SUS 7100C Cities and Sustainability

Fall 2022. Subject to refinement/updating.

SUS7100C Tuesdays, 5-7:50pm

Cities and Sustainability Spitzer 107

Fall 2022

Instructor Office Hours

James J. Biles T 3:30 – 4:30pm

NAC 6/107 TH 12 - 1:00pm

212-650-5969 (office) Other times by appt.

jbiles@ccny.cuny.edu

Required course materials

You can find all necessary course materials in the “Content” folder on Blackboard.

Course description

Cities and Sustainability sets out several frameworks for approaching sustainability, explores foundational principles and concepts, and examines tools and metrics for evaluating social, economic and environmental wellbeing. The course examines strategies for safeguarding the integrity and resilience of coupled natural and urban systems. It also evaluates policies and practices played out through both traditional and alternative forms of governance, including processes based on greater inclusion and participation of marginalized communities. Through case studies and individual and team learning activities, students become familiar with the dimensions of more ecologically sound decision-making.

Learning objectives

Upon completion of Cities and Sustainability, students will demonstrate:

- An understanding of key concepts related to sustainability

- Improved ecological literacy as applied to the urban context

- Ability to conceptualize the city as an ecosystem

- Awareness of significant challenges to urban sustainability

- Appreciation of government, market, and civil society strategies to adapt natural and

urban systems in response to resource depletion, rapid urbanization, and climate

disruption

Readings and participation in classroom discussion

As a graduate course, Cities and Sustainability requires significant reading and some research

and writing on a regular basis. You are expected to complete all required readings each week and

to be prepared to discuss readings critically in class. Class discussions will be led by the

instructor and students, meaning that each week two students will introduce and facilitate

discussion of assigned reading materials. Ideally, in-class interactions should promote discussion

and debate, which will lead to a more complete understanding of urban sustainability. When

leading discussion, students will identify key concepts and themes and provide a more detailed

critical analysis, identifying points of contention and interest for other students.Learning activities

In this course, we will read, consult, assess and discuss a diverse set of academic and policy

resources focusing on sustainability in an urban context. In addition to participation and

facilitation of classroom discussion, you will also complete four individual assignments and

collaborate with several other students to review and evaluate the sustainability plan of a large

US, UK, Canadian or Australian city. Individual and collaborative assignments must be uploaded

to Blackboard.

Attendance and participation

Your regular attendance and participation in class are required. Furthermore, you are expected to

complete assigned readings before class meetings. Your participation and comments in class

should demonstrate your familiarity with key concepts and themes. As part of your class

participation, you will work with a small team of fellow students throughout the semester on a

collaborative project (see below). In addition, as mentioned above, you will be responsible for

facilitating classroom discussion at least once during the semester. General participation and

facilitation of classroom discussions will make up 10 percent of your grade in the class.

Assignments

These activities are intended to evaluate your initial perceptions and baseline understanding of

urban sustainability, as well as your comprehension of key themes and concepts introduced

throughout the course. Individual assignments will comprise 30 percent of your final grade.

Assignment Date

Perspectives on sustainability and cities (ungraded) 30 August

Conceptualizing urban sustainability (10) 13 September

Challenges to urban sustainability (10) 25 October

Strategies to promote urban sustainability (10) 29 November

Collaborative work

Working collaboratively as part of a small team of three to five students, you will evaluate

strategies to promote sustainability in a large city in the United States, Canada, the UK or

Australia, including a critical appraisal of its sustainability plan. This project will require regular

collaboration throughout the semester; it will represent 50 percent of your final grade. In order to

make the collaboration somewhat less daunting, I have divided the task into four discrete

assignments.

Assignment Date

Background information (10) 20 September

Challenges to sustainability (10) 1 November

Strategies to promote sustainability (10) 6 December

Evaluation of sustainability plan (20) 19 DecemberPresentation of collaborative project

Each team will offer a formal presentation of its collaborative project. Presentations will take

place during our final class meeting on December 13. Twenty minutes will be allocated for each

presentation; ten minutes will also be allotted for questions and follow-up discussion. Each team

may choose to deliver the presentation “live” or to record and show a video presentation. All

students are expected to be present for presentations; participation will be assessed based on the

ensuing questions and discussion. The presentation will account for 10 percent of your overall

grade.

Office hours and communication

I am committed to maintaining regular contact with you. In general, I will try to respond to your

emails the same day. I will hold regular, in-person office hours on Tuesdays (3:30 to 4:30pm)

and Thursdays (12:00 to 1:00pm). I am also available at other times by appointment. In addition,

you can contact me via email ( jbiles@ccny.cuny.edu ). Another option, depending on the

situation, is to use email to set up a virtual meeting (via Zoom) or phone call at a mutually

convenient time.

Late assignment policy

Other than the final collaborative project and presentation, deadlines will be somewhat flexible

in this class. There will be no penalty if assignments are submitted within one week of the dates

listed above. Please contact me in a timely fashion if you need additional time to complete class

work; in most cases, accommodations can be made. If you have not made arrangements, the

grade of any work turned in more than one week after its due date will be reduced by 10 percent.

Evaluation of learning

I will evaluate your progress towards the learning objectives of this course based on your

participation in and facilitation of weekly discussions (10 percent); four individual assignments

(30 percent); and a collaborative project, comprised of four components (50 percent) and a final

presentation (10 percent).

Grading

You will be evaluated periodically (see above) based on your progress with respect to the

learning objectives of this course (see course objectives). A total of 100 points is possible. Your

overall grade will be based on the following scale:

Points Grade

93 and above A

90-92 A-

86-89 B+

83-85 B

80-82 B-

76-79 C+

73-75 C70-72 C-

66-69 D+

63-65 D

<65 F

CCNY COVID protocols

You can find relevant CCNY protocols at: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/return-campus. Given the

uncertainty associated with the ongoing pandemic, we must be prepared for any potential

contingency. Please review these guidelines and advise if you have any questions.

1) You are not required to use a face covering during our in-person meetings.

2) However, to the extent possible (depending on size of classroom), we should try to

maintain social distance during class meetings and office hours.

3) If CCNY suspends in-person classes, we will use Zoom for all teaching and learning

activities. In this event, information will be shared with you via e-mail in a timely

fashion.

4) Please remain home and get tested if you are feeling sick; do not expose other students to

infection.

5) If you test positive for COVID, please let me know. I will notify CCNY and other

students in the class will be informed that they potentially have been exposed.

6) If I test positive for COVID (and am physically well enough), you will be notified and

our class will move temporarily to Zoom.

Academic integrity

You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the CUNY Policy on

Academic Integrity, located at: https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-

affairs/policies-procedures/academic-integrity-policy/. In general, I encourage you to study

together and collaborate as much as possible in this class. However, you are expected to do your

own work (completing assignments, writing papers, taking tests, etc.). Academic dishonesty

(cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and

computer misuse) will not be tolerated and ignorance/carelessness is not an acceptable excuse for

violation of college guidelines. In the event that academic misconduct has occurred, the student

will receive a failing grade (0) on the activity (test, paper, or other required assignment). You

should consult with the instructor if you are uncertain about an issue of academic integrity prior

to the submission of an assignment or test.SUS7200C Tuesdays, 5 - 7:50pm

Cities and Sustainability

Fall 2022

CLASS SCHEDULE

Week/Class Topic

30 Aug Course introduction

- What is sustainability?

- What are the characteristics of sustainable cities?

- Are cities sustainable?

Assignment 1

6 Sep Brief history of urbanization

- Triumph of the city

- Industrial Revolution and urbanization

- City as vortex

- Moses vs. Jacobs: Diverging modernities and the city

13 Sep Conceptualizing sustainability

- Sustainability as multidimensional concept

- Triple bottom line

- Situated sustainability

- Myth of the sustainable city

- How can we make cities sustainable?

Assignment 2

20 Sep Challenges to sustainability: Environmental degradation

- Urban ecology and urban ecosystems

- Ecological footprint

- Myth of urban self-sufficiency

- Sprawl and the paradoxes of urban development

Collaborative project Pt. 1

27 Sep No class (CUNY schedule)

4 Oct No class (CUNY schedule)

11 Oct Challenges to sustainability: Insalubrious cities

- Infectious diseases

- Health disparities

- Pollution and toxic waste

- Food and nutrition18 Oct Challenges to sustainability: Climate change and resource dependence

- Vulnerability

- Resource dependence

- Sea-level rise

- Urban heat islands

25 Oct Challenges to sustainability: Inequality

- Five tenets of injustice

- Redlining and segregation

- Enclosure of the commons (privatization of the public)

- Gentrification

Assignment 3

1 Nov Challenges to sustainability: Environmental racism

- Structural racism

- Toxic landscapes

- Disproportionate burden and unequal protection

- Social and environmental justice

Collaborative project Pt. 2

8 Nov Creating sustainable cities: Green cities

- Ecological modernization

- Urban metabolism and circular economies

- Densification and compact cities

- Green infrastructure and zero carbon buildings

15 Nov Creating sustainable cities: Healthy cities

- Urban agriculture

- Local food systems

- Subjective wellbeing

- Built environment and quality of life

- Social happiness and prosperity

22 Nov Creating sustainable cities: Resilient cities

- Resilience

- Just and unjust resilience

- Nature-based solutions

- Sponge cities and a new urban water paradigm

- Climate change adaptation and mitigation

29 Nov Creating sustainable cities: Accessible cities

- (Un)sustainable transportation

- Smart cities

- Mobility, access and inclusiveness

- Commons and public spaces

- Assignment 46 Dec Creating sustainable cities: Just cities

- Right to the city

- Ethical and just cities

- Urban and spatial justice

- Co-creation

- Placemaking

- Collaborative project Pt. 3

13 Dec Presentation of collaborative projects

19 Dec Final collaborative project