Megaprojects, Ecology and the Environment: Dimensions of Sustainability in Global Cities

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to propose a set of conditions for the governance of megaprojects in order to ensure their sustainability. We focus on several sustainable strategies: environmental, socio-economic, institutional, as well as those associated with the design, planning, and management aspects of megaprojects. As our main methodology, we use summary descriptions of case studies. Our assessment of environmental challenges and sustainability in megaprojects of four key global cities (New York, London, Paris, and Tokyo) focuses on controversies triggered by the planning and construction of megaprojects in these cities. From the viewpoint of sustainability, what specific controversies do megaprojects trigger at various socio-political scales? What are the challenges, and what are the most suitable governance arrangements that can be key for supporting sustainable cities and regions? An exploration into the conditions for sustainability in megaprojects will help to critically evaluate the urban megaproject phenomenon, and it will contribute to an understanding of the mutual relationships between globalization, infrastructure development, and sustainability. The main finding of our analysis is that environmental challenges are gradually becoming one of the key factors affecting the capacity, performance, and impact of megaprojects in urban settings. Our analysis led to highlight several sustainable strategies: environmental, socio-economic, institutional, as well as those associated with the design, planning, and management aspects of megaprojects. We conclude that suggesting that megaprojects could foster sustainability in cities and regions is a counter-intuitive idea, but the growing importance of megaprojects in the sustainable development agenda warrants a careful analysis in order to critically assess to what extent urban leaders foster sustainable urban practices, even as they face pressures from investors and promoters to keep building, and how those practices could be improved. In addition, we conclude by providing governance criteria for sustainable megaprojects development in policy discourses and practices.