Evaluation of the sustainable urban development in the Mashhad Metropolis using Ecological Footprint Method

Abstract

The footprint analysis approach is based on the idea that a certain amount of land will be required in one or more environmental domains for the consumption of any commodity or energy in order to ensure the flow of the resources consumed and the disposal of the resulting fossil fuels. So, there are several methods to calculate the sustainability and ecological effects of urban areas. Meanwhile, the method of ecological footprint is a new approach that offers clear and measurable results in urban management. The purpose of this research is to assess the sustainability of Mashhad's metropolis development with ecological footprint indicators in different sectors of consumption, such as housing, transportation, food, goods and services. In this research, all services and goods which are consumed by inhabitants of Mashhad, used throughout their lives, included in six types of land use including land energy, agriculture, pasture, fishery, forest and land, and the per capita footprint of any types of land use. The results of this research show that per capita ecological footprint of every person in Mashhad is 1.27 average of world hectare. Considering the bio capacity in the study area (0.66 hectares), facing ecological deficit and meeting the needs of its inhabitants, according to the population of 3.135.618, an area equivalent to 3,982,235 hectares is needed to respond their habitants. That is almost twice the living capacity of the region. It indicates the Mashhad Metropolitan dependence on supporting areas to meet the needs of its inhabitants.