03/03/2014
Humanity is now half urban and is expected to be 70% urban by 2050. Yet, 60% of the area expected to be urban by 2030 remains to be built, indicating that the shape of future cities must and can be guided proactively. Policymakers therefore need to adopt a wider view of cities’ use of space and resource footprints and to connect local development with global impact so as to achieve long-term urban sustainability. The majority of population growth in cities is the result of natural increase, rural- urban migration and the integration of formerly non-urban areas. It is also predominantly taking place in cities in developing countries, most notably in Africa and Asia.