A framework for systems analysis of sustainable urban water management

Hellström, Daniel; Jeppsson, Ulf; Kärrman, Erik

doi:10.1016/s0195-9255(00)00043-3

Cited by 257 publications

(154 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…Those plants are trees, and together they define the urban forest. [24][25][26] Our objective is to demonstrate, through the lens of values, the potency and promise of trees and their associated organisms to enhance sustainability in any urban setting. As Table 1 shows, urban sustainability consists of a broad range of elements.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trees in Canadian Cities: Indispensable Life Form for Urban Sustainability

et al. 2015

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Abstract:We argue that a healthy urban forest contributes immensely to the sustainability of cities. The argument is based on a comprehensive array of values elicited from Canadians in several cities. To begin, we define the urban forest as inclusive of all the trees in the city and thus representing the predominant contributor to a city's green infrastructure. Then we enumerate and explain the broad diversity of ways in which urban people value trees in the city. We, thus, show the myriad pathways by which trees contribute positively to any city's social, economic, and ecological sustainability. Following a short summary of the ways in which trees may detract from people's quality of life, we present promising management directions for urban-forest improvement, as we understand the situation in Canada. We conclude that all cities can enhance their sustainability by improving the urban forest.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Trees in Canadian Cities: Indispensable Life Form for Urban Sustainability

et al. 2015

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“…Following the definitions for sustainable development, many tools aim to evaluate environmental, social, and economic aspects of the system [64,65]. While many such tools quantify environmental impact and resource utilization, we continue to lack robust quantitative evaluation methods for social-cultural criteria, and the interconnected impacts of social, biological, and physical components of complex systems [66,67].…”

Section: Evaluation Tools and Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Sustainable Urban Water Management Program in Sweden uses five categories of sustainability criteria. The criteria include: nontoxic environment, health and hygiene, human resources, natural resources, financial resources, functionally robust and flexible, adaptable to local conditions, and easy to understand to encourage responsible user behavior [67]. The structure of the evaluation framework is modular so it can be used to evaluate cities, structures, and scenarios.…”

Section: Every Human Being Has a Right To Clean Water For Urban Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustainable Water Management in Urban, Agricultural, and Natural Systems

Russo

Alfredo

Fisher

2014

Water

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Sustainable water management (SWM) requires allocating between competing water sector demands, and balancing the financial and social resources required to support necessary water systems. The objective of this review is to assess SWM in three sectors: urban, agricultural, and natural systems. This review explores the following questions: (1) How is SWM defined and evaluated? (2) What are the challenges associated with sustainable development in each sector? (3) What are the areas of greatest potential improvement in urban and agricultural water management systems? And (4) What role does country development status have in SWM practices? The methods for evaluating water management practices range from relatively simple indicator methods to integration of multiple models, depending on the complexity of the problem and resources of the investigators. The two key findings and recommendations for meeting SWM objectives are:(1) all forms of water must be considered usable, and reusable, water resources; and (2) increasing agricultural crop water production represents the largest opportunity for reducing total water consumption, and will be required to meet global food security needs. The level of regional development should not dictate sustainability objectives, however local OPEN ACCESSWater 2014, 6 3935 infrastructure conditions and financial capabilities should inform the details of water system design and evaluation.

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“…Sustainability indicators have been proposed to evaluate the performance and quality of Water and Sanitation Management Systems (WSMS) [20][21][22][23][24][25]. Such assessments are greatly needed to ensure the provision and sustainable management of water and sanitation, as per Goal Six of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) of the United Nations [26].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From Indicators to Policies: Open Sustainability Assessment in the Water and Sanitation Sector

et al. 2015

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A water and sanitation sustainability index (WASSI) was developed and estimated in four cities of the province of Salta, in northern Argentina. The index was built with nine descriptors and fifteen indicators that covered all essential aspects of the sustainability of local water and sanitation management systems. Only one of the cities studied obtained a sustainability value above the acceptability threshold adopted (50 of 100 points). Results indicate that the water company needs to address some environmental and social issues to enhance the sustainability of the systems studied. The WASSI was conceptually robust and operationally simple, and could be easily adapted to the case studies. The index can be followed and updated online on a web site specially developed for this project. This website could be useful to promote participatory processes, assist decision makers, and facilitate academic research. According to local stakeholders, a more open sustainability assessment based on sustainability indices and supported by virtual tools would be relevant and highly feasible. It would help decision makers improve the sustainability and transparency of water and sanitation management systems, and promote more sustainable water policies in the region and beyond. OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 14538

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A framework for systems analysis of sustainable urban water management

Cited by 257 publications

References 5 publications

Trees in Canadian Cities: Indispensable Life Form for Urban Sustainability

Trees in Canadian Cities: Indispensable Life Form for Urban Sustainability

Sustainable Water Management in Urban, Agricultural, and Natural Systems

From Indicators to Policies: Open Sustainability Assessment in the Water and Sanitation Sector

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