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Urban sustainability: is densification sufficient?

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  • Petter Næss
  • Inger-Lise Saglie
  • Tim Richardson

Abstract

Urban densification has for some decades been considered as the most relevant strategy for ecological modernization within the field of urban spatial development. Compared to outward urban expansion, densification has important environmental merits, but is not without negative environmental impacts. This paper critically examines how urban densification policies contain an assumption – implicit or explicit – that continual growth, expressed in per capita consumption of building stock and infrastructure, should be accommodated. This is argued to lead to a weakening of environmental sustainability. The Norwegian capital Oslo is used as an example, illustrating the environmental achievements and limitations of the densification strategy. These achievements and limitations are then discussed in the light of theoretical literature on tensions between economic growth and environmental sustainability. The paper concludes with a call for further critical scrutiny of how growth assumptions influence/subtly shape urban sustainability policies.

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  • Petter Næss & Inger-Lise Saglie & Tim Richardson, 2020. "Urban sustainability: is densification sufficient?," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(1), pages 146-165, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:eurpls:v:28:y:2020:i:1:p:146-165
    DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2019.1604633
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Daniela Maiullari & Marjolein Pijpers-van Esch & Arjan van Timmeren, 2021. "A Quantitative Morphological Method for Mapping Local Climate Types," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 6(3), pages 240-257.
    2. Cavicchia, Rebecca, 2023. "Housing accessibility in densifying cities: Entangled housing and land use policy limitations and insights from Oslo," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    3. M. Reza Shirazi & Ramin Keivani, 2021. "Social Sustainability of Compact Neighbourhoods Evidence from London and Berlin," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    4. Justyna Przywojska, 2021. "Polish Local Government’s Perspective on Revitalisation: A Framework for Future Socially Sustainable Solutions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-19, August.
    5. Christian Lamker & Thomas Terfrüchte, 2024. "Post-Growth Ambitions and Growth-Based Realities in Sustainable Land-Use Planning," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 9.
    6. Celemin Juan Pablo & Arias Maria Eugenia, 2022. "Relationship between densification and NDVI loss. A study using the Google Earth Engine at local scale," Environmental & Socio-economic Studies, Sciendo, vol. 10(3), pages 33-42, September.
    7. Helena Madureira & Ana Monteiro, 2021. "Going Green and Going Dense: A Systematic Review of Compatibilities and Conflicts in Urban Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-20, September.
    8. Polewsky, Max & Hankammer, Stephan & Kleer, Robin & Antons, David, 2024. "Degrowth vs. Green Growth. A computational review and interdisciplinary research agenda," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).

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