Future Cities: All That Matters

Book excerpt: THE IDEA OF A WORLD OF 10 BILLION PEOPLE, MOST OF WHOM WILL BE LIVING IN RAPIDLY EXPANDING CITIES, CAN BE A TERRIFYING PROPSECT. Add to that the effects of climate change and the scarcity of water, energy and food, and it sounds like a bleak future. Without innovation and human ingenuity, it might be, but necessity is the mother of invention, and Homo sapiens is a resourceful species. By 2030 it is predicted that between 80-90% of the world's population will be living in cities. Tackling the challenges will be complicated by pressure to develop solutions that are sustainable and include climate change mitigation measures. Despite the difficulties, some cities are already tackling the problems, policies that are emerging to meet these challenges and highlights innovations that are currently being explored. This book explains the issues that will face rapidly growing cities in the next 20 to 30 years, and how, building on sustainable practices already being introduced around the world, cities can and will grow and flourish.