Towards Sustainable Urban Development: the Ukrainian situation

Abstract The continuing process of urbanization sets up urgent issues of environmental degradation resulting in disrupting opportunities to enhance quality of life of the population. In Ukraine, the anthropogenic and human impacts on the environment are several times higher than in developed countries. Thus, life expectancy in Ukraine is on average around 68 years (e.g. in Italy – 82, Sweden - 80, Poland - 74) which is largely due to the environmental pollution which is the result of production activities of mining, metallurgy, chemical industries, fuel and energy complex. Therefore, there is a strong need in the Ukrainian society to address the consequences of powerful external forces as environmental pollution and climate change, and internal forces as socioeconomic development. These forces play a role at all levels but are prevalent at urban levels. Cities are not isolated entities; they interact with their surroundings, economically, socio-politically and environmentally. Urban development toward sustainability has to consider the capacity of the entire ecosystem to support such development including the prevention and mitigation of adverse environmental impacts of the outside urban areas. Hence, cities are unique territories to implement green economy opportunities to ensure the development of sustainable societies. Exploring different dimensions of sustainability should be connected with the exploration of urban processes and developments on a global level. This connection shows how sustainability can be destroyed or ensured. Sustainability should be based on social cohesion in local urban areas and contribute to sustainable urban development.