Urbanization continues to be a defining global trend in the coming decades as people in the developing world, in particular, move into large urban areas to improve their economic prospects. With over one billion more people projected to move to urban areas by 2030, cities will play a central role in the ability of nations to sustainable cities and communities.
Urbanization can be the driver of transformation in the social and economic foundations of nations. Cities and other large urban areas are responsible for the majority of production and consumption globally and are the primary drivers of economic growth and development. Efforts directed at sustainability must, therefore, be focused on these areas and the right to economic development for low and middle income peoples will only be achieved if urbanization proceeds on a sustainable basis. It needs to be recognized, however, that cities are also home to extreme poverty and environmental degradation in some countries; it is estimated that over one billion people live in slums worldwide.
The dynamic growth of cities and the fact that they are at the center of economic growth provides a significant sustainable development opportunity. Developing sustainable cities and communities means urban development must proceed sustainably so that cities can create better employment opportunities, increase economic output, promote social inclusion, promote the decoupling of economic growth with environmental degradation, protect and create urban ecosystems and drastically reduce pollution. Sound urban development can achieve these aims while at the same time reduce extreme poverty and correct inequality.
Cities around the world are struggling with population growth and the mass movement of people into urban environments. When mistakes are made in managing urban growth they are extremely hard to undo. Current trends are not a cause for optimism and major changes in policy and mindset need to occur so that nations can reaps the ongoing benefits of sustainable urban development. Nations that fail to disconnect economic development from resource extraction and that fail to provide economic opportunities for rural areas will become vulnerable to the extreme effects of climate change and other environmental degradation.
Without adequate investment in sustainable practices, slums can expand and cities may fail to generate the economic opportunities that are necessary to improve inhabitants livelihoods. In many countries the number of slum dwellers has increased and there is a corresponding rise in social inequality. Without efforts at sustainable development this is only likely to get worse.
