Understanding liveability: related concepts and definitions

Abstract

The rapid unplanned urbanization of metropolitan areas has manifested number of challenges in terms of infrastructure, energy consumption, health care, waste management and resilience. Thus, forming “liveable” city for its citizens is an aspiration of the policy makers, designers and city planners. Yet, a detailed exploration of the concepts of liveability and liveability indicators has not been carried out. Thus, to this end, this paper advocates to define liveability and related concepts. For that an exhaustive literature synthesis has been conducted which simultaneously follows two different paths to define liveability. Firstly, it has reflected number of direct definitions from indexed literature related to liveability and contrasting the definitions of associate fragments of accustomed concepts such as sustainability and urbanization misapprehended as liveability. Secondly, a definition for liveability was derived through considering the liveability indicators of different liveability indexes According to the indicators, liveability represents social and economic approach. Yet, the concepts of sustainability was based on social, economic and environmental aspects when discussed along with liveability. Hence, Liveability is the balanced and favourable living conditions within a geographical area and liveable cities are such centralized communities with comparatively high population to the rest of the region. The policy making, planning, and political authorities need to ensure the balance of the habitats by defining liveability to reflect the social, economic aspects emerged through the existing indicators and the environmental focus of sustainability concepts.