Module Code and Title:        ENM306 Urban Environmental Management       

Programme:                          BSc in Environmental Management

Credit:                                    12

Module Tutor(s):                   Kinley Dorji (Coordinator) and Leishipem Khamrang

General objective: This module aims to teach the dynamics of urban development and environmental issues from the management and planning perspectives for inclusive and resilient cities. It focuses on the theories of urban planning, principles of green urban development, and analysis of existing urban policy and management studies, and integrates into a distinctive framework of issues and questions of urban development in different regions of the world to achieve sustainable development.

Learning Outcomes – On completion of the module, students will be able to:

1. Define Urbanization
2. Examine the underlying factors of urbanization.
3. Analyse the merits of urban development.
4. Describe urban climate and weather phenomenon in urban centres
5. Explain the environmental impacts of urban sprawl in regions worldwide and in Bhutan.
6. Discuss various components of urban planning.
7. Describe the concept of Green Cities.
8. Analyse the importance of Smart Growth for making cities liveable.
9. Discuss solid waste issues and management systems in urban centres.
10. Assess the opportunities and challenges of urbanization in mountain regions.
11. Review policies related to urban development of Bhutan.
12. Discuss the successes, failures, and challenges of urban environmental approaches in developing and developed countries.

Learning and teaching approach:

Assessment Approach:

1. In-class discussion: 10%

During the semester students will be responsible for working with one or two partners to lead a class discussion. The discussion will be expected to last most of a class period or at least 40 minutes. The tutor may take the last ten minutes of class going over doubts, confusions or inaccuracies but will be a silent observer during the discussion. During the discussion students will be responsible for (1) summarizing the reading in their own words, including identifying and explaining key terms and concepts, (2) preparing discussion questions to stimulate class discussion (3) facilitating a clear and helpful discussion that will help them class as a whole to both understand the reading and engage more critically with its main arguments and ideas. Before the discussion, each pair will meet with the tutor to discuss the reading, clarify any doubts or questions they have about the reading. The discussions will surround topics such as, but not limited to, benefits of urban development on society, ecosystems, economics and ethics, urban sprawl and environment.

3%       Pre-discussion meeting (preparedness)

3%       Quality and accuracy of summary (focus should be on arguments)

2%       Thoughtfulness and effectiveness of discussion questions

2%       Quality and effectiveness of facilitation of discussion

1. Individual Written Assignment: 15%

Students will be (individually) asked to critically review four recently published journal articles on the challenges of urban development around the world – two from developing countries (Asia and African continent) and two from developed countries (America and Europe) or any of the reports from World Urban Forum - UN-Habitat. This activity will give clear perspectives on the current issues (socio-political, economic, technological and environmental) in the urban centres around the world. Furthermore, the comparative analysis of these issues in urban centres in the developing and developed world will give better understanding about the relationship between planning, management and sustainability. The written assignment will consist of 750 – 1000 words and will be submitted in two phases – draft and the final submission. The assignment will be assessed based on:

Part A: Draft: 5%

2%       Content (originality, approach, result/discussion, scholarship)

1%       Focus (relevance, organization, conclusion)

2%       Language (style, mechanics)

Part B: Final submission: 10%

2%       Depending on how many comments from the draft are incorporated for the final submission, the tutor can award them negative marking.

3%       Synthesis of the information (includes an explanation of a key concept or process from the module, and well-supported argument for how their subject illustrates the concept or process taught in the class)

3%       Analytical thinking (discuss the best practices of biodiversity conservation and propose remedial measures to reduce threats to different biodiversity, discuss different conservation techniques)

2%       Mechanics (Language and referencing)

1. Practical work presentation 20%

In groups of five, students will choose any of the six different components of urban planning and infrastructural development in Thimphu City, 1. Local Economic Development, 2. Poverty and Social Inclusion, 3. Infrastructure development, 4. Environmental management, 5. Heritage Conservation, and 6. Municipal Finance and Capacities, and conduct an evaluative study to provide managerial perspectives of these development components. The students will visit their area of study once a week and make observations or conduct surveys, interviewing multiple stakeholders to identify issues, discuss the current projects aimed to address these issues and future plans, link stakeholder responsibilities, and evaluate opportunities and challenges of the development. Towards the end of the semester, students will present their outcome in detail in 20 minutes to the class.  It will be assessed in group as well as individually using the following rubric:

Group assessment: 14%

2%       Synthesis of the information

4%       Analytical thinking (identifies issues, discusses the current projects aimed to address these issues and future plans, links the stakeholder responsibilities, and evaluates opportunities and challenges of the development.)

4%       Quality of information (includes an explanation of a key concept or process from the module, and well-supported argument for how their subject illustrates the concept or process taught in the class)

2%       Visual design and creativity

2%       Discussion

Individual Assessment: 6%

2%       Verbal skills (Enthusiasm and elocution)

2%       Nonverbal skills (eye contact, body language and poise)

2%       Content (Subject knowledge, organization and mechanics)

1. Midterm Examination: 15%

Students will take a written exam of 1.5-hr duration covering topics up to the mid-point of the semester. The exam will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

1. Semester-End Examination: 40%

Students will take a written exam of 2.5-hr duration encompassing all the subject matter covered in the semester. This assessment is comprehensive and summative in nature, and will comprise structured questions like MCQ, fill-in-the-blanks, matching, definition, as well as open-ended essay questions.

Overview of assessment approaches and weighting

Pre-requisites: ENV102 Population, Development and Environment

Subject Matter:

1. Unit I: Introduction to Urban Development
   • Historical overview of urban growth and development
   • Concept of Urbanization
   • Characteristic and processes of urbanization
   • Rate of Urbanization
   • Benefits of urbanization
     • Society
     • Ecosystems
     • Economy
     • Ethics

2. Unit II: City/town as a system
   • Review of urban atmosphere and climate
     • Historical trend, current climate, and global climate change.
     • Pollution, acid deposition, Urban Heat Island (UHI), temperature inversion and air dispersal, air stability and plume behaviour, mitigation measures and adaptation.
   • Renewable energy in cities
     • Negative impacts of rising energy use
     • Energy efficiency and conservation
     • Cities and renewable energy
     • Priority areas for a transition
     • City-level policies to promote renewables
   • Expanding cities
     • Urban Growth (absolute and relative)
     • Megacity, Hypercity and Supercities
     • Cities of the world
     • Migration and urbanization
   • Push and pull factor
3. Unit III: Environmental impacts of urban sprawl
   • Air (Indoor and outdoor pollution)
   • Water (quality and quantity)
   • Biodiversity
   • Waste
   • Transportation and traffic congestion
   • Sewage
   • Noise
   • Energy consumption and reduction
   • Cultural heritage
   • Human health
4. Unit IV: Urban Planning
   • Planning for infrastructure development
   • City planning city for defence and resilience
   • Industries and their management in urban areas
   • Compact neighbourhoods
   • Systematic Transport arrangement and enhancement; mass transits for liveable cities
   • Recreation facilities and aesthetics
   • Enhancement of Sewage treatment
   • Supportive zoning policies
5. Unit V: Urban challenges in the developing and developed world
   • Environmental threats (Loss of urban vegetation, Urban Heat Island, Climate change vulnerability, Deterioration of the quality of water, air, and soil)
   • Waste Production (solid waste, liquid waste and gaseous waste)
   • Resources (Economic development and resources consumption, Infrastructure development, Access to the common social infrastructure, Efficient Management of resources)
   • Inequality (Income inequality, Skill inequality, Social inequality)
   • Technology (Innovative urban governance, Spatial planning and design, Innovation for buildings, Efficient use of resources, Managing disasters)
   • Governance (Inadequate legal framework, Inefficient political, managerial and administrative processes, Poor local government respond)
6. Unit VI: Green urban development and smart growth of cities
   • Green cities
     • Concepts
     • Key/common features: Commitment to greening, green purchasing, green construction, green energy, green landscapes and infrastructure, multi-use compact communities, accessibility and green transportation, eco-friendly waste management.
     • Benefits for urban dwellers
     • Green certifications, e.g., LEED
   • Restoring urban ecological functions
     • Redevelopment towards green cities
     • Reintroduction of biodiversity, e.g., urban domestic gardens and parks
     • Water and waste management restructuring

7. Unit VIII: Urbanization in mountains
   • Case study (on selected cities such as Kathmandu, Sri Nagar, Ladakh, Gangtok, Shimla, Aizawl, Kohima, Jammu Kashmir, Darjeeling, Thimphu)
   • Rate of urbanisation in Bhutan
   • Rural urban interface - peri-urban interface and rural urban fringe
   • Urban Development in Bhutan
   • Government policies in Bhutan: Scope and significance in urban development
     • National Housing Policy 2020
     • National Sanitation & Hygiene Policy 2020
     • National Human Settlement Policy of Bhutan 2019
     • Thromde Finance Policy
     • The Bhutan Municipal Act 1999
     • Environmental Code of Practice (HIGHWAY ROADS)
     • Building Code 2018
     • Land Pooling & Land Re-adjustment 2018
     • Thromde Rules of the kingdom of Bhutan 2011
     • Urban Area and Property Regulations
     • Bhutanese Architectural Guidelines FINAL 2015
     • Bhutan GREEN Building Design Guidelines

Reading List:

Essential Reading

Botkin, D.B. (2014). Environmental science, earth as a living planet (9th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons.

Daehnhardt, M. (2019). Migration, development and social change in the Himalayas: An ethnographic village study.  Oxfordshire, UK: Routledge & CRC Press.

Datta, K. (2004). Urbanisation in the eastern Himalayas: Emergence and issues. New Delhi, India: Serial Publication.

Laconte, P. and Gossop, C. (2016). Sustainable Cities: Assessing the Performance and Practice of Urban Environments. New York, NY: Bloomsbury.

Oke, T. R., Mills, G., Christen, A. and Voogt J. A. (2017). Urban Climates. Cambridge, MA: Cambridge University Press.

Ragazzi, M. (2016). Improving Urban Environments: Strategies for Healthier and More Sustainable Cities (1^st ed.). Cambridge, UK: Apple Academic Press.

Singh, A.L. and Fazah, S., eds. (2008). Urban Environmental Management. New Delhi: B.R. Publishing Corporation.

Additional Reading

Alexandria, E. and Jones, P. (2008). Building and Environment, Temperature increase in an urban canyon due to Green walls and green roofs in diverse climate. Building and Environment, pp 480- 493

Asian Development Bank. (2014). ADB GrEEEn Cities Initiative. http://www.adb.org/green-cities

Gaston, K.J. (2010). Urbanization. Urban Ecology. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Hanaki, K. (Ed.). (2008). Urban environmental management and technology, volume 1 of csur-ut series: library for sustainable urban regeneration. Berlin, Germany: Springer Science & Business Media.

Simon, D. (2016). Rethinking sustainable cities: Accessible, green and fair. Bristol, UK: Policy Press.

Singh, S. (1995). Urbanization in Garhwal Himalaya: A Geographical Interpretation. New Delhi, Inida: M.D. Publications

Date: June 2021