
23. Green Clusters and the Entrepreneurial Local Government: Portland's Economic Development Strategy Art Von Lehe and Shay Kelleher
24. Green Cities Require Green Housing: Advancing the Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Housing and Slum Upgrading in Cities in Developing Countries Matthew French and Christophe Lalande
25. EcoMobility and its Benefits in an Urban Context Santhosh Kodukula
26. Assessing the Cost of Groundwater Degradation in the Urbanizing Desert Area of Wadi El Natrun Caroline King and Boshra Salem
27. Constructed Wetlands for the Treatment of Domestic Grey Water: An Instrument of the Green Economy to Realize the Millennium Development Goals Gopalsamy Poyyamoli, Golda Edwin and Nandhivarman Muthu
28. Decentralized Composting in Asian Cities: Lessons Learned and Future Potential in Meeting the Green Urban Economy Dickella Premakumara
29. Biodiversity and Culture, Two Key Ingredients for a Truly Green Urban Economy: Learning From Agriculture and Forestry Policies in Kanazawa City, Japan Raquel Moreno-Penaranda
30. An Economic Assessment of the Deforestation of Ghana's Garden City of West Africa Jonathan Quartey
31. Financing a Green Urban Economy: The Potential of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Maike Sippel and Axel Michaelowa PART V: Experiences and Examples from City Governments
32. Introduction: Experiences and Examples from City Governments Steven Bland
33. Synergies Between Environment and Economy Within a City Administration - Experiences Made by the City of Hannover, Germany Hans Monninghoff
34. Auckland Council: Creating a Transformational Shift Towards a Sustainable Eco-Economy Paul Chambers and Andrew Walters
35. Sustainable Urban Development Policy in the Region of Flanders Jan De Mulder
36. Greening the Local Economy Through Municipal Sustainable Procurement Policies: Implementation Challenges and Successes in Western Canada Andrew Kemp and Amelia Clarke
37. City of Raleigh Office of Sustainability: Green Building Training Program Lynn Graham, Emily Steele, Anna Leonard, Jen Baker, and Julian Prosser
38. Changing to a Sustainable Socio-Economic System: A Challenge for Kyoto as a Historic City Makoto Ueda
Index