Environmental Sustainability of Mega-City: Technology Possibility and Boundary Rigidity

Jiahua Pan ()
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Jiahua Pan: Institute for Urban and Environmental Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, MCC Tower, 28 Shuguangxili, Chaoyang District, Beijing 100028, China

Chinese Journal of Urban and Environmental Studies (CJUES), 2015, vol. 03, issue 04, 1-10

Abstract: Environmental governance of city hinges on the balance between technology possibility and rigid constraints of boundaries. Environmental carrying capacity of city constitutes rigid constraints of boundaries. The multiplier effect, incremental effect, and substitution effect of technology efficiently break through the constraints of environmental capacity posed upon city development, enable continuous expansion of city size, and lead to increasing amount and size of mega-cities. Nevertheless, rebound effect, accelerating effect, and ultimate effect of technology innovation also imposes limitations upon expansion of environmental carrying capacity and has negative effects on city operation and sustainability. Boundaries of mega-city cannot be broken though by technology possibility because of natural, social, and economic rigidity. Alternative solutions beyond technology, such as reformations and innovations on socio-economic and institutional mechanisms, should be concerned in the context of technical bottleneck of environmental governance of mega-city.

Keywords: City; environmental capacity; technology; governance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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DOI: 10.1142/S234574811550027X

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