Climate change mitigation: From carbon-intensive sprawl toward low carbon urbanization: Progress and prospects for istanbul

Abstract

This chapter assesses the prospects for progress toward sustainable urban development in Istanbul/Turkey, as an outcome of interrelated innovative policies for climate change mitigation which reduces carbon emissions from cities/towns and earthquake mitigation-led urban regeneration. It first provides a generic model of planning for low carbon cities which integrates “top-down” and “bottom-up” components. This model structures the subsequent analysis of the experience of planning for eco-settlements in EU countries, with particular reference to the UK. Lessons from this experience then inform an analysis of policy development in Turkey at national/local levels, which focuses on climate change mitigation action and earthquake mitigation-led neighborhood regeneration programs. A case study of Kartal, Istanbul, demonstrates the application of these policies which have the potential for reducing carbon emissions from Turkish cities through the redevelopment of earthquake-vulnerable, poor-quality, carbon-intensive housing areas and replacing them with low carbon neighborhoods. As the housing stock in Turkish cities contributes over a quarter of national carbon emissions, this will make a major contribution to national carbon reduction targets and help make urban areas earthquake resilient. This assessment has implications for earthquake-threatened cities elsewhere in the world. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2015.