Conceptual nexus of urban liveability and sustainability

Abstract

The term "liveable cities" appeared in the literature during the 1980s in connection with the growing environmental concerns and the increasing competition among global cities to attract foreign investments and boost their economies. Also, the term sustainability emerged in the late 1980s as a warning to space and city users on the need to manage and regulate environmental resource consumption and utilization. While the concept of liveability seeks to utilize environmental resources for better living for urban dwellers, sustainable urban development on the converse tends to warn of the dangers of overuse and consumption of environmental resources. These concepts, much as they are closely related have also been adjudged to have certain intricate tensions in terms of their views on issues relating to utilization and consumption of environmental resources. This research, therefore, seeks to explore the conceptual relationships and tensions between urban liveability and sustainable development. The review of the literature reveals that, much as both concepts are related, they are critically diverse in their promotion of the use of environmental resources.