Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
inter-generational problem may be the consumption of some
finite resource
without
regard to the needs of a future generation for that resource, issues that are increas-
ingly being dealt with under sustainability concepts (Chaps. 5-7). However, in the
specific context of any urban area this type of problem can be seen in many exam-
ples: the loss of a public park space to private development; the exhaustion of some
fossil energy source, leaving none for future generations; the long term effects of
polluting some waterway or land in and around a city by industrial processes in the
name of economic progress. The latter will ensure that future generations will have
the expense of clearing up the mess, or suffering the health effects of the pollution.
One solution has been the creation of land use approval policies that insist that com-
panies, especially in mining or in waste disposal, should set aside a fixed proportion
of operating costs each year to create a fund that will be used to remove industrial
buildings and waste dumps when the production unit closes, and to restore land to a
use as close to its original state as is possible, or even to improve its quality.
There is also increasing awareness of the problem that stems from the aging of
western societies and settlements. Given the decreasing numbers of working people,
and the increasing numbers of old people who are also living longer, it is increas-
ingly apparent that the existing welfare nets and pension rights that support the
elderly may be difficult if impossible to maintain, which creates health problems as
discussed in Chap. 12 (Healthy Cities). Although governments are trying to increase
the age of retirement, these policies look to be timid solutions to a major problem for
future generations. In any case it is surely unfair to treat all the same: few manual
workers can be expected to continue working until 70 instead of 65 years old, given
decline in physical capabilities, whereas many office workers would not suffer the
same disabilities. As yet these issues are being conceptualized on a national, not a
local urban level. Nevertheless, municipalities will be affected, since these deliver
many of the services on which the elderly depend. Moreover, since urban budgets
are being reduced in many countries there are increasing doubts about the ability
of most cities to continue to provide effective coverage for people in need, espe-
cially the elderly. In Britain, reduced grants from the central government since the
financial crash of 2008 have meant that many municipal facilities, such as leisure
and community centres, are being cut on the basis of financial exigency. Similar
reductions in American cities are a consequence of the fact that pensions for former
employees are often still the responsibility of municipalities rather than the state or
federal government. Many urban places are struggling to pay these liabilities, which
have led to bankruptcies, pension cuts and drastic reductions in police and other ser-
vices. These examples show the need to be increasingly aware of such generational
issues. But there is still a long way to go in ensuring that such issues are always
included in reviews of policies designed to ensure greater social justice in a city.
3.6.4
Equalities and Freedoms
It must also be noted that the guidelines shown in Table
3.3
are not very comprehen-
sive on the freedoms and equalities described in the capabilities approach (Fig.
3.1
).
