Proposing targets and limits to urban sprawl as an urban growth management strategy toward sustainability

Urban sprawl has become a major concern in scientific and political discussions because of its many detrimental environmental, economic, and social effects. The current trends in urban sprawl in many countries are in conflict with the spirit and the principles of sustainable development. How can this growing challenge be addressed by future urban growth management policies such as the implementation of greenbelts? Collectively agreed regulations for self-restraint are urgently needed, such as the establishment of targets and limits for urban sprawl, similar to reference values and limitations that have been established in other environmental areas, such as limits to noise and water pollution. Based on the development of urban sprawl in the last 30 years and on a number of potential scenarios of future urban sprawl in Germany, its 16 federal states and 111 planning regions, this project will determine targets and limits to urban sprawl using the Weighted Urban Proliferation (WUP) method. Once such values are established, the method is suitable as an instrument for monitoring compliance with sprawl targets and limits.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jochen Jaeger

Student:

Partner:

Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development

Discipline:

Physics

Sector:

Education

University:

Concordia University

Program: