Essay L

L. How do you envision the city of the future

LLM – International Business LawI.E School – Application 2014

Tatiana Sartori Judice

Nowaday´s challenge:

1. Pollution

2. Lack of natural resources

3. Global warming

4. Globalization

The MEA

report

noted

that:

• 60% of

the worl

d´s

ecosyste

ms have

now been

degraded

;

• more than

a billion

people

today

already

suffer

from

water

scarcity

;

• deforest

ation in

the

tropies

alone dest

roys

na area

the size

of

Greece e

very yea

r.

Pollution

“In new estimates released, in 2012 around 7 million people died - one in eight of total global deaths – as a result of air pollution exposure.” - World Health Organization

“Pollution is already one of the biggest global killers and will become the biggest cause of premature death, killing an estimated 3.6 million people a year by 2050.”

Lack of natural resources

“The world is heading for an ‘ecological credit crunch’ far worse than the current financial crisis because humans are over-using the natural resources of

the planet, an international study warns today.” – The Guardian

“The Living Planet report calculates that humans are using 30% more resources than the Earth can replenish each year, which is leading to deforestation, degraded soils, polluted air and water, and dramatic declines in numbers of fish and other species.” – World Wildlife Fund

“In the last 200 years, human activity is the primary cause of the of rising global temperature, raising it by about 1.4°F since the early 20th century.” – NCDC

At the current rate of retreat, all of the glaciers in Glacier National Park will be gone by 2070.

Global Warming

“Global warming is the unusually rapid increase in Earth's average surface temperature over the past century primarily due to the greenhouse gases released as people burn fossil fuels." – Earth Observatory – NASA Space Flight Center.

• Businesses and investors get much wider opportunities for investment.

• Resources of different countries are used for producing goods and services they are able to do most efficiently.

“Globalisation is an inevitable phenomen in human history that´s been bringing the world closer through the exchange of goods and products, information, knowledge and culture.” – The World Bank

• “It is for all these reasons that we absolutely must take our planet´s warning heart attack seriously. There is no longer a ‘normal’ for us to go back to.” – FRIEDMAN, Thomas - Hot, flat and crowded

The city of the future will be:

1. Green

2. Sustainable

3. Hich tech

4. Efficient

1. Green

• Green spaces, public and private.

• Green spaces promote outdoor social interaction, entertainment and sporting activities

• Green architecture: environmentally safe, smart and energy efficient buildings.

Photovoltaic: solar thermal and electric cells allowing the structure to generate its own power and energy needs (generating solar energy by day and using it to illuminate by night).

2. Sustainable

• Energy

• Transport

• Recycling system

Renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, wind turbines will appear.

Buildings will be self sufficient: able to produce energy, recycle waste and measure their carbon footprint.

2.1. Energy

2.2. Transport

Will be introduced electric cars that charge with solar panels on the roof and from magnetic coils embedded into the road.

The cars will have:-- Biometric security-- 360º cameras-- no driver-- sensing solutions-- wireless (to charge and sync your mobile)

Your future car may be a living room

Personal airplane

Delivery drone

There is nothing an urbanite values more than a fast-food delivery so how about a takeaway delivered by drone? In the future, these automated flying machines will fill the skies replacing the motorbike and cycle couriers of today.

Robo taxis

• It is likely cars will be self-driving. The lines between public and private transport will blur and we will all be hailing robo-taxis.

• Traffic lights will no longer be necessary.

2.3. Recycling system

3. High Tech

Long Distance Travel

Maglev (magnetic levitation)

- The trains are entirely magnetically levitated, driven, and guided- Potential to reach speeds of 6,400 km/h- Emit less CO2- Quiet

Future cities will be touchable and

connected

4. Efficient

Inhabitants will live with revolutionary services, requiring minimal time and effort.

Green

Sustainable

Permanently

connected

Efficient

Smart

This is how I envision the city of the future!