Livable Cities from a Global Perspective offers case studies from around the world on how cities approach livability. They address the fundamental question, what is considered "livable?" The journey each city has taken or is currently taking is unique and context specific. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to livability. Some cities have had a long history of developing livability policies and programs that focus on equity, economic, and environmental concerns, while other cities are relatively new to the game. In some areas, government has taken the lead while in other areas, grassroots activism has been the impetus for livability policies and programs. The challenge facing our cities is not simply developing a livability program. We must continually monitor and readjust policies and programs to meet the livability needs of all people. The case studies investigate livability issues in such cities as Austin, Texas; Helsinki, Finland; London, United Kingdom; Warsaw, Poland; Tehran, Iran; Salt Lake City, United States; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Sydney, Australia; and Cape Town, South Africa. The chapters are organized into such themes as livability in capital city regions, livability and growth and development, livability and equity concerns, livability and metrics, and creating livability. Each chapter provides unique insights into how a specific area has responded to calls for livable cities. In doing so, the book adds to the existing literature in the field of livable cities and provides policy makers and other organizations with information and alternative strategies that have been developed and implemented in an effort to become a livable city.

This book constitutes the refereed post-conference proceedings of the First International Conference on Society with Future: Smart and Liveable Cities, SC4Life 2019, which took place in Braga, Portugal, in December 2019. The 13 revised full papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 19 submissions. The conference has brought researchers, developers, and practitioners who are leveraging and develoing new knowledge on the topic of smart cities, offering more efficiency to main infrastructures, utilities and services, creating a sustainable urban environment that improves the quality of life for its citizens and enhances economic development.

This book explores the concept of livable cities, where people enjoy living and being, and examines indicators of citizens' well-being in relation to the urban environment. It is authored by experts from diverse disciplines, providing a citizen-centered perspective on urban well-being in sustainable, environmentally friendly, and climate-neutral (or -positive) cities. The contributions focus on the human and social aspects of cities, developing operational models and frameworks for circular cities, smart resource utilization, and examining contextual factors such as environmental and neighborhood quality, energy transition, climate neutrality, and recycling as factors that influence the well-being of "homo urbanus.” The chapters approach these topics from various analytical perspectives, including conceptual/theoretical, methodological/modeling, policy/planning, and evidence-based case studies. This book will be of interest to scholars in regional and spatial science, urban geography, economics, and related fields, as well as those interested in urban well-being.

This unique volume aims to provide a first comprehensive assessment on attributes, conditions and characters which constitute a liveable city. The book posits that the degree of liveability depends on five themes: satisfaction with the freedom from want; satisfaction with the state of the natural environment and its management; satisfaction with freedom from fear; satisfaction with the socio-cultural conditions; and satisfaction with public governance.The authors attempt to be more constructive through performing policy simulations by first identifying relative weaknesses and strengths of 64 global cities across major continents including European, Asian, Middle Eastern, North and South American cities. The book also ranks and simulates 36 Asian cities separately, of which many are emerging third-world cities that are in need of policy guidance.

The shift of people from rural areas to cities and urban towns in developing and emerging economies is one of the most profound demographic changes happening globally. Cities all over the world offer significant opportunities to transform human well-being, catalyze economic development, and serve as incubators for new ideas. Rapid urbanization is often linked to improved economic opportunities, better access to health and education services, and improved living conditions. However, underinvestment in infrastructure and services and weak urban governance, planning and financing frameworks can undermine urbanization’s potential to serve as the engine of green and inclusive growth and development.

The twenty-first century finds civilization heavily based in cities that have grown into large metropolitan areas. Many of these focal points of human activity face problems of economic inefficiency, environmental deterioration, and an unsatisfactory quality of life--problems that go far in determining whether a city is "livable." A large share of these problems stems from the inefficiencies and other impacts of urban transportation systems. The era of projects aimed at maximizing vehicular travel is being replaced by the broader goal of achieving livable cities: economically efficient, socially sound, and environmentally friendly. This book explores the complex relationship between transportation and the character of cities and metropolitan regions. Vukan Vuchic applies his experience in urban transportation systems and policies to present a systematic review of transportation modes and their characteristics. Transportation for Livable Cities dispels the myths and emotional advocacies for or against freeways, rail transit, bicycles,and other modes of transportation. The author discusses the consequences of excessive automobile dependence and shows that the most livable cities worldwide have intermodal systems that balance highway and public transit modes while providing for pedestrians, bicyclists, and paratransit. Vuchic defines the policies necessary for achieving livable cities: the effective implementation of integrated intermodal transportation systems.