Here’s a little glimpse into the future; the UN predicts by 2050, cities will somehow accommodate a mind-blowing 2.5 billion more people than the 4 billion they already contain.
The big question on everyone’s mind is “how do we prepare for this huge influx of people and make sure there is space for them all to fit?”
Matt Coetzee is Aurecon’s global Urbanisation Expertise Leader responsible for mobilising the firm’s global expertise to address the vast, diverse and complex challenges associated with the influx of people into cities.
Coetzee crafted this ‘glimpse into the future’, to give the world an idea of what we should expect in the less than 4 decades from now.
He argues the best way to accommodate our increasing population is not to build cities up or down, but to recreate them entirely new.
Given the evidence, more people believe their best bet for a better life is in cities. This is especially true in developing countries.
And you know what, they’re right! According to UN Habitat, urban areas generate 70% of global GDP.
The next step from where we are in 2017 comes down to better urban governance and city leaders to drive a worthy ambition to provide shelter for all citizens.
“The road to global democracy runs through cities”, explained American academic and author, Benjamin Barber. He sees city governance as the model for a post-national, interdependent political landscape.
South African Urbanist, Edgar Pieterse, believes city leaders are not adequately representative or responsive.
With mixed opinions across the globe, its fair to say the success is in detail. With tech and good governance, there is a chance developing new cities for our citizens will be something that will need to occur in the future.
For all the curious readers out there, visit Auercon’s futuristic blog “Just Imagine” to expand your thoughts by exploring ideas that are probable, possible and for the imagination.
