The unconstrained growth of cities through trust is one of the contemporary issues that arise locally, nationally, and globally. This process is characterized by lower-strata residential development and undirected building, which results in the proliferation of land, vehicular traffic, environmental destruction, and quality of life. This article explains the drawbacks of City’s boundary expansion and provides urban green forms to solve those issues.
Defining Urban Sprawl
Before addressing the problems of urbanization, we need to start with the definitions to achieve better comprehension. Yasin et al. (117) show a comprehensive picture, depicting urban sprawl as a “process of the displacement of human populations from central urban areas to farther low-density areas usually not adequately planned and with little or no regard to the land adjoining them”. This definition immediately points to the unorganized nature of the development in urban sprawl, whereby several areas are developed with minimal or no cohesion in land planning.
Challenges of urban sprawl
Increased Traffic Congestion
The prevalence of a long journey to and from work is only one of the major concerns arising from urban expansion. In the City development process, individuals’ distance from their workplace and service providers extends further without appropriate planning, resulting in more people depending on private cars (Yasin et al., 119). As a result, the rush hours lengthen, fuel consumption increases, and air pollution becomes more prominent, both detrimental aspects from the environmental point of view and the residents’ perspective.
Environmental Degradation
There are long-term effects of urban sprawl to carry this problem further. Indiscriminate terrestrial development contributes to the destruction of natural habitats, loss of biodiversity, and environmental pollution in several ways. Vargas-Hernández et al. (1335) pointed out how the urban green infrastructure can serve as an instrument of urban sprawl resilience to mitigate terrible environmental impacts. Embracing different mixes of green areas, parks, and thoughtfully designed plantings can present a great way of making sustainable urbanization possible.
Strain on Resources
Urbanization plays a large part in the exhaustion of primary resources like water and energy. A multiplying difficulty emerges as needing to expand utility infrastructure for large-spread areas, which in turn means depletion of resources and higher costs for residents and local authorities Vargas-Hernández et al. (1337). While mass green infrastructure development is a way out, sustainable green urban infrastructure is a great alternative, permitting efficient resource use and reducing the footprint.
Opposing Viewpoint: Economic development and the extension of personal liberty.
Opponents against urban sprawl by critics focus on negative environmental and social impacts. On the other hand, optimism spreads around the urban sprawl, creating economic growth and individual freedom requirements (Yasin et al., 120). Some, however, argue that with clearance in urban spaces for businesses to grow and residents to choose where to live, sprawling cities pave the way for such prospects. This point of view must include the drawbacks of extended public finance and environmental damages from unguided sprawl over time.
Rebuttal: Keeping Growth and Sustainability at Hand.
It is imperative to accept the economic gains that come from urban sprawl. However, a comprehensive approach that imbibes sustainability has to be devised. Although, for a brief while, regulated development may deliver short-term economic gains, the concern of its long-term repercussions, such as increased infrastructure costs and environmental degradation, threatens the overall well-being of the communities (Cheshmehzangi et al., 3). Greenery-driven public services are crucial to the development of cities and cities which sustain growth through environmentally conscious patterns.
Solutions to urban sprawl
The Function of Urban Green Infrastructure in the Sustainability Context
Green open space in urban areas plays a key role, per Vargas-Hernández and Zdunek-Wielgołaska (2021), as it is a response to reducing or solving the issues posed by urban sprawl. Beatifying surroundings that green brings about can be seen as the cure for this phenomenon. Trees and shrubs are not only a barrier but also serve as air purifiers; photosynthesis and removing pollutants free our atmosphere from toxins. These green spaces help alleviate the “heat island effects”, providing excellent, shaded spaces to compete with rising temperatures, especially in spanning urban areas. In addition, these green components play a part in water management, as they absorb rainwater, overcome surface runoff, and ease overflowing risks (Cheshmehzangi et al., 4). At a glance, green infrastructure in urban areas is a vital element of nature that brings the ecological equilibrium back to the cities where uncontrolled expansion has dominated the urban landscape in the last decades.
Beyond the beautification of our environment, green spaces and urban parks become an essential asset that supports social integration and enhances community well-being. Parks, areas designated for recreation and green corridors become community centres where they can relax, exercise, gather, and spend time together (Cheshmehzangi et al., 5). A feature that makes these areas easily reachable is a precondition that allows people to increase the feeling of togetherness. The residents will have a chance to connect, meet with neighbours and forge social bonds. Firstly, do note that green spaces are trustworthy sources of peace of mind as they present the chance for people to develop a veritable retreat from the demands of urban life (Cheshmehzangi et al., 5). It has been demonstrated that intact natural surroundings result in stress, anxiety, and improved cognitive function, so greening the urban infrastructure is essential for enhancing the total quality of life of community members living in urban areas.
Economically, including green infrastructure is the following realized account with too much advantage. Plots with green segregation, such as parks and green zones, tend to have higher values in the real estate market, simultaneously stimulating local business. Alongside profitability, greenery gets a boost and attracts companies and tourists, furthering local enterprises’ growth (Cheshmehzangi et al., 7). The building and running of green urban infrastructure also create job vacancies in landscaping, conservation, and sports tourist services. Accordingly, in terms of the economy, the green infrastructure becomes a capital investment in the EU’s environmental goals and an engine of local economic vibrancy.
In addition, the role of green infrastructure in cities no less involves species conservation, thus providing safe havens for various plant and animal species within urban jungles. Confronting the massive urbanization process where natural ecosystems have no choice but to give space to artificial landscapes, parks play the role of habitats where urban biodiversity is ensured as a conservation measure. The collective ecosystems network ensures that wildlife travels as different species, which provides genetic diversity and, thus, ecological resilience. Therefore, even within the urban areas, the ecosystem is connected (Yasin et al., 122). The central fact is that urban green infrastructure is the hub of different plants and animal species within the concrete borders of the metropolitan area.
Conclusion
To conclude, plans necessary for overcoming the impact of urban sprawl should be carefully worked out and implemented through strategic measures. An examination of sprawl’s issues and the positives that urban green infrastructure can have in urban development, we will be able to develop a strategy that can be more sustainable. It is crucial to weigh the economic benefits against the urban sprawl, i.e. the long-term environmental and social consequences, while allowing for urban growth in favour of the economy. People can be involved in rational planning and policy implementation and include green technologies by which cities can live better without destroying Mother Nature.
Works Cited
Cheshmehzangi, Ali, et al. “Green infrastructures for urban sustainability: Issues, implications, and solutions for underdeveloped areas.” Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 59 (2021): 1. https://sci-hub.wf/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127028
Vargas-Hernández, José G., and Justyna Zdunek-Wielgołaska. “Urban green infrastructure as a tool for controlling the resilience of urban sprawl.” Environment, Development and Sustainability 23.2 (2021): 1335-1354. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10668-020-00623-2
Yasin, Muhammad Yazrin, et al. “Urban sprawl literature review: Definition and driving force.” Geografia 17.2 (2021): 116-128. https://journalarticle.ukm.my/17628/1/40976-156766-1-PB.pdf
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