The Role of Social and Intergenerational Equity in Making Changes in Human Well-Being Sustainable

Summers, James K.; Smith, Lisa M.

doi:10.1007/s13280-013-0483-6

Cited by 47 publications

(46 citation statements)

References 45 publications

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“…Land use and land cover change (LUCC) is a driver of global change that directly influent the status and integrity of ecosystems and in last term its capacity to supply ecosystem services [3]. While human well-being, as an endpoint and central yardstick for sustainability, is widely recognized as an important issue but is difficult to be studied empirically [4][5][6]. One of the outcomes of urbanization in China, "rural-urban land conversion" is the change from agricultural land in rural areas to developed urban land which is a kind of LUCC [7,8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How does the Ecological Well-Being of Urban and Rural Residents Change with Rural-Urban Land Conversion? The Case of Hubei, China

2018

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Human well-being can be affected by the loss of ecosystem services from conversion of agricultural lands. Uncovering negative ecological consequences of rural-urban conversion is important for regulating rural-urban land conversion. This paper evaluates the impacts of rural-urban land conversion on the ecological well-being of different interest groups in China and makes policy recommendations for mitigating them. This research empirically quantifies and compares changes in the ecological well-being of rural and urban residents due to rural-urban land conversion and examines how transformation factors affect such changes in Hubei, China using the Fuzzy Synthetic Evaluation Model. Results show that compared with urban residents, rural resident ecological well-being level declines more obviously with rural-urban land conversion. Two socio-demographic characteristics, age and education level, as well as zoning characteristics, influence both rural and urban resident well-being changes. It is argued that there is a need for quantitative measurement of agricultural ecosystem services changes and that the construction of ecological compensation policies in areas undergoing rural-urban land conversion is essential for regulating rural-urban land conversion and for maintaining resident ecological well-being.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How does the Ecological Well-Being of Urban and Rural Residents Change with Rural-Urban Land Conversion? The Case of Hubei, China

2018

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“…Coupling this type of decision scenario testing with specific targets of social equity and intergenerational equity should also permit selected decisions to create more sustainable conditions for communities [40].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Index of Human Well-Being for the U.S.: A TRIO Approach

Summers¹,

Smith²,

Harwell³

et al. 2014

Sustainability

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Abstract:In 2011, the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and Development program, Sustainable and Healthy Communities, coined the term TRIO (Total Resources Impact Outcome) to represent approaches that fully incorporate all three pillars of community sustainability-environmental, economic and social. This holistic approach to sustainability is embodied in the Human Well-Being Index (HWBI) comprised of sub-indices representing environmental well-being, economic well-being and societal well-being (which includes basic human needs and subjective well-being). The development of the HWBI is described in this manuscript along with its application at national, state and county spatial scales. In addition, application at even smaller spatial scales (communities, neighborhoods, demographic and economic sub-groups, and even individuals) is discussed. The potential utility of HWBI for comparing the intended and unintended consequences of alternative decisions is described.

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“…As one of the cornerstones of sustainability, inter-generational equity argues for parity and fairness in generational or intertemporal consumption and utilisation of resources [67,68,77]. Time horizons as an element of urban sustainability planning help to guide future orientation, and the implementation of measures and pathways to achieve the desired objectives.…”

Section: Inter-generational Equitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Creating Smart Energy Cities for Sustainability through Project Implementation: A Case Study of Bolzano, Italy

Hunter

Vettorato

Sagoe³

2018

Sustainability

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Globally, cities are experiencing an unprecedented socio-economic, demographic, and environmental transition that brings with it negative environmental externalities, such as climate change and environmental degradation. Smart energy city (SEC) has emerged as the latest urban development strategy in European countries. It can vastly accelerate cities' decarbonisation efforts, which can have several co-benefits. Capitalising on advances in information and communication technologies (ICT), various SEC projects have been initiated and seek to integrate ICT into the urban system. Although there are a significant number of SEC demonstration projects, there has been a scant examination of the performance and overall effect of these projects in addressing core sustainability endogenous principles. This research provides an in-depth analysis of the components of the SEC projects, highlighting the strengths and shortcomings. By highlighting the "Smart INitiative of cities Fully cOmmitted to iNvest In Advanced large-scale energy solutions" (SINFONIA) project in Bolzano, we aimed to determine the extent to which the current practical processes are achieved in reality. Our methodology entailed a structured literature review of the different components of SEC projects, followed by a content analysis based on the 5W1H (why, what, who, how, where, and when) conceptual framework. The data collection methods adopted included a review of specific open-access sources and project deliverables of each of the selected SEC projects, personal observation of the case study city, and interviews with SEC project experts. We analysed the SEC projects components against fundamental sustainability principles of integration, implementation, equity (intra-generational, procedural, and inter-generational), and scalability and replicability to assess their potential for creating sustainable urban settlements. The study found that the critical components of SEC projects are strategically aligned with sustainability dimensions. However, although ICT integration in urban planning and development provides the core determinants of the components, stakeholder engagement and dynamic business models are critical for successful implementation. Furthermore, through scalability and replicability of SEC projects, diversification of sustainability principles can be actualised throughout the entire city and in other geographical regions to ensure long-term intra-generational and inter-generational equity.

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The Role of Social and Intergenerational Equity in Making Changes in Human Well-Being Sustainable

Cited by 47 publications

References 45 publications

How does the Ecological Well-Being of Urban and Rural Residents Change with Rural-Urban Land Conversion? The Case of Hubei, China

How does the Ecological Well-Being of Urban and Rural Residents Change with Rural-Urban Land Conversion? The Case of Hubei, China

An Index of Human Well-Being for the U.S.: A TRIO Approach

Creating Smart Energy Cities for Sustainability through Project Implementation: A Case Study of Bolzano, Italy

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