IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i11p4445-d364963.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Sustaining What Is Unsustainable: A Review of Urban Sprawl and Urban Socio-Environmental Policies in North America and Western Europe

Author

Listed:
  • Carlos Bueno-Suárez

    (Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Ramón y Cajal 1, 41018 Sevilla, Spain)

  • Daniel Coq-Huelva

    (Department of Applied Economics II, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Ramón y Cajal 1, 41018 Sevilla, Spain
    Instituto de Estudios sobre América Latina, Universidad de Sevilla Avenida de la Ciudad Jardín 20-22, 41005 Sevilla, Spain)

Abstract

Urban sprawl and its economic, social, and environmental consequences are central issues for approaching more sustainable forms of life and production. This review provides a broad theoretical exploration of the main features of urban sprawl but also of sustainable urban policies in Western Europe and North America. Urban sprawl can be observed in both continents, as the search for higher standards of economic, social, and environmental sustainability is also an essential feature of urban governance in the last years. Urban sprawl has been slightly weaker in Western Europe, as its are cities generally more compact. Moreover, in Western Europe, urban sprawl has sometimes been confronted with ex-ante preventive policies. However, in North America, urban sprawl from the 1950s has been an essential element of the social ordering and, thus, of the American way of life. In both cases, urban sprawl has generated successive rounds of accumulation of built capital, which is currently managed in sustainable ways essentially through ex-post and palliative measures, that is, trying to “sustain what is unsustainable”. In other words, the idea is to make urban sprawl more sustainable but without altering its main morphological elements.

Suggested Citation

  • Carlos Bueno-Suárez & Daniel Coq-Huelva, 2020. "Sustaining What Is Unsustainable: A Review of Urban Sprawl and Urban Socio-Environmental Policies in North America and Western Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-36, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4445-:d:364963
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/11/4445/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/11/4445/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kostas Bithas, 2008. "The European Policy on Water Use at the Urban Level in the Context of the Water Framework Directive. Effectiveness, Appropriateness and Efficiency," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(9), pages 1293-1311, October.
    2. Longstaff, Francis A., 2010. "The subprime credit crisis and contagion in financial markets," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(3), pages 436-450, September.
    3. Lopez, R., 2004. "Urban sprawl and risk for being overweight or obese," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 94(9), pages 1574-1579.
    4. Ralph Buehler & John Pucher & Regine Gerike & Thomas Götschi, 2017. "Reducing car dependence in the heart of Europe: lessons from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(1), pages 4-28, January.
    5. Gianluca Egidi & Sirio Cividino & Sabato Vinci & Adele Sateriano & Rosanna Salvia, 2020. "Towards Local Forms of Sprawl: A Brief Reflection on Mediterranean Urbanization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-16, January.
    6. Stefan Bauernschuster & Timo Hener & Helmut Rainer, 2017. "When Labor Disputes Bring Cities to a Standstill: The Impact of Public Transit Strikes on Traffic, Accidents, Air Pollution, and Health," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 9(1), pages 1-37, February.
    7. Mike W Peng & Denis Y L Wang & Yi Jiang, 2008. "An institution-based view of international business strategy: a focus on emerging economies," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 39(5), pages 920-936, July.
    8. David M. Cutler & Edward L. Glaeser & Jacob L. Vigdor, 1999. "The Rise and Decline of the American Ghetto," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 107(3), pages 455-506, June.
    9. Ela Babalik-Sutcliffe, 2002. "Urban rail systems: Analysis of the factors behind success," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(4), pages 415-447, January.
    10. Bayer, Patrick & McMillan, Robert & Rueben, Kim S., 2004. "What drives racial segregation? New evidence using Census microdata," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(3), pages 514-535, November.
    11. Brenner, Neil, 2004. "New State Spaces: Urban Governance and the Rescaling of Statehood," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199270064.
    12. Kathy Pain, 2008. "Examining 'Core-Periphery' Relationships in a Global City-Region: The Case of London and South East England," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(8), pages 1161-1172.
    13. Man Yuan & Yan Song & Liang Guo, 2018. "Exploring Determinants of Urban Form in China through an Empirical Study among 115 Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-14, October.
    14. Harvey, David, 2007. "A Brief History of Neoliberalism," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199283279.
    15. Bhutta, Neil, 2015. "The ins and outs of mortgage debt during the housing boom and bust," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 284-298.
    16. Jorge Sequera & Jordi Nofre, 2018. "Shaken, not stirred: New debates on touristification and the limits of gentrification," City, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(5-6), pages 843-855, November.
    17. Harvey, David, 2005. "The New Imperialism," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780199278084.
    18. Glaeser, Edward L. & Kahn, Matthew E., 2004. "Sprawl and urban growth," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: J. V. Henderson & J. F. Thisse (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 56, pages 2481-2527, Elsevier.
    19. Anna Alberini, 2007. "Determinants And Effects On Property Values Of Participation In Voluntary Cleanup Programs: The Case Of Colorado," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 25(3), pages 415-432, July.
    20. Deja Hendrickson & Chery Smith & Nicole Eikenberry, 2006. "Fruit and vegetable access in four low-income food deserts communities in Minnesota," Agriculture and Human Values, Springer;The Agriculture, Food, & Human Values Society (AFHVS), vol. 23(3), pages 371-383, October.
    21. Edward L. Glaeser & Matthew E. Kahn & Jordan Rappaport, 2000. "Why Do The Poor Live In Cities?," Harvard Institute of Economic Research Working Papers 1891, Harvard - Institute of Economic Research.
    22. Meike Levin-Keitel & Tanja Mölders & Frank Othengrafen & Jens Ibendorf, 2018. "Sustainability Transitions and the Spatial Interface: Developing Conceptual Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-15, June.
    23. David Harvey, 2003. "The right to the city," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 27(4), pages 939-941, December.
    24. Manuel B. Aalbers, 2009. "The Globalization and Europeanization of Mortgage Markets," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 389-410, June.
    25. Arthur P. J. Mol, 2002. "Ecological Modernization and the Global Economy," Global Environmental Politics, MIT Press, vol. 2(2), pages 92-115, May.
    26. Jan K. Brueckner, 2000. "Urban Sprawl: Diagnosis and Remedies," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 23(2), pages 160-171, April.
    27. Han, Albert T. & Go, Min Hee, 2019. "Explaining the national variation of land use: A cross-national analysis of greenbelt policy in five countries," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 644-656.
    28. John M. Quigley & Steven Raphael, 2004. "Is Housing Unaffordable? Why Isn't It More Affordable?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 18(1), pages 191-214, Winter.
    29. Tom Kuhlman & John Farrington, 2010. "What is Sustainability?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(11), pages 1-13, November.
    30. Daniel Coq-Huelva & Rosario Asián-Chaves, 2019. "Urban Sprawl and Sustainable Urban Policies. A Review of the Cases of Lima, Mexico City and Santiago de Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-22, October.
    31. Liang Liu & Taesung Hwang & Sungwon Lee & Yanfeng Ouyang & Bumsoo Lee & Steven J. Smith & Christopher W. Tessum & Julian D. Marshall & Fang Yan & Kathryn Daenzer & Tami C. Bond, 2019. "Health and climate impacts of future United States land freight modelled with global-to-urban models," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 2(2), pages 105-112, February.
    32. Knowles, Richard D., 2007. "What future for light rail in the UK after Ten Year Transport Plan targets are scrapped?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(1), pages 81-93, January.
    33. Richard Waldron & Declan Redmond, 2014. "The Extent of the Mortgage Crisis in Ireland and Policy Responses," Housing Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(1), pages 149-165, January.
    34. Sandra Alker & Victoria Joy & Peter Roberts & Nathan Smith, 2000. "The Definition of Brownfield," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(1), pages 49-69.
    35. Kuhnimhof, Tobias & Buehler, Ralph & Wirtz, Matthias & Kalinowska, Dominika, 2012. "Travel trends among young adults in Germany: increasing multimodality and declining car use for men," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 443-450.
    36. L. R. Wray, 1990. "Money and Credit in Capitalist Economies," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 474.
    37. Werner, Richard A., 2014. "How do banks create money, and why can other firms not do the same? An explanation for the coexistence of lending and deposit-taking," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 71-77.
    38. Cervero, Robert & Radisch, Carolyn, 1996. "Travel choices in pedestrian versus automobile oriented neighborhoods," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 127-141, July.
    39. Shima Hamidi, 2020. "Urban sprawl and the emergence of food deserts in the USA," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(8), pages 1660-1675, June.
    40. Kaza, Nikhil, 2020. "Urban form and transportation energy consumption," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    41. García Sánchez, Francisco & Solecki, William D. & Ribalaygua Batalla, Cecilia, 2018. "Climate change adaptation in Europe and the United States: A comparative approach to urban green spaces in Bilbao and New York City," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 164-173.
    42. Philippine Cour-Thimann & Bernhard Winkler, 2012. "The ECB’s non-standard monetary policy measures: the role of institutional factors and financial structure," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 28(4), pages 765-803, WINTER.
    43. Knowles, Richard D., 2007. "Erratum to "What future for light rail in the UK after Ten Year Transport Plan targets are scrapped?": [Transp. Policy 14(1) (2007) 81-93]," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 268-268, May.
    44. Michal Kohout & Jan Kopp, 2020. "Green space ideas and practices in European cities," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 63(14), pages 2464-2483, December.
    45. Glen Atkinson & Ted Oleson, 1996. "Urban Sprawl as a Path Dependent Process," Journal of Economic Issues, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 609-615, June.
    46. J. V. Henderson & J. F. Thisse (ed.), 2004. "Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, Elsevier, edition 1, volume 4, number 4.
    47. Brownstone, David & Golob, Thomas F., 2009. "The impact of residential density on vehicle usage and energy consumption," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(1), pages 91-98, January.
    48. Alberto Longo & Danny Campbell, 2017. "The Determinants of Brownfields Redevelopment in England," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 67(2), pages 261-283, June.
    49. Milan Janic, 2001. "Integrated transport systems in the European Union: An overview of some recent developments," Transport Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(4), pages 469-497, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hamed Tavakoli & Massoomeh Hedayati Marzbali, 2021. "Urban Public Policy and the Formation of Dilapidated Abandoned Buildings in Historic Cities: Causes, Impacts and Recommendations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-25, May.
    2. Marek Bauer & Piotr Kisielewski, 2021. "The Influence of the Duration of Journey Stages on Transport Mode Choice: A Case Study in the City of Tarnow," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-15, May.
    3. Jorge Quijada-Alarcón & Roberto Rodríguez-Rodríguez & Nicoletta González-Cancelas & Gabriel Bethancourt-Lasso, 2023. "Spatial Analysis of Territorial Connectivity and Accessibility in the Province of Coclé in Panama," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-21, July.
    4. Samaneh Sadat Nickayin & Francesca Perrone & Barbara Ermini & Giovanni Quaranta & Rosanna Salvia & Filippo Gambella & Gianluca Egidi, 2021. "Soil Quality and Peri-Urban Expansion of Cities: A Mediterranean Experience (Athens, Greece)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-12, February.
    5. Tan Yigitcanlar, 2022. "Towards Smart and Sustainable Urban Electromobility: An Editorial Commentary," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-7, February.
    6. Massimo Rovai & Tommaso Trinchetti & Francesco Monacci & Maria Andreoli, 2023. "Mapping Ecosystem Services Bundles for Spatial Planning with the AHP Technique: A Case Study in Tuscany (Italy)," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-21, May.
    7. A’aeshah Alhakamy & Areej Alhowaity & Anwar Abdullah Alatawi & Hadeel Alsaadi, 2023. "Are Used Cars More Sustainable? Price Prediction Based on Linear Regression," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-17, January.
    8. Javier Sandoval-Félix & Manuel Castañón-Puga & Carelia Guadalupe Gaxiola-Pacheco, 2021. "Analyzing Urban Public Policies of the City of Ensenada in Mexico Using an Attractive Land Footprint Agent-Based Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-32, January.
    9. Mengjia Zhen & Junlan Yu & Siyi Chen & Ning Wang & Zhigang Chen, 2023. "Evaluating the Impact of County-to-District Transformation on Urban Residential Land Supply: A Multi-Period Difference-in-Differences Model Analysis," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-20, May.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ortuño-Padilla, Armando & Fernández-Aracil, Patricia, 2013. "Impact of fuel price on the development of the urban sprawl in Spain," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 180-187.
    2. Gautier, Pieter A. & Zenou, Yves, 2010. "Car ownership and the labor market of ethnic minorities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(3), pages 392-403, May.
    3. Gaigné, Carl & Riou, Stéphane & Thisse, Jacques-François, 2012. "Are compact cities environmentally friendly?," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 123-136.
    4. De Vos, Jonas & Witlox, Frank, 2013. "Transportation policy as spatial planning tool; reducing urban sprawl by increasing travel costs and clustering infrastructure and public transportation," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 117-125.
    5. Gaigne, Carl & Riou, Stephane & Thisse, Jacques-Francois, 2012. "Are Compact Cities Environmentally (and Socially) Desirable?," Working Papers 121692, University of Laval, Center for Research on the Economics of the Environment, Agri-food, Transports and Energy (CREATE).
    6. Alain Pirotte & Jean-Loup Madre, 2011. "Determinants of Urban Sprawl in France," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 48(13), pages 2865-2886, October.
    7. Thomas J. Nechyba & Randall P. Walsh, 2004. "Urban Sprawl," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 18(4), pages 177-200, Fall.
    8. Brueckner, Jan K. & Largey, Ann G., 2008. "Social interaction and urban sprawl," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 18-34, July.
    9. Bento, Antonio M. & Franco, Sofia F. & Kaffine, Daniel, 2011. "Is there a double-dividend from anti-sprawl policies?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 135-152, March.
    10. Paul E. Carrillo & Jonathan L. Rothbaum, 2022. "Counterfactual dissimilarity: Can changes in demographics and income explain increased racial integration in US cities?," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 62(1), pages 21-56, January.
    11. Glaeser, Edward L. & Kahn, Matthew E., 2004. "Sprawl and urban growth," Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, in: J. V. Henderson & J. F. Thisse (ed.), Handbook of Regional and Urban Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 56, pages 2481-2527, Elsevier.
    12. Wrenn, Douglas H. & Klaiber, Allen & Newburn, David, 2017. "Price-Based Policies for Managing Residential Land Development: Impacts on Water Quality," 2017 Annual Meeting, July 30-August 1, Chicago, Illinois 258578, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    13. Guastella, Gianni & Pareglio, Stefano & Sckokai, Paolo, 2017. "A Spatial Econometric Analysis of Land Use Efficiency in Large and Small Municipalities," SAS: Society and Sustainability 253216, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    14. Glaeser, Edward L. & Kahn, Matthew E. & Rappaport, Jordan, 2008. "Why do the poor live in cities The role of public transportation," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 1-24, January.
    15. Yan Song & Yves Zenou, 2009. "How Do Differences In Property Taxes Within Cities Affect Urban Sprawl?," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(5), pages 801-831, December.
    16. Miriam Hortas-Rico, 2014. "Urban sprawl and municipal budgets in Spain: A dynamic panel data analysis," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 93(4), pages 843-864, November.
    17. Luca Salvati & Giuseppe Venanzoni & Pere Serra & Margherita Carlucci, 2016. "Scattered or polycentric? Untangling urban growth in three southern European metropolitan regions through exploratory spatial data analysis," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 57(1), pages 1-29, July.
    18. Ermini, Barbara & Santolini, Raffaella, 2015. "Differentiated property tax and urban sprawl in Italian urbanized areas," MPRA Paper 65460, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Chunhua Wang, 2010. "Falling commuting costs, amenity advantages, and suburbanization," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 45(2), pages 351-364, October.
    20. Albert Solé-Ollé & Elisabet Viladecans-Marsal, 2007. "Economic and political determinants of urban expansion: Exploring the local connection," Working Papers 2007/5, Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:11:p:4445-:d:364963. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.