Essay on Urban Studies

Democratizing the local economy by market-driven forces is vital to every city. Investing in the health, environment, and economy of an area require strong political will. Public servants have the role of establishing integrative policies and programs that ensure the survival and prosperity of the growing urban society. At the moment, there is a global urban challenge that requires sustainable development. The challenges are impressive and urgent as the urban growth of cities influences them. Among the challenges cities face is wasteful and excessive consumption of resources such as water and energy (Goldberg et al. 129). Without appropriate technology and infrastructure, cities face deterrent infrastructural development. Public servants are expected to implement anti-market-driven politics and policies. In obtaining sustainability, there is the need to reorganize an area in a more democratic, social, and ecological manner.

Democratizing the local economy by market-driven forces involve three fundamental factors. The first factor is the modern infrastructure, which enables health and environmental protection.

The urban living condition requires wastewater treatment, remediation technologies, waste disposal, and drinking water supply. Most of the people in cities lack enough access to basic life support systems (Goldberg et al. 129). Therefore, there is the need to empower people in equal basis regardless of race, background, and gender. The second factor is urbanization, which entails city structure and ways of ensuring sustainability. Urbanization is not just about buildings and infrastructure; it as well involves deliverance of transport, water, energy, and other public requirements. Cities are home and workplace for millions of people and not just places to create wealth and enable economic growth (Goldberg et al. 129). Therefore, there is a need to implement an integrated approach that put humanity at the center of every process.

The last factor is considered in democratizing the local economy is enabling a collaborative approach in all institutions and sectors to ensure they work toward a common purpose. There must be excellence in design and infrastructural delivery to enable performance in terms of environmental, social, and economic benefits (Brenner et al. 227). Attention, as well as, due care must be set to the improvement and maintenance of existing infrastructure. The problem in the cities needs to be addressed in terms of “how do we also improve the performance of existing services and systems?” and not, “how do we build more infrastructure?” (Brenner et al. 227). Improving the existing assets is crucial as it improves productivity in an area. It as well enables efficiency as it accumulates capital assets.

Social scientists believe a city is just a geographical entity if urban poverty and residential segregation are not addressed. A public servant must manage a metropolitan area by acknowledging the whole social context characterized by prejudice and inequality. The concept of sustainable urban development has been discussed superficially over the past five decades; however, many states have found it difficult to develop viable solutions. Therefore, the debates on depletion, consumerism, poverty, and waste of resources require a proactive approach. Technical solutions are believed to be the best in ensuring sustainability. A city should combine environmental qualities and social justice in its structure. Environment qualities include clean and fresh air, and recreational spaces, among others. Social justice, on the other hand, involves a lack of asymmetries in terms of wealth and power. Both apparatus (environmental qualities and social justice) can offer long term solutions to having a sustainable urban environment. State officials should initiate programs that empower people to help in improving the economy of an area.

Works Cited

Brenner, Neil, David J. Madden, and David Wachsmuth. “Assemblage Urbanism and the Challenges of Critical Urban Theory.” City, vol. 15, no. 2, 2011, pp. 225-240.

Goldberg, Abraham, Kevin M. Leyden, and Thomas J. Scotto. “Untangling What Makes Cities Liveable: Happiness in Five Cities.” Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers-Urban Design and Planning, vol. 165, no. 3, 2012, pp. 127-136.