IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v7y2015i9p12402-12424d55535.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Visualization of a City Sustainability Index (CSI): Towards Transdisciplinary Approaches Involving Multiple Stakeholders

Author

Listed:
  • Koichiro Mori

    (International Center, Shiga University, 1-1-1 Banba, Hikone, Shiga 522-8522, Japan)

  • Toyonobu Fujii

    (Oceanlab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Main Street, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire AB41 6AA, UK
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Tsuguta Yamashita

    (Department of Sociology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Letters, Yoshida Honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Yutaka Mimura

    (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, 457-4 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8047, Japan
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Yuta Uchiyama

    (Institute of Human and Social Sciences, Kanazawa University, Kakuma, Kanazawa, Ishikawa 920-1192, Japan
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Kengo Hayashi

    (Research Institute for Humanity and Nature, 457-4 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita-ku, Kyoto 603-8047, Japan
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

We have developed a visualized 3-D model of a City Sustainability Index (CSI) based on our original concept of city sustainability in which a sustainable city is defined as one that maximizes socio-economic benefits while meeting constraint conditions of the environment and socio-economic equity on a permanent basis. The CSI is based on constraint and maximization indicators. Constraint indicators assess whether a city meets the necessary minimum conditions for city sustainability. Maximization indicators measure the benefits that a city generates in socio-economic aspects. When used in the policy-making process, the choice of constraint indicators should be implemented using a top-down approach. In contrast, a bottom-up approach is more suitable for defining maximization indicators because this technique involves multiple stakeholders (in a transdisciplinary approach). Using different materials of various colors, shapes, sizes, we designed and constructed the visualized physical model of the CSI to help people evaluate and compare the performance of different cities in terms of sustainability. The visualized model of the CSI can convey complicated information in a simple and straightforward manner to diverse stakeholders so that the sustainability analysis can be understood intuitively by ordinary citizens as well as experts. Thus, the CSI model helps stakeholders to develop critical thinking about city sustainability and enables policymakers to make informed decisions for sustainability through a transdisciplinary approach.

Suggested Citation

  • Koichiro Mori & Toyonobu Fujii & Tsuguta Yamashita & Yutaka Mimura & Yuta Uchiyama & Kengo Hayashi, 2015. "Visualization of a City Sustainability Index (CSI): Towards Transdisciplinary Approaches Involving Multiple Stakeholders," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(9), pages 1-23, September.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:9:p:12402-12424:d:55535
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/9/12402/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/9/12402/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Baumgärtner, Stefan & Quaas, Martin, 2010. "What is sustainability economics?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 445-450, January.
    2. Chambers, Robert, 1994. "Participatory rural appraisal (PRA): Analysis of experience," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(9), pages 1253-1268, September.
    3. Chambers, Robert, 1994. "Participatory rural appraisal (PRA): Challenges, potentials and paradigm," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 22(10), pages 1437-1454, October.
    4. Timothy Lant & Clea Senneville, 2010. "Credibility, salience, and legitimacy of boundary objects: water managers' assessment of a simulation model in an immersive decision theater," Science and Public Policy, Oxford University Press, vol. 37(3), pages 219-232, April.
    5. Pezzey, John C.V. & Toman, Michael, 2002. "The Economics of Sustainability: A Review of Journal Articles," Discussion Papers 10683, Resources for the Future.
    6. Luis Bettencourt & Geoffrey West, 2010. "A unified theory of urban living," Nature, Nature, vol. 467(7318), pages 912-913, October.
    7. Pretty, Jules N., 1995. "Participatory learning for sustainable agriculture," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 23(8), pages 1247-1263, August.
    8. Reed, Mark S. & Fraser, Evan D.G. & Dougill, Andrew J., 2006. "An adaptive learning process for developing and applying sustainability indicators with local communities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(4), pages 406-418, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Akito Kinoshita & Koichiro Mori & Ernan Rustiadi & Shin Muramatsu & Hironori Kato, 2019. "Effectiveness of Incorporating the Concept of City Sustainability into Sustainability Education Programs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-23, August.
    2. Matthew Cohen, 2017. "A Systematic Review of Urban Sustainability Assessment Literature," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(11), pages 1-16, November.
    3. Stelios Grafakos & Alberto Gianoli & Alexandra Tsatsou, 2016. "Towards the Development of an Integrated Sustainability and Resilience Benefits Assessment Framework of Urban Green Growth Interventions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(5), pages 1-33, May.
    4. Bastida-Molina, Paula & Hurtado-Pérez, Elías & Moros Gómez, María Cristina & Cárcel-Carrasco, Javier & Pérez-Navarro, Ángel, 2022. "Energy sustainability evolution in the Mediterranean countries and synergies from a global energy scenario for the area," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).
    5. Beatriz Valcárcel-Aguiar & Pilar Murias & Alexandre Vecino-Aguirre, 2022. "Liveability Versus Sustainability in Spanish Cities: First Evidences Using Synthetic Indicators," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 17(4), pages 1935-1960, August.
    6. Liselotte Schebek & Thomas Lützkendorf, 2022. "Assessing Resource Efficiency of City Neighbourhoods: A Methodological Framework for Structuring and Practical Application of Indicators in Urban Planning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-21, June.
    7. Hung-Wei Chen & Fu-Ren Lin, 2018. "Evolving Obligatory Passage Points to Sustain Service Systems: The Case of Traditional Market Revitalization in Hsinchu City, Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(7), pages 1-25, July.
    8. Kılkış, Şiir, 2019. "Benchmarking the sustainability of urban energy, water and environment systems and envisioning a cross-sectoral scenario for the future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 529-545.
    9. Niki-Artemis Spyridaki & Nikos Kleanthis & Dimitra Tzani & Mia Dragović Matosović & Alexandros Flamos, 2020. "A City Capability Assessment Framework Focusing on Planning, Financing, and Implementing Sustainable Energy Projects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-23, October.
    10. Nammi Kim & Seungwoo Yang, 2021. "Characteristics of Conceptually Related Smart Cities (CRSCs) Services from the Perspective of Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-48, March.
    11. Víctor-Raúl López-Ruiz & José-Luis Alfaro-Navarro & Domingo Nevado-Peña, 2019. "An Intellectual Capital Approach to Citizens’ Quality of Life in Sustainable Cities: A Focus on Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(21), pages 1-16, October.
    12. Juste Rajaonson & Georges A. Tanguay, 2019. "Urban Sustainability Indicators from a Regional Perspective: Lessons from the Montreal Metropolitan Area," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 141(3), pages 985-1005, February.
    13. José-Luis Alfaro-Navarro & Víctor-Raúl López-Ruiz & Domingo Nevado Peña, 2017. "A New Sustainability City Index Based on Intellectual Capital Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-13, May.
    14. Beatriz Valcárcel-Aguiar & Pilar Murias, 2019. "Evaluation and Management of Urban Liveability: A Goal Programming Based Composite Indicator," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 142(2), pages 689-712, April.
    15. Melita Rozman Cafuta, 2015. "Open Space Evaluation Methodology and Three Dimensional Evaluation Model as a Base for Sustainable Development Tracking," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-23, October.
    16. Oluwole Soyinka & Yusuf A. Adenle & Mohammed Abdul-Rahman, 2021. "Urban informality and sustainable design of public space facilities: a case study of Hong Kong SAR of China in 2018," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(11), pages 16560-16587, November.
    17. Nataša Šprah & Mitja Košir, 2019. "Daylight Provision Requirements According to EN 17037 as a Restriction for Sustainable Urban Planning of Residential Developments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, December.
    18. Nataša Rebernik & Marek Szajczyk & Alfonso Bahillo & Barbara Goličnik Marušić, 2020. "Measuring Disability Inclusion Performance in Cities Using Disability Inclusion Evaluation Tool (DIETool)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-25, February.
    19. Beatriz Valcárcel-Aguiar & Pilar Murias & David Rodríguez-González, 2018. "Sustainable Urban Liveability: A Practical Proposal Based on a Composite Indicator," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Luján Soto, Raquel & Cuéllar Padilla, Mamen & de Vente, Joris, 2020. "Participatory selection of soil quality indicators for monitoring the impacts of regenerative agriculture on ecosystem services," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 45(C).
    2. Palash Kamruzzaman, 2020. "Exploring the Nexus Between Participation and Empowerment," Journal of Development Policy and Practice, , vol. 5(1), pages 32-53, January.
    3. Laura Jessee Livingston, 2023. "Partnerships in pandemics: tracing power relations in community engaged scholarship in food systems during COVID-19," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 40(1), pages 217-229, March.
    4. Colleen M. Eidt & Laxmi P. Pant & Gordon M. Hickey, 2020. "Platform, Participation, and Power: How Dominant and Minority Stakeholders Shape Agricultural Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-21, January.
    5. Michener, Victoria J., 1998. "The participatory approach: Contradiction and co-option in Burkina Faso," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 26(12), pages 2105-2118, December.
    6. Dean Karlan & Bram Thuysbaert, 2019. "Targeting Ultra-Poor Households in Honduras and Peru," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 33(1), pages 63-94.
    7. Nikos Chatzistamoulou & Phoebe Koundouri, 2020. "The Economics of Sustainable Development," DEOS Working Papers 2005, Athens University of Economics and Business.
    8. Stefan Baumgärtner & Moritz A. Drupp & Martin F. Quaas, 2017. "Subsistence, Substitutability and Sustainability in Consumption," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(1), pages 47-66, May.
    9. Ross, Heather M. & Pine, Kathleen H. & Curran, Sarah & Augusta, Dawn, 2022. "Pathway mapping as a tool to address police use of force in behavioral health crisis," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 306(C).
    10. Chatterjee, Ira & Cornelissen, Joep & Wincent, Joakim, 2021. "Social entrepreneurship and values work: The role of practices in shaping values and negotiating change," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 36(1).
    11. Chilombo, Andrew & Van Der Horst, Dan, 2021. "Livelihoods and coping strategies of local communities on previous customary land in limbo of commercial agricultural development: Lessons from the farm block program in Zambia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    12. Zulu, Leo Charles & Adams, Ellis Adjei & Chikowo, Regis & Snapp, Sieglinde, 2018. "The role of community-based livestock management institutions in the adoption and scaling up of pigeon peas in Malawi," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 141-155.
    13. Kwayu, Emmanuel J. & Sallu, Susannah M. & Paavola, Jouni, 2014. "Farmer participation in the equitable payments for watershed services in Morogoro, Tanzania," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 7(C), pages 1-9.
    14. Thompson, John, 1995. "Participatory approaches in government bureaucracies: Facilitating the process of institutional change," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 23(9), pages 1521-1554, September.
    15. Gerard Olivar-Tost & Johnny Valencia-Calvo & Julián Andrés Castrillón-Gómez, 2020. "Towards Decision-Making for the Assessment and Prioritization of Green Projects: An Integration between System Dynamics and Participatory Modeling," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-23, December.
    16. Shane Cronin & Mike Petterson & Paul Taylor & Randall Biliki, 2004. "Maximising Multi-Stakeholder Participation in Government and Community Volcanic Hazard Management Programs; A Case Study from Savo, Solomon Islands," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 33(1), pages 105-136, September.
    17. Glyn Williams & Manoj Srivastava & Stuart Corbridge & René Véron, 2003. "Enhancing pro-poor governance in Eastern India: participation, politics and action research," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 3(2), pages 159-178, April.
    18. Jayasinghe, Kelum & Wickramasinghe, Danture, 2011. "Power over empowerment: Encountering development accounting in a Sri Lankan fishing village," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 396-414.
    19. Michael J.G. Parnwell, 2003. "Consulting the poor in Thailand: enlightenment or delusion?," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 3(2), pages 99-112, April.
    20. Jinnat Ara & Dipanwita Sarkar & Jayanta Sarkar, 2021. "Like mother like daughter? Occupational mobility among children under asset transfer program in Bangladesh," QuBE Working Papers 061, QUT Business School.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:7:y:2015:i:9:p:12402-12424:d:55535. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.