Green Urbanism: Adopting Sustainable Transport in Phuntsholing City

Abstract

The world today is facing a major crisis in energy, environment and climate. Human activities such as building, transportation and industries have caused tremendous impact on the natural environment. The irreversible growth of cities is an indication of more cars on the road, more mobility and ultimately to more energy consumption. The expansion of urban areas leads to the development of transportation routes and increase in the number of vehicle ownership. Bhutan has opened its doors from being a landlocked country to an internationally recognized country. Trade and industry have become an important sector in building the country’s economy, with rapid infrastructure development. The realization of the energy crisis is as new as the urbanization trend although there is dire need to adopt green energy practices. This study explores various strategies based on the concept Green Urbanism, specified to the topic, Sustainable Transport. It presents the current transportation trend in one of the major cities of Bhutan to highlight the growth pattern and their issues that could possibly threaten the energy balance. The main emphasis is on how the issues can be solved with sustainable strategies to achieve a livable city.