Introduction
"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global average sea level." "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." As the urgency for sustainability efforts grows, cities with their high concentrations of people and subsequent high rates of resource consumption are being forced to take an active role in becoming more sustainable. To this end, many cities and regions around the globe are developing programs and comprehensive city plans to address social, economic and environmental sustainability. The Problem: Throughout planning history, many city plans have been made, but of the many only a few have been implemented. WIth the growing urgency of the global warming problem, can we afford to have our plans fail even once? How can we go about planning for sustainable cities in such a way that plans will find fruition on the first try? This study looks at two cities at different stages of the greening process: Portland, Oregon, which has been grappling with sustainability for over 30 years and New York City whose greening plan just celebrated its six month anniversary less than a month ago. Using the experiences of Portland, Oregon this study will draw insights for sustainability planning. Portland's experiences will also serve as a useful comparison to evaluate the potential of New York City's new PlaNYC 2030. Portland Case Study: Portland is often dubbed the most sustainable city in the country. Planners have even wondered if Portland is the ideal urban form for a sustainable city. This study will examine Portland's development given its unique planning history, political environment and connection to its natural surroundings. Although arising in a different time period from the New York plan, Portland's experience will be useful for understanding the elements necessary in New York City to bring about the successful implementation of PlaNYC 2030. New York City Case Study: Through examining New York's plan for sustainability, this study compares the the approach to sustainability planning in New York City to that of Portland given their respective contexts including the time period in which the plans were put forth, the political environment, structure of the plans and means for implementation. Conclusion: Lastly, this study will briefly evaluate the plans of New York and Portland individually and against one another with some recommendations for further steps for each place towards creating a sustainable city. For reference: Earth Day Timeline Term Project by: Shutsu Chai |