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Urban Chic │ City Growth Can Be A Force Of Good

Employees of a huge industrial complex on their way to work in the town of Jamshedpur, India. ©Werner Bischof/ Magnum Photos

WASHINGTON, Nov 18 - The growth of cities will be the single largest influence on human society in the 21st century, according to the 2007 United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) report, which argues that urbanization can be a much more powerful force for positive change than many currently believe.

Around the world, urban areas are growing at more than 1.2 million people a week, says "State of the World Population 2007: Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth."

The report notes that 2030's expected urban population will be nearly 5 billion. By contrast, the total human population this year -- both urban and rural -- is around 6 billion.

The future of cities in developing countries -- and the future of humanity itself -- "depend very much on the decisions made now in preparation for this growth," George Martine, the principle author of the report, said.

Urbanization is inevitable but it can also be positive, he added.

Up to now, policy makers and civil society organizations have merely reacted to the challenges of urbanization as they arise. Instead, "a pre-emptive approach is needed," Martine says, adding that policy makers and advocates must better understand the way cities are growing if they are to effectively solve the related social and environmental problems. This, Martine said, involves debunking many of the misconceptions that are out there about urban growth.

Urban Myths

The most general and widespread misconception, according to the report, is that urbanization is inherently bad for people and the planet.

Images of city slums, poverty, and environmental degradation can easily lead people to judge city growth negatively, but according to Martine, "urbanization can and should be a force for good."

There are many economic, social, and environmental advantages to concentrating people and the services and jobs they need in close proximity to one another. The higher intensity of economic activity in cities favors jobs and income. In addition to this, proximity and concentration allow for governments to more effectively and inexpensively provide social services, infrastructure, and amenities to their citizens, the report explains.

And from an environmental standpoint, concentrating the world's population minimizes human encroachment on natural habitats. While the idea of rapidly expanding urban populations have caused many to believe the common misconceptions that cities occupy too much land and are bad for the environment, in reality, explained Martine, half of the world’s population occupies only 2.8 percent of the world’s land area.

The Worldwatch Institute's Christopher Flavin, who spoke at the Washington DC release of the 108-page report this June, said he sees cities as powerful drivers behind efforts to combat climate change. As national governments and the international community have lagged on many environmental initiatives “cities are stepping in to put in place concrete policies and plans that address climate issues,” he said.

Cities like Rizhao, China; Bogotá, Colombia; Chicago; and New York are among the many implementing environmentally friendly building, car, and energy strategies, according to Flavin's group. And this, he said, is becoming an important national and international political force placing pressure on governments worldwide to step up.

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