Synopsis
Formidable challenges confront Australia and its human settlements: the mega-metro regions, major and provincial cities, coastal, rural and remote towns. The key drivers of change and major urban vulnerabilities have been identified and principal among them are resource-constraints, such as oil, water, food, skilled labour and materials, and carbon-constraints, linked to climate change and a need to transition to renewable energy, both of which will strongly shape urban development this century. Transitions identifies 21st century challenges to the resilience of Australia's cities and regions that flow from a range of global and local influences, and offers a portfolio of solutions to these critical problems and vulnerabilities. The solutions will require fundamental transitions in many instances: to our urban infrastructures, to our institutions and how they plan for the future, and perhaps most of all to ourselves in terms of our lifestyles and consumption patterns. With contributions from 92 researchers - all leaders in their respective fields - this book offers the expertise to chart pathways for a sustainability transition.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Synopsis
Formidable challenges confront Australia and its human settlements: the mega-metro regions, major and provincial cities, coastal, rural and remote towns. The key drivers of change and major urban vulnerabilities have been identified in the 2006 Australia State of Environment Report as well as several other national-level reports (Sustainable Cities 2005). Principal among them are a resource-constrained world (oil, water, food, skilled labour, materials) and a carbon-constrained world (linked to climate change and a need to transition to renewable energy) - both of which will strongly shape urban development this century compared to the last.This book seeks to clearly identify 21st century challenges to Australia's cities and regions that flow from these global influences and identify potential solutions to these critical problems and vulnerabilities. The solutions will require fundamental transitions in many instances: to our urban infrastructures, to our institutions and perhaps most of all to ourselves in terms of our lifestyle activities and consumption patterns.
About the Author
Peter W. Newton is a Research Professor at Swinburne University of Technology in the Institute for Social Research and the Centre for Regional Development. Prior to joining Swinburne in December 2006, Dr Newton held senior research and management positions in CSIRO as a Chief Research Scientist, where he directed the program of research related to sustainable built environments. Between 2001 and 2007 he also directed the sustainability research of the CRC for Construction Innovation. Dr Newton's key publications have included the 2006, 2001 and 1996 "Australian State of Environment Reports on Human Settlements" as well as several books related to urban development including: "Re-Shaping Cities for a More Sustainable Future; East-West Perspectives on 21st Century Urban Development; Cities in Competition; Cities of the 21st Century; The Future of Urban Form; Population Shift: Population and Mobility in Australia."
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
