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Smart Growth : a sustainable solution for our cities

Assignment (MPhil)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The greatest challenge for our time is to ensure the preservation of our environment and the well
being of our people. With this in mind and the fact that almost half of the world’s population is
living in urban areas, it is of the utmost importance to ensure that cities develop in a sustainable
manner. Cities are regarded as one of the most magnificent creations of human achievements, but
when looking at urban areas around the world it can also be regarded as one of the most problematic
achievements. The growth of cities is a natural process and an unstoppable progression of events.
Modern cities have a major impact on the environment and to ensure successful reduction of this
impact, certain problem areas will have to be identified and addressed without delay in order to be
in a position to make any significant change in the long run. Interventions of some sort are needed
to make living in cities as well as on the planet as a whole more sustainable. The big question is
however, how this can be achieved? One of the possible new interventions is the Smart Growth
Concept, which is a form of growth management. Although Smart Growth has been around from
the early 70’s, it is still a new concept that has not been explored to its full potential. The concept is
well known in America but in most countries around the world, including South Africa, it is still a
vague concept, which needs more introductions, convincing and ultimately, implementation.
Although this article will focus on the Smart Growth concept as a possible solution to creating
sustainable cities, the critics do not all agree with this point of view. Enough evidence is however
provided to prove that Smart Growth can make a difference in our daily lives. The main aim of this
article is to provide the reader with enough information on the subject of Smart Growth, and
address the criticism against the concept of Smart Growth, to be able to see the positive influence
that the Smart Growth concept can have on our cities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die grootste uitdaging van ons tyd is om te verseker dat die ons omgewing beskerm word en die
welstand van ons mense bevorder word. Met dit in gedagte en die feit dat ongeveer die helfte van
die aarde se bevolking in stedelike areas woonagtig is, is dit van uiterste belang dat stede op ‘n
volhoubare manier ontwikkel word. Stede kan as een van die grootste skeppings van die mensdom
beskou word, maar as daar gekyk word na stedelike areas rondom die wêreld kan dit ook as een van
die problematiese skeppings beskou word. Die groei van stede is natuurlike proses en is
onstuitbare sameloop van gebeurlikhede. Moderne stede het groot inpak op die omgewing en om
te verseker dat die impak suksesvol beperk word, is daar sekere probleemareas wat geïdentifiseer
moet word en wat sonder enige verder vertraging aangespreek moet word, ten einde in ‘n posisie te
wees om enige beduidende verandering op die lang duur te maak. Ingryping op een of ander manier
is nodig om stede meer bewoonbaar te maak, asook die planeet as ‘n geheel meer volhoubaar te
maak. Die groot vraag is egter, hoe om dit te doen? Een van hierdie moontlike ingrypings is die
Innoverende Groei (‘Smart Growth’) Konsep, wat ‘n vorm van groeibestuur is. Alhoewel die
Innoverende Groei Konsep al sedert die sewentiger jare bestaan, is dit steeds ‘n nuwe konsep wat
nog nie tot sy volle potensiaal ontwikkel is nie. Die konsep van Innoverende Groei is bekend in
Amerika maar is in die meeste lande rondom die wêreld, insluitend Suid-Afrika, nog steeds ‘n vae
konsep wat nog verder bekendstelling en oortuiging vereis en uiteindelik geïmplementeer moet
word. Alhoewel hierdie artikel die fokus plaas op die Konsep van Innoverende Groei as
moontlike oplossing in die skepping van volhoubare stede, is daar kritici wat nie saamstem met
hierdie sienswyse nie. Genoeg bewyse word egter voorgehou om te bewys dat die Konsep van
Innoverende Groei ‘n verskil kan maak in ons daaglikse lewe. Die hoof doel van hierdie artikel is
om die leser van genoeg inligting te voorsien rondom die Konsep van Innoverende Groei , en om
die kritiek teen die konsep aan te spreek, ten einde die leser te oortuig dat die konsep positiewe
invloed op die groei van ons stede kan hê.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/21908
Date03 1900
CreatorsTheart, Alwie
ContributorsMuller, J.I., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences. School of Public Management and Planning.
PublisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Source SetsSouth African National ETD Portal
Languageen_ZA
Detected LanguageUnknown
TypeThesis
Formatvi, 32 leaves : ill.
RightsStellenbosch University

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