Information and Communication Technologies: Catalysts for Sustainable Urban Development

Introduction

It is predicted that by 2050 the world’s population will be 9.3 billion, and that 75% of this population will live in cities (United Nations, 2000). The mega forces unleashed by this urban population explosion threaten to overwhelm the economic, social and environmental systems of human settlements. In this circumstance, the fostering of sustainable urban development (SUD) provides our only positive chance to prevent the undermining of the environmental and social systems on which we depend (Hezri & Dovers, 2006). SUD requires a coordinated approach to planning and policy making that involves public participation. Its success depends on widespread understanding of the critical relationship between people and their environment, and on the will to make necessary changes (Ziliaskopoulos & Waller, 2000). Information and communication technologies (ICTs) and community based planning are dominant features of SUD (Jabareen, 2006). They open excellent opportunities for cities to solve problems, seize new opportunities, and strengthen their economic, social and environmental performance. Community-based planning is a place specific, collaborative approach for achieving the goals of sustaining quality of life and safeguarding the built and natural environment.

The main objectives of this chapter are: to identify the importance of community-based planning and of building public capacity for SUD; to link ICTs and SUD to strengthen common understanding of the role of ICTs in urban planning, property and management; to identify a range of visions and scenarios for innovative use of ICTs to rethink the organisation of the city, and for planning and urban development processes that will contribute to more inclusive decision making and support more sustainable solutions. Key research foci of this chapter are: how ICTs can contribute to SUD, and why communities and local governments should adopt ICTs. To answer these questions, this chapter discusses issues of SUD, community-based planning, and the potential of ICTs. It also examines three web-based geographic information systems projects from UK, US and Japan as examples of best practice. In addition, the chapter explores the role of ICTs in achieving SUD, and their potential to involve local communities in planning processes.