Urban Sustainability Challenges Research Articles

Prediction of eco sustainability component using fuzzy Z numbers based ratio analysis and interval type 3 fuzzy logic system

Amid rapid global urbanization, understanding eco-sustainability challenges in megacities like Delhi is crucial both locally and globally. This study introduces a novel multi-criteria group decision-making approach, the Z-Fuzzy Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA), to address these complex challenges. This method prioritizes key eco-sustainability components like air quality index (AQI), water quality index (WQI), Temperature, and Precipitation, based on their impact, aiming to enhance resource allocation and environmental quality. Criteria weights are determined using fuzzy analytical hierarchical processing with Z-numbers, which manage decision-makers' uncertainty through a reliability function, illustrating their confidence levels and supporting the adaptability and effectiveness of eco-sustainability measures. A case study is conducted on seven sub-cities in Delhi examining their unique environmental impacts and urban sustainability challenges. Moreover, the most effective component of eco-sustainability say AQI is also dependent on some factors like PM10, PM2.5, SO2, O3, NO2, and CO. Considering these factors as inputs, an interval type-3 fuzzy logic system (IT3FLS) has been constructed to predict AQI, supporting timely interventions and improvements in eco-sustainability management. The IT3FLS model demonstrated exceptional precision across all Delhi sub-cities, with low root means square error (<0.05), and high R2 values (>0.94), affirming its effectiveness. To validate the Z-Fuzzy SWARA rankings, we compared them with existing Z-Fuzzy methods, consistently ranking AQI first. The IT3FLS's AQI predictions were also compared with those from fuzzy logic and advanced machine learning algorithms, demonstrating superior performance. Finally, the study underscores the managerial implications, emphasizing their role in guiding decision-making and strategy implementation.

Resilience to climate change by improving air circulation efficiency and pollutant dispersion in cities: A 3D-UFO approach to urban block design

Urbanization presents significant challenges to air quality and climate resilience, necessitating pioneering urban design solutions to enhance air circulation and mitigate pollutants. This urgency intensifies in densely populated and rapidly evolving regions like Wuhan, China, where effective strategies are crucial for sustainable development. This study introduces an innovative 3D Urban Form Optimization (3D-UFO) methodology aimed at advancing urban block design configurations to improve urbanization quality. The 3D-UFO approach systematically addresses the multifaceted challenges of climate change and air quality degradation in rapidly urbanizing areas. Integrating GIS-based analysis for comprehensive Land-Use and Land-Cover Change (LULCC) evaluation with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), our approach employs systematic exploration guided by established urban airflow study protocols. Robust metrics—Airspeed-Ratio (ASR) and Average-Age-of-Local-Air (ALA)—quantify the impact of diverse urban block design strategies on air-circulation efficiency and pollutant dispersion. Analysis across various urban scenarios, yielded by the proposed 3D-UFO approach, reveal significant variations in air-circulation efficiency at street and building levels (SBLs). Optimal urban air circulation achieves efficiency levels of 50–70 % when airflow aligns orthogonally across and parallel to streets. Adjusting street-level building heights, especially incorporating taller structures, boosts ventilation efficiency by 20–30 %, which is crucial for improving airflow dynamics in urban settings. Higher Height-to-Width (H/W) ratios (>5.5) yield a 218.5 % increase in ventilation in specific urban layouts. Notably, the synergy of street-aspect-ratio and building-height-ratio adjustments significantly enhance ASR and ALA, providing a quantitative foundation for sustainable urban development. This 3D-UFO methodology, fusing LULCC analysis, CFD simulations, and systematic exploration, emerge as a valuable framework for urban planners and designers. The study offers informed insights into urban sustainability challenges, demonstrating advancements in addressing environmental concerns and improving living conditions within densely populated environments.

Extraction of the essential elements for urban systems modelling – A word-to-vector approach

Due to its ever-evolving nature, urbanisation continues to escalate in complexity, further exacerbating the urban sustainability challenges. This necessitates the need for evidence-based policymaking enabled by modelling approaches, to facilitate informed decisions, and propel and gravitate towards urban sustainability. The major constraint is that of identifying the essential characteristics for consideration when modelling cities as complex systems, in a structured manner that integrates these characteristics, cognisant of their relative importance. The distinctive urban systems, corresponding system characteristics and interdependencies impacting the modelling of cities as complex systems, can be identified from peer-reviewed literature. The limiting constraint is, although there is widely available information on cities in research databases, the ability to use this literature for a quantitative model has not been proven, presenting a research gap. This approach results in significant complexities. In order to resolve these complexities, this study seeks a systems-based approach including a 2-tier structured protocol, leveraging qualitative-to-quantitative techniques to automatically extract the key systems which impact the development of city models. Through a systematic literature review, data on 13 key systems is qualitatively extracted from research databases such as Scopus and ScienceDirect, for the duration 2014 – 2024. Through word2vector analysis, machine learning techniques are utilised to perform the quantitative mapping of each urban system into corresponding system characteristics, and quantitatively illustrate them based on relative importance. The results illustrate that this proposed method is significant to characterize the essential systems that constitute a city as a complex system, based on machine learning and text analytics.

How Is SDG 11 Linked with Other SDGs? Evidence from the United Nations Good Practices

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities” (SDG 11) is linked with the 16 other SDGs to varying extents. Studying these relationships can provide insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the current SDG framework and set the stage for improvements to the next version. We analyze data from the UN database of 221 “good practices” for SDG 11 submitted between 2018 and 2021 to determine the most and least frequent linkages between SDG 11 and other SDGs as well as differences in such linkages between developed and developing countries. We find SDG 11 most closely associated with SDG 17 “Partnership for the Goals” and SDG 13 “Climate Action”. This shows actors’ perceptions of the centrality of international partnerships and climate action in addressing urban sustainability challenges. Connections with SDG 7 “Affordable and Clean Energy”, SDG 2 “Zero Hunger”, and SDG 16 “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions” were surprisingly weak, given the role of clean energy in addressing the climate crisis, the prevalence of poverty and hunger within cities, and the importance of institutions. Developing countries more frequently linked SDG 11 with SDG 5 “Gender Equality” and SDG 6 “Clear Water and Sanitation”, showing a focus on basic infrastructure and gender equity dimensions of sustainability. Developed countries associated SDG 11 more strongly with natural resources, environmental sustainability, and economic production. These findings suggest that more specific targets, indicators, and international support related to energy, poverty, hunger, and institutions may be needed within post-2030 iterations of SDG 11.

Built environment professionals’ perceptions of vertical greenery systems: a case of Delhi, India

ABSTRACT This study examines built environment professionals’ perceptions of vertical greenery systems in Delhi, a city confronting rapid urban growth and climate change challenges. Through a detailed mixed-methods approach using an online survey, this study evaluates the perceived benefits and challenges of such systems. The results indicate cautious optimism, with nearly 39% of respondents having prior experience and acknowledging their aesthetic and environmental benefits, including reducing urban heat and improving air quality. However, concerns regarding technical implementation and regular maintenance of vertical greenery systems emerge as significant barriers. This study highlights the critical need for inclusive urban planning strategies that embrace nature-based solutions, such as vertical greenery systems, to combat urban sustainability challenges considering Delhi’s distinctive climate. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of addressing the uncertainty among building owners and policymakers towards adopting these systems, despite their recognized potential for climate change mitigation. The findings advocate for further research and targeted policies to facilitate the broader application of vertical greenery systems, not only in Delhi, but also in urban settings globally facing similar environmental pressures, thereby contributing to the discourse on urban sustainability and climate resilience.

THE ENVIROMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACT OF CARPOOLING

Abstract: Car pooling System is an automated system which reduces the misery of travelers and makes them find cars in short period of time. Car pooling is an application of finding car in which drivers who are traveling to work alone can ask for fellow passengers through our application. For those who use public-transport system to go to work daily can use this application to find drivers who are traveling to the same destination in a short path. It provides with a simple riding platform between the car owner and car user. This project enables users to access mobility assets own by others exactly when they need. I t shows a medium for available cars to pick up them on the interest of car owner with time and capacity. This project aims at creation of a Car-pooling System. This paper delves into the design and implementation of a novel carpooling project aimed at addressing the challenges of urban transportation sustainability. With burgeoning urban populations, congestion, and environmental concerns, the need for innovative solutions is paramount. Carpooling presents a viable avenue to alleviate these issues by fostering shared mobility, reducing traffic congestion, and cutting down carbon emissions. The project employs a multi-faceted approach, leveraging advancements in mobile technology, data analytics, and user incentives to optimize the carpooling experience. Key components include a user-friendly mobile application for seamless ride matching, dynamic routing algorithms to optimize trip efficiency, and incentive structures to encourage participation and retention. Through a combination of quantitative analysis and qualitative feedback, the efficacy of the carpooling project is evaluated. Metrics such as reduction in vehicle miles traveled, greenhouse gas emissions, and user satisfaction levels are assessed to gauge its impact on urban transportation sustainability. The findings of this research contribute to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable transportation solutions and provide insights for policymakers, urban planners, and transportation stakeholders seeking to promote carpooling initiatives. Ultimately, the project aims to foster a culture of shared mobility and pave the way for more efficient and sustainable urban transportation systems. IndexTerms – HTML, CSS, Javascript. Bootsrap, MySQL, Python.

Different shades of green: how transnational actors frame nature as a solution to sustainability challenges in African cities

ABSTRACT Nature – based solutions (NBS) are increasingly being positioned within global discourses concerning how urban sustainability challenges can be addressed. To better understand to what extent, how, by whom and with what potential implications NBS are promoted in urban Africa, this paper focuses on transnational actors and presents a dataset covering 40 NBS initiatives in 57 cities across 19 African countries. A framing analysis is undertaken to understand to what degree NBS are mobilised in accordance with global discourses. To that end, the paper builds on existing work by Tozer et al. (2022, “Transnational Governance and the Urban Politics of Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Change.” Global Environmental Politics, 1–23) on globally circulating frames of urban nature. In further contributing to their framework, we delve into the underlying values or shades of green that are being signified through the frames by applying the IPBES Nature Futures Framework. Results indicate that urban nature comes to be seen as a solution within a climate resilience – integrated benefits nexus through which various types of transnational actors are bringing nature into the city. Two important findings can be highlighted: First, the deployed frames offer opportunities to address major African urban sustainability challenges, but initiatives may not yet be configured to adequately address their scope and magnitude. Second, the configurations of frames are predominantly informed by instrumental values that put "Nature for Society” perspectives in focus, missing opportunities for NBS to build on relational values, or “Nature as Culture” perspectives and for accommodating a plurality of worldviews on desirable futures for urban nature.

Revisiting China’s Urban Transition from the Perspective of Urbanisation: A Critical Review and Analysis

Amidst global sustainability challenges across domains such as energy, water, and transportation, China’s urbanisation process presents unique socio-economic dynamics, particularly following the Reform and Opening Up policy. The existing literature has not fully captured the complex interplay between urban growth and sustainability challenges in China, nor has it adequately explored the phased nature of urbanisation informed by evolving policies. This paper provides a comprehensive review of China’s urban transition, emphasising its evolution since the Reform and Opening Up policy. Through systematic analysis, it delineates the multifaceted nature of urbanisation, reflecting on policy impacts and socio-economic shifts. Findings indicate transformative urban growth characterised by new challenges in environmental sustainability, social equity, and urban–rural integration. The research unveils the transition to a human-centric urban development model, highlighting policy shifts towards sustainable practices. The results suggest a nuanced urban–rural convergence, advocating for participatory governance and balanced growth. The unique contribution of this study lies in its empirical and theoretical examination of China’s urbanisation within a global context, offering a critical perspective on policy formulation and sustainable urban development.

Efficient Transport Sharing Systems

Abstract: Car pooling System is an automated system which reduces the misery of travelers and makes them find cars in short period of time. Car pooling is an application of finding car in which drivers who are traveling to work alone can ask for fellow passengers through our application. For those who use public-transport system to go to work daily can use this application to find drivers who are traveling to the same destination in a short path. It provides with a simple riding platform between the car owner and car user. This project enables users to access mobility assets own by others exactly when they need. I t shows a medium for available cars to pick up them on the interest of car owner with time and capacity. This project aims at creation of a Car-pooling System. This paper delves into the design and implementation of a novel carpooling project aimed at addressing the challenges of urban transportation sustainability. With burgeoning urban populations, congestion, and environmental concerns, the need for innovative solutions is paramount. Carpooling presents a viable avenue to alleviate these issues by fostering shared mobility, reducing traffic congestion, and cutting down carbon emissions. The project employs a multi-faceted approach, leveraging advancements in mobile technology, data analytics, and user incentives to optimize the carpooling experience. Key components include a user-friendly mobile application for seamless ride matching, dynamic routing algorithms to optimize trip efficiency, and incentive structures to encourage participation and retention. Through a combination of quantitative analysis and qualitative feedback, the efficacy of the carpooling project is evaluated. Metrics such as reduction in vehicle miles traveled, greenhouse gas emissions, and user satisfaction levels are assessed to gauge its impact on urban transportation sustainability. The findings of this research contribute to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable transportation solutions and provide insights for policymakers, urban planners, and transportation stakeholders seeking to promote carpooling initiatives. Ultimately, the project aims to foster a culture of shared mobility and pave the way for more efficient and sustainable urban transportation systems. IndexTerms – HTML, CSS, Javascript, Django, Bootsrap, MySQL, Python.

Education in collaboration with cities: the intentions of transdisciplinary courses

Purpose In collaboration with their home cities, universities increasingly develop courses in which students investigate urban sustainability challenges. This paper aims to understand how far-reaching the collaboration with urban stakeholders in these courses is and what students are meant to learn from the transdisciplinary pedagogies. Design/methodology/approach This research is designed as a qualitative multiple-case study into the intentions of transdisciplinary courses in which universities collaborate with their home cities: Delft University of Technology in Delft and Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Metropolitan Solutions in Amsterdam. The study compares the written intentions of eight courses in course descriptions with the ideal intentions that teachers describe in interviews. Findings First, seven of the eight investigated courses were designed for urban stakeholders to participate at a distance or as a client but rarely was a course intended to lead to a collaborative partnership between the city and students. Second, the metacognitive learning objectives, such as learning to deal with biases and values of others or getting to know one’s strengths and weaknesses in collaboration, were often absent in the course descriptions. Learning objectives relating to metacognition are at the heart of transdisciplinary work, yet when they remain implicit in the learning objectives, they are difficult to teach. Originality/value This paper presents insight into the levels of participation intended in transdisciplinary courses. Furthermore, it shows the (mis)alignment between intended learning objectives in course descriptions and teachers’ ideals. Understanding both the current state of transdisciplinarity in sustainability courses and what teachers envision is vital for the next steps in the development of transdisciplinary education.

Evaluation of the Thermal Performance of Two Passive Facade System Solutions for Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is essential for the future of the planet. Using passive elements, like ventilated facades based on insulation and air chambers, or living walls, which are solutions based on nature, is a powerful strategy for cities to improve their thermal environment, reduce energy consumption, and mitigate the effects of climate change. This approach allows for the quantification of the influence of passive surfaces on energy fluxes compared to bare surfaces. In addition, it delves into understanding how the incorporation of vegetation on building facades alters surface energy fluxes, involving a combination of physical and biochemical processes. This comprehensive investigation seeks to harness the potential of passive and natural solutions to address the pressing challenges of urban sustainability and climate resilience. This research uses a surface energy balance model to analyze the thermal performance of two facades using experimental data from a PASLINK test cell. This study uses the grey box RC model, which links continuous-time ordinary differential equations with discrete measurement data points. This model provides insight into the complex interplay among factors that influence the thermal behavior of building facades, with the goal of comprehensively understanding how ventilated and green facades affect the dynamics of energy flow compared to conventional facades. The initial thermal resistance of the bare facade was 0.75 (°C m2)/W. The introduction of a ventilated facade significantly increased this thermal resistance to 2.47 (°C m2)/W due to the insulating capacity of the air chamber and its insulating layer (1.70 (°C m2)/W). Regarding the modular living wall, it obtained a thermal resistance value of 1.22 (°C m2)/W (this vegetated facade does not have an insulating layer). In this context, the modular living wall proved to be effective in reducing convective energy by 68% compared with the non-green facade. It is crucial to highlight that evapotranspiration was the primary mechanism for energy dissipation in the green facade. The experiments conclusively show that both the modular living wall and open-ventilated facade significantly reduce solar heat loads compared with non-passive bare wall facades, demonstrating their effectiveness in enhancing thermal performance and minimizing heat absorption.

Environmental Management Expenditure and Fiscal Sustainability of South African Urban Municipalities: A Panel Data Model

Globally, instituting good environmental management practices within cities in developing countries is a climate-induced risk mitigation strategy. It is, however, an opportunity for local municipalities to achieve fiscal sustainability objectives and environmentally responsible decisions. Cash-constrained local municipalities are characterized by failures to balance environmental and financial needs, resulting in complex urban sustainability challenges. Therefore, this article examines the relationship between environmental management expenditure and fiscal sustainability (FS) in South African local municipalities to contribute to the debate concerning the sustainability of environmental protection projects in local municipalities. The study employed ordinary least squares and feasible generalized least squares to estimate coefficients of linear regression equations involving data collected from 30 local municipalities from 2012 to 2021. The results suggest that only wastewater and environmental protection expenditures positively impact FS, with solid waste management expenditure influencing the FS negatively. Lessons from the research will assist policymakers and municipal administrators in addressing environmental policy incoherence for the improved financial viability of environmental protection projects. Lastly, future research can focus on environmental data collection and reporting for improved and informed environmental protection decisions.

Hyperlocal environmental data with a mobile platform in urban environments

Environmental data with a high spatio-temporal resolution is vital in informing actions toward tackling urban sustainability challenges. Yet, access to hyperlocal environmental data sources is limited due to the lack of monitoring infrastructure, consistent data quality, and data availability to the public. This paper reports environmental data (PM, NO2, temperature, and relative humidity) collected from 2020 to 2022 and calibrated in four deployments in three global cities. Each data collection campaign targeted a specific urban environmental problem related to air quality, such as tree diversity, community exposure disparities, and excess fossil fuel usage. Firstly, we introduce the mobile platform design and its deployment in Boston (US), NYC (US), and Beirut (Lebanon). Secondly, we present the data cleaning and validation process, for the air quality data. Lastly, we explain the data format and how hyperlocal environmental datasets can be used standalone and with other data to assist evidence-based decision-making. Our mobile environmental sensing datasets include cities of varying scales, aiming to address data scarcity in developing regions and support evidence-based environmental policymaking.

Barriers and Solutions to Green Facade Implementation—A Review of Literature and a Case Study of Leipzig, Germany

The expansion of green infrastructure through vertical forms of greenery is an innovative way to address urban sustainability challenges. Despite various social, economic, and environmental benefits, however, facade greening is rarely implemented. This article examines barriers to and solutions for the implementation of green facades through a systematic literature review and a participatory case study of Leipzig, Germany. We found a total of 24 social, political-administrative, economic, practical-technical, and environmental barriers hindering key actors to (successfully) implement green facades. The lack of information and knowledge was found to be an underlying issue. Solutions co-created with local stakeholders and experts include the provision of informative, regulatory, and financial incentives, the adaptation of political-administrative strategies, regulations, and procedures, as well as the support of the practical-technical implementation process through information and experts. To overcome barriers, various measures must be combined, but establishing public relations and advisory services on green facades is of priority in Leipzig. By combining insights from academic literature with applied knowledge of a diverse group of local actors, we identify how barriers to facade greening may be overcome in the specific case of a major German city and provide a blueprint for similar research in other socio-political contexts.

Understanding advances and challenges of urban water security and sustainability in China based on water footprint dynamics

Sustainability of China’s numerous cities are threatened by both quantity- and quality-induced water scarcity, which can be measured by the water footprint from a consumption (WFcons) or production (WFprod) perspective. Although WFcons was widely assessed, the changes in WFprod of China’s cities were still unclear. A large-scale decrease in urban WFprod in China was found, with the average WFprod decreasing from 13.8 billion m3 to 10.3 billion m3 and the per capita WFprod decreasing from 1614.8 m3/person to 1184.0 m3/person (i.e., falling by more than a quarter in just six years). Such shrinkage was particularly evident in drylands, eliminating the water deficit in Xi’an and Xining. The reduction in grey WFprod caused by implementing water pollution prevention policies and other relevant measures played the most important role in the savings. In the future, the implementation of updated pollution discharge standards is projected to allow more cities to escape water deficits; however, the rapid growth of the domestic and ecological blue WFprod caused by urbanization and urban greening would destabilize this prospect. Thus, attention should be given to both water pollution prevention and domestic and ecological blue WFprod restriction to further alleviate urban water scarcity in China.

Misfortunes never come singly. A holistic approach to urban resilience and sustainability challenges

Making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable is one of the main global commitments for urban development, on which the Covid-19 pandemic adds both pressure and windows of opportunity. Despite an emerging scholarship, ambiguities exist with regard to the similarities, differences and trade-offs between urban resilience, sustainability, inclusiveness and other related concepts. Our empirical research aims to broaden understanding of urban resilience - sustainability nexus and its connection with urban safety and inclusiveness. To this end, we explore the variation in the perception of urban challenges and the interplay between the hazards, shocks and stresses identified and encoded by the cities participating in the 100 Resilient Cities (100 RC) Programme. The results of a multiple correspondence analysis show that hazards and acute shocks cluster together and differentiate from chronic stresses. This allowed us to discriminate between two dimensions: urban resilience and urban sustainability; at their intersection we found different “latent” challenges that score relatively high on both dimensions and represent what we call the urban safety and inclusiveness dimension. A fertile seedbed has been created for adding to the existing literature a new representation of the relationship between urban resilience and sustainability, with forays into safety and inclusiveness as well.

Diffusion of Cement Kiln Co-Processing of Contaminated Soil in Selected Provinces of China: Engineering Practices, Modeling, and Driving Factors

Promoting the diffusion of remediation technologies is an attractive solution to environmental protection and urban sustainability challenges. To better understand technology diffusion, we reviewed the engineering practices of cement kiln co-processing (CKC) of contaminated soil and obtained diffusion parameters using the Bass model in three provinces of China. Our results show that CKC has been adopted for the disposal of multiple contaminants and that the optimal feed rate of contaminated soil is 4–5%. The obtained diffusion parameters can be used to analyze and predict CKC diffusion. Driving factors analysis suggest that CKC diffusion is regulation-driven and obeys the S-curve pattern. Policies at the national level shape the basic pattern of the diffusion curve, while local policies, market scales, and contaminant types produce variations in diffusion rates across provinces. Results also reveal that the co-processing quota management on contaminated soil has little impact on CKC adoption. This study provides insights into contaminated soil remediation technology diffusion and the effectiveness of environmental policy implementation at home and abroad.

Integration of knowledge systems in urban farming initiatives: insight from Taipei Garden City.

There is growing interest globally in the potential of urban farming to respond to a breadth of urban sustainability challenges. Yet it is also recognised that the policy and implementation of this nature-based strategy is influenced by an underlying science–policy–practice community. The aim of this paper is to understand how different actors and knowledges come together to form a science–policy–practice community for a citywide urban farming initiative—Taipei Garden City. The result shows that the science–policy–practice community was formed in a dynamic ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ process. This allows long-term public–private partnership to be developed and enables different knowledges and experiences to co-exist in policies and practices. This study argues that in-between spaces and actors, who can cut across different fora, are vital to make urban farming interventions happen. Nonetheless, we also question the extent to which embodied and experiential knowledge is sufficient to support environmentally and socially appropriate outcomes for attaining urban sustainability.

Border troubles: urban nature and the remaking of public/private divides

ABSTRACT Traditional interventions to “bring nature into the city” were often motivated by a concern to create forms of public space which would provide a public good. Despite such well-intentioned motivations, these public forms of urban nature have always been to some extent bounded, serving some in favor of others, authorizing particular uses and forms of behavior as more or less legitimate, and policing the boundaries of who is/not included in such space. In this paper, we argue that new interventions seeking to bring nature-based solutions (NBS) into the city serve to further trouble these boundaries. NBS seek to use nature to address urban sustainability challenges and they navigate and serve to reconfigure what is (and is not) public in the city. We draw on research undertaken in three cities – Newcastle (United Kingdom), Cape Town (South Africa) and Athens (Greece) to explore the ways in which notions of the private and the public are being remade with and through nature, and its implications for how we might understand urban politics. Our conclusions point to the need for governance arrangements that can support the long-term stewardship of nature in the public interest and with due accountability and we suggest three arrangements.

A Nanotechnology Foresight Perspective for South Africa

This study aims to apply nanotechnology in industry and its impact on economic growth and sustainable development, creating job opportunities and reducing unemployment and poverty in society. From this perspective, one way of sustainable development is to pay attention to economic progress in the context of new technologies, especially nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is an important tool for addressing urban sustainability challenges, including climate change, water pollution, access to healthy food and public safety. It is a deep scientific horizon with high potential in the production of products and the processing of new technologies, where new technologies are evidence of the political, civic, economic, and social empowerment that are all building blocks, both for global goals and for grandiose visions and expectations for prosperity.