Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Challenge of Urban Growth and Sustainable Development for Asian Cities in the 21st Century

  • Published:
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The challenges of urban growth for mega-cities in Asia, now and over the next few decades, are examined with particular reference to the ability or inability of those in charge of cities, elected officials and administrators, to provide for the legitimate demands of citizens. Issues such as population growth, industrialization, urbanization, financing, employment, health care, social services, public safety, transportation, water supply, waste disposal, and cultural and recreational facilities are included. While sustainable development of cities is advocated strongly by environmentalists and administrators, the past history of urban growth is quite often the opposite. Why? This paper examines the severe constraints that urban developments are subjected to, and might be possible to change in order to create a better future, with particular emphasis on Asia. Finally, the important contributions made by environmental scientists and engineers towards more sustainable development are placed in context with the reality of urban growth.

The approach taken is my personal view, having lived for over a period of 62 years in Europe, North America and now Asia, and having practised as an engineer and educator for almost 40 years.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bramwell, R.D., 1977, Towns and Cities: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Gage Educ. Publ. Co., Agincourt, Ont, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frejka, T., 1973, The Future of Population Growth, Wiley, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frejka, T., 1973, The Prospects for a Stationary World Population, Scientific American March issue.

  • Henry J. Glynn and Gary W. Heinke, 1989, Environmental Science and Engineering, Prentice-Hall Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J., USA, 728p. ISBN 0-13-283177-5

    Google Scholar 

  • Homer-Dixon, T.F., 1991, “On the Threshold: Environmental Changes as Causes of Acute Conflict” J. of International Security, Fall 1991.

  • Homer-Dixon, T.F., 1994, “Across the Threshold”, J. of International Security, Summer 1994.

  • Homer-Dixon, T.F., 1994, “Population and Conflict”, Paper delivered at Int. Conf. on Population and Development, Cairo, Sept. 5–13, 1994.

  • Laquian, Aprodicio A. (ed.), 1992, Planning and Development of Metropolitan Areas, Proc. of Int. Workshop, Bangkok, Thailand June 29–July 3, 1992. Asian Urban Research Network Series. Report of the Center for Human Settlements, the U. of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Leaf, Michael L. (ed.), 1992, Inner City Neighbourhood Development, Proc., Int. Workshop, Beijing, China, November 24–27, 1992. Asian Urban Research Network Series. Report of the Center for Human Settlement, the U. of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaplan, Robert D, 1994, The Coming Anarchy, The Atlantic Monthly, February, 1994 p.44–76.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Environmental Studies, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong

    Gary W. Heinke

Authors
  1. Gary W. Heinke
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Heinke, G.W. The Challenge of Urban Growth and Sustainable Development for Asian Cities in the 21st Century. Environ Monit Assess 44, 155–171 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005724204846

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005724204846

Search

Navigation