Map Categories
The Map's categories are based on the Ecocity Framework - which understands cities and human settlements as urban ecosystems with both bio-physical and socio-cultural elements (the 15 categories).
Like natural ecosystems, urban ecosystems include concentrations of people and economies, and the built environment as well as the productive ecosystems generating the energy and matter required to sustain the whole. Only if the urban system is ecologically and socially complete and healthy does it have a chance of becoming self-reliant and sustainable.
CATEGORIES:
Urban Design - Built Environment
1. Access by Proximity
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement provides the majority of people with walkable access from safe and affordable housing to employment and services. It also provides walking and transit access to close-by employment and other activities through urban design.
Bio-Geo-Physical Conditions
2. Clean Air
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement maintains a level of air quality that is conducive to good health within buildings, the city’s air shed, and the atmosphere.
3. Healthy Soil
ECOCITY 1 Standard: Soils within the city/settlement and soils associated with the city/settlement’s economy, function and operations meet their ranges of healthy ecosystem functions as appropriate to their types and environments; soil depth and fertility is maintained or improved.
4. Clean and Safe Water
ECOCITY 1 Standard: All residents have access to clean, safe, affordable water; the city/settlement’s water sources, waterways and water bodies, within the city/settlement, and upstream and downstream proximate to the city/settlement’s regional watershed, are healthy and function without negative impact to ecosystems and are recharged at a rate equal to
or greater than use. Water consumed is primarily sources from within the regional watershed.
5. Responsible Resources/Materials
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement’s non-food and non-energy renewable and non-renewable resources are sourced, allocated, managed and recycled responsibly and equitably to the benefit of human and ecosystems health. Resources and materials are primarily sourced with consideration to the material’s proximity to the city/settlement, importance of purpose of use, embodied energy content, number of people served, and the longevity of the products created.
6. Clean and Renewable Energy
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement’s energy needs are efficiently extracted, concentrated (as in solar and wind energy), generated (generally the closer to point of use the better), and utilized equitably and without significant negative impact to ecosystems or to short or long-term human health and do not exacerbate climate change.
7. Healthy and Accessible Food
ECOCITY 1 Standard: Nutritious food is accessible and affordable to all residents and is grown, manufactured and distributed by processes which maintain the healthy function of ecosystems and do not exacerbate climate change.
Socio-Cultural Features
8. Healthy Culture
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement facilitates cultural activities that strengthen eco-literacy, patterns of human knowledge and creative expression, and develop symbolic thought and social learning.
9. Community Capacity Building
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement supports full and equitable community participation in decision making processes and provides the legal, physical and organizational support for neighborhoods, community organizations, institutions and agencies to enhance their capacities.
10. Healthy and Equitable Economy
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement’s economy consistently favors economic activities that reduce harm and positively benefit the environment and human health and support a high level of local and equitable employment options that are integrated into the ecocity's proximity based layout and policy framework – the foundation for “green jobs” and “ecological development.”
11. Lifelong Education
ECOCITY 1 Standard: All residents have access to lifelong education including access to information about the city’s history of place, culture, ecology, and tradition provided through formal and informal education, vocational training and other social institutions.
12. Well Being - Quality of Life
ECOCITY 1 Standard: Citizens report strong satisfaction with quality of life indicators including employment; the built, natural and landscaped environment; physical and mental health; education; safety; recreation and leisure time; and social belonging.
Ecological Imperatives
13. Healthy Biodiversity
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement sustains the biodiversity of local, bioregional and global ecosystems including species diversity, ecosystem diversity and genetic diversity; it restores natural habitat and biodiversity by its policy and physical actions.
14. Earth's Carrying Capacity
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement and citizens keeps their demand on ecosystems within the limits of the Earth’s bio-capacity, converting resources restoratively and supporting regional ecological integrity.
15. Ecological Integrity
ECOCITY 1 Standard: The city/settlement maintains essential linkages within and between ecosystems and provides contiguous habitat areas and ecological corridors throughout the city.
