Urbanisation and its inherent consequences have taken precedence in a recent UN report. The UN’s agency for human settlements, UN-Habitat, has outlined the prevalence of the “endless city” as being one of the most significant and problematic phenomenons to face modern civilisation over the next fifty years.
The report, which was launched earlier this week at the World Urban Forum, highlights a global shift towards urbanisation and the emergence of ‘mega-regions’, such as the Hong Kong-Shenhzen-Guangzhou region in China which houses approximately 120 million residents.
Findings revealed that now over half the world’s population resides in its cities. Anna Tibaijuka, UN-Habitat official, released forecasts that in the oncoming quarter of a century over 70% of the world will have moved to a city; with only a marginal percentage remaining outside these sprawling borders.
The impacts of urbanisation typify both a direct and indirect threat to surrounding ecosystems. Such environmental degradation has in the past lead to a decline in biodiversity and to a reduction in the ‘life-condition’ or natural services that ecosystems provide. Fresh air, clean water, aesthetics, recreation – all come under threat as urbanisation rapidly increases.
Furthermore, the related dysfunctional attributes that urban dwellings breed in and around their surroundings will surely see an increase in slums, ghettos, economical divides, cultural disparity, as well as unbalance and inequality.
Increased energy consumption, transport costs and poor housing stand central in the UN report, and will remain a clear concern for ecologists, politicians and the general public alike.
Some of the world’s largest mega-regions – those brought under scrutiny by UN investigation – include; Nagoya-Osaka-Kyoto-Kobe, Japan, estimated to reach 60m in the next five years; as well as Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo, Brazil, housing 43m people.
A conclusion drawn by the report comments on the increasing social trend to live in affluent and ‘world-class’ surroundings. However ecologists warn that despite urbanisation making economic sense to capable industries, the mass migration towards cities will, on the whole, exhibit a negative move towards modernisation.
And with a political climate hot for sustainability and ecological commitment, there is a throbbing questions which remains: Is our planet capable of housing such designs?
The fact of the matter is we are yet to know. Nevertheless, statistics show that we are already at tipping point in terms of environmental balance. But whether or not this consideration remains chief to political activity will not be seen for some time. What stands as paramount to society is as much a mystery today as it will be tomorrow. However, what needs to be addressed are the figures – and they speak for themselves.
