American Journal of Environmental Protection

| Peer-Reviewed |

Measuring Progress toward Urban Sustainable Development Using a Quantitative Model (Case Study: Cities in Iran)

Received: 29 March 2014    Accepted: 15 April 2014    Published: 30 April 2014
Views:       Downloads:

Share This Article

Abstract

Sustainable development offers a new concept for the world economy in the twenty-first century. Rather than focusing solely on income, sustainable development encourages cities, countries, and the world to focus simultaneously on three goals: economic prosperity, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Cities will be in the front lines of the battle for sustainable development. Not only do they face direct threats; they also have the best opportunities to identify and deliver solutions. As high-density, high-productivity settlements, cities can provide greater access to services of all kinds–including energy, water, health, education, finance, media, transport, recycling, and research – than can most rural areas. In this study first, ten indicators of Sustainable Development, some with positive relationship with sustainable development and some with negative relationship were chosen and information related to performances of 8 indices of 28 cities of Iran’s country in years 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010 extracted. After extracting indices and processing them, indices were standardized. In the next step and after standardizing, using McGranahan method, correlation matrix of indices was calculated by SPSS software and weight of each index was determined. After this step, weight of each index was multiplied on each standardized index and at the end composite index for each city was calculated for 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. Then, these composite indexes were sorted by descending. Stability numbers obtained using this method for Tehran for these years are 364, 369, 347 and 344 respectively, which was always higher than the average of 28 cities. Tehran’s rank was always between 4 and 9 showing undesirable performance which requires suitable actions.

DOI 10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19
Published in American Journal of Environmental Protection (Volume 3, Issue 2, April 2014)
Page(s) 96-102
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Sustainable Development, Quantitative, Progress, McGranahan Method, Indicator

References
[1] M. Gharakhloo, S.H Hoseini, Indicators for sustainable urban development, Journal of Geography and Regional Development, No 8, Page 157-177, 2005.
[2] E. Hanff, M.H. Dabat and J. Blin, Are biofuels an efficient technology for generating sustainable development in oil-dependent African nations? A macroeconomic assessment of the opportunities and impacts in Burkina Faso, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 15, Pp: 2199–2209. 2011.
[3] Y. Lui, D. He, S. Buchanan. and J. Liu, Ecological Footprint Dynamic of Yunnan China. Journal of Mountain Science. Vol. 6, No. 3, Pp: 286-292, 2009.
[4] K. Mori and A. Christodulou, Review Of Sustainability Incidences and Indicators: Towards A New City Sustainability Index (CSI). Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment Review. Pp 1-13. 2011.
[5] D. Olj, M. Ivanovic, M.T. Golusiz, S.N. Dodic, and J.M. Dodic, Perspectives sustainable development in countries of Southeastern Europe, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Vol. 13, Pp: 2079–2087. 2009.
[6] M.R. Poorjafar, Z. Khodaee, Geological indicators of sustainable urban development, National Conference on Contemporary Iranian Architecture and Urbanism, 15 pages, Beyza, 2010.
[7] World Commission on Environment and Development (WECD), Our Common Future. Oxford/New York: Oxford University Press. 1987
[8] S. Afonja, “Gender, Culture and the Environment”, Paper presented at National Workshop on Nigerias Endangered Environment: Agenda for a New Millenum. Lagos 1999
[9] United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, National Sustainable Development Strategies 2004 www.un.org/esa/desa.html
[10] S. Moreno Pires, T. Fidélis, T.B. Ramos, Measuring and comparing local sustainable development through common indicators: Constraints and achievements in practice, Cities, Volume 39, August 2014, Pages 1-9
[11] S.A. Khatoonabadi, Aspects of sustainable development (From thought to action), Jahad University Unit of Technology Esfahan, Esfahan, Management, 2006.
[12] A.A. Enayati, FAQ and methodology of sustainable development indicators, Secretariat of the National Committee on Sustainable Development, Tehran. 2007, http:/www./irandoe.org/doeportal/ncsd
[13] L.M. Raak, Think Globally, Act Locally, and Plan Nationally An Evaluation of Sustainable Development in Indonesia at National, Regional, and Local Levels, Global Sustainable Communities Handbook, 2014, Pages 125-215
[14] L. Dvořáková, J. Zborková, Integration of Sustainable Development at Enterprise Level, Procedia Engineering, Volume 69, 2014, Pages 686-695.
[15] Susan Kinnear, Ian Ogden, Planning the innovation agenda for sustainable development in resource regions: A central Queensland case study, Resources Policy, Volume 39, March 2014, Pages 42-53.
[16] kh. Kalantari, Regional Planning and Development, Tehran, khoshbin press, 2002, p73.
[17] SH. Karami, GH. NabiBidhendi, H.R. Jafari, F. Pourasghare Sangachin, and A. Nejadi, Analysis and measuring seventh Goal Millennium development goals of selected countries by using composite indicators, the 3th International conference On Biological life sciences(ICBLS), Singapore, 2012.
Author Information
  • MSC in Regional Planinig, Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran, Iran

  • MSc student in urban management, university of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

  • Undergraduate Student, Azad University, Karaj Branch, Karaj, Iran

Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Saeed Soleymani Sardu, Mohssen Torabi, Shahrbanoo Vafaei Varmazabadi. (2014). Measuring Progress toward Urban Sustainable Development Using a Quantitative Model (Case Study: Cities in Iran). American Journal of Environmental Protection, 3(2), 96-102. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Saeed Soleymani Sardu; Mohssen Torabi; Shahrbanoo Vafaei Varmazabadi. Measuring Progress toward Urban Sustainable Development Using a Quantitative Model (Case Study: Cities in Iran). Am. J. Environ. Prot. 2014, 3(2), 96-102. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Saeed Soleymani Sardu, Mohssen Torabi, Shahrbanoo Vafaei Varmazabadi. Measuring Progress toward Urban Sustainable Development Using a Quantitative Model (Case Study: Cities in Iran). Am J Environ Prot. 2014;3(2):96-102. doi: 10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19,
      author = {Saeed Soleymani Sardu and Mohssen Torabi and Shahrbanoo Vafaei Varmazabadi},
      title = {Measuring Progress toward Urban Sustainable Development Using a Quantitative Model (Case Study: Cities in Iran)},
      journal = {American Journal of Environmental Protection},
      volume = {3},
      number = {2},
      pages = {96-102},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19},
      eprint = {https://download.sciencepg.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajep.20140302.19},
      abstract = {Sustainable development offers a new concept for the world economy in the twenty-first century. Rather than focusing solely on income, sustainable development encourages cities, countries, and the world to focus simultaneously on three goals: economic prosperity, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Cities will be in the front lines of the battle for sustainable development. Not only do they face direct threats; they also have the best opportunities to identify and deliver solutions. As high-density, high-productivity settlements, cities can provide greater access to services of all kinds–including energy, water, health, education, finance, media, transport, recycling, and research – than can most rural areas. In this study first, ten indicators of Sustainable Development, some with positive relationship with sustainable development and some with negative relationship were chosen and information related to performances of 8 indices of 28 cities of Iran’s country in years 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010 extracted. After extracting indices and processing them, indices were standardized. In the next step and after standardizing, using McGranahan method, correlation matrix of indices was calculated by SPSS software and weight of each index was determined. After this step, weight of each index was multiplied on each standardized index and at the end composite index for each city was calculated for 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. Then, these composite indexes were sorted by descending. Stability numbers obtained using this method for Tehran for these years are 364, 369, 347 and 344 respectively, which was always higher than the average of 28 cities. Tehran’s rank was always between 4 and 9 showing undesirable performance which requires suitable actions.},
     year = {2014}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Measuring Progress toward Urban Sustainable Development Using a Quantitative Model (Case Study: Cities in Iran)
    AU  - Saeed Soleymani Sardu
    AU  - Mohssen Torabi
    AU  - Shahrbanoo Vafaei Varmazabadi
    Y1  - 2014/04/30
    PY  - 2014
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19
    T2  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
    JF  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
    JO  - American Journal of Environmental Protection
    SP  - 96
    EP  - 102
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-5699
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajep.20140302.19
    AB  - Sustainable development offers a new concept for the world economy in the twenty-first century. Rather than focusing solely on income, sustainable development encourages cities, countries, and the world to focus simultaneously on three goals: economic prosperity, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability. Cities will be in the front lines of the battle for sustainable development. Not only do they face direct threats; they also have the best opportunities to identify and deliver solutions. As high-density, high-productivity settlements, cities can provide greater access to services of all kinds–including energy, water, health, education, finance, media, transport, recycling, and research – than can most rural areas. In this study first, ten indicators of Sustainable Development, some with positive relationship with sustainable development and some with negative relationship were chosen and information related to performances of 8 indices of 28 cities of Iran’s country in years 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010 extracted. After extracting indices and processing them, indices were standardized. In the next step and after standardizing, using McGranahan method, correlation matrix of indices was calculated by SPSS software and weight of each index was determined. After this step, weight of each index was multiplied on each standardized index and at the end composite index for each city was calculated for 1995, 2000, 2005 and 2010. Then, these composite indexes were sorted by descending. Stability numbers obtained using this method for Tehran for these years are 364, 369, 347 and 344 respectively, which was always higher than the average of 28 cities. Tehran’s rank was always between 4 and 9 showing undesirable performance which requires suitable actions.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

  • Sections