Uploaded on 2016-12-08 by Jako Roux

Step 1: List the five most livable cities that you know, based on your own experience and judgment, placing the most livable city at the top of the list. Vancouver (Canada) Melbourne (Australia) Auckland (New Zealand) Helsinki (Finland) Zurich (Switzerland) Step 2: Describe in your own words five characteristics that according to your opinion make a city livable. Order them placing the most important at the top of the list. 1. Environment - relative clean air and moderate temperatures, open spaces of recreation and sports facilities 2. Economy - growing economy to sustain future growth and development 3. Infrastructure - proper transport, water, electricity and communications infrastructure and networks to make a city world class 4. Safety - safety for citizens and specially children 5. Education - world class education institutions Step 3: Describe the status of your own city in terms of the five characteristics that you listed above. Propose how your city should/could be transformed in relation to these characteristics in order to be more sustainable. Environment: Melbourne rates high - see attached photo. Coastal town with relative clean are (no major factories close by) and moderate temperatures. Lots of open/green spaces and parks and world class sport facilities. Some green spaces facilities are not maintained well. Could make use of young people on welfare to provide more and better maintenance. Economy - Australian economy is very stable and growing, although it has slowed down. In Melbourne - major banking, telecommunications and mining companies. Australia/Melbourne will have to find a way to be less dependent on resources and mining though as the boom is coming to an end. Infrastructure - Melbourne has very well setup and developed infrastructure. Some parts are getting towards end of life. Also with the rapid growth in Melbourne, providing the necessary infrastructure is becoming more difficult. New technologies i.e. flexible work locations and times could elevate transport issues. Drive and investment in greener technologies could help to be self sufficient and more sustainable in for example electricity generation with solar. After all Australia is very sunny. Safety - Ever though Melbourne is very safe, there are pockets and areas that are becoming less so. Couple of problems contributing - drugs, unemployment and migrants. Political and socially be more inclusive of migrants - which Melbourne is working very hard at. Drugs and unemployment - complex issues. More investment into drive for entrepreneurs and star-ups could help. Make universities more affordable to get higher education levels. Education - drive to be in the top 10 - 20% in the world. Will not only provide better educated people, will also draw more international students which will generate more revenue for other sustainable projects.