Concept of "R-Urban"

Recently, I have a chance to chit chat with Mr Sebastian Moffat, President of Consensus Institute, Vancouver, Canada in Kuala Lumpur. He spoke about "rurban" concept in years to come, may be 5 to 10 years time from now. According to him, 70% of population will be staying in the urban area and hence sustaining themselves without relying much on rural area is very critical. This is so because the agriculture land in rural area will be left idle without young force. The improvement of public transportation network system will reduce the need for travelling with private vehicles and at the same time ICT advancement as well as emerging new planning concept of integrated landuse development will reduce trip generation. All these will make the road system and car parking space redundance. What should we do when such time is approaching?

He forecasts that perhaps the big land bank of road and car parks can be turned into urban farm land for the urban dwellers supplying own produces. The "RURBAN" is in the making with farm land creation in the urban area. This is logical from the environmental point of view since finding ways to carbon emission reduction is becoming a challenge now. By producing our daily need at source will reduce the trip generation and hence carbon emission. Using the domestic organic waste for composting and as fertilisers for plants will also reduce the emission of green house gases. Having big piece of land covering with soil and plant will serve as large rain water retention pond and hence help in preserving runoff during heavy downpour and possible of flash flood.

As city manager, the local council has to prepare for this possibility. It is time to strategies and plan the immediate use of road and car park space if public transportation system is efficient, effective and affordable enough for public to abandon their private vehicles, I presume.