Producing, providing, trading: manufacturing industry and sustainable cities

Abstract

This paper describes the innovations required from companies, local authorities and national governments to make manufacturing industry contribute to sustainable development in cities. It argues that the urban dimension has often been overlooked in discussions on industry and sustainable development, with most attention focusing on the roles of the individual firm and/or national policy in achieving change. The paper then presents a series of examples to demonstrate how industry will need to become responsible not only for the social and environmental performance of its own production activities but also for the sourcing of raw material inputs “upstream” and for the emissions and wastes that its products generate “downstream”.