Hundred years ago, 2 out of every 10 people lived in an urban area. It continues to grow that as of the year 2010, more than half of the people are in urban setting.
Gone are the days when the term ‘endangered’ was being cascaded to animals or different species single-handedly. Today, with the drastic change happening from one mile to another, even the urban jungle we dream to live in are becoming part of this mainstream dispute that will come to an end, if not, revolutionize immediately. Over the years, a greater number of people are migrating and living in different cities rather than the rural areas and the figures are still on its radical ascend breaking the usual history. Knowing the advantages and edges cities can offer to each individual; from the very simple entertainment-and-excitement angle up to the more solemn employment opportunities motive, it is no obvious that from time after time, world urban population are growing, tapping millions in figures.
Urban Jungle Setting: Today Up To The Future
Hundred years ago, 2 out of every 10 people lived in an urban area. It continues to grow that as of the year 2010, more than half of the people are in urban setting. Today, with technological advancement, humanity improvement and even with the economic schema, the number of urban residents is rising by nearly 60 million every year. It is projected that 50 years in time, two-thirds of humanity will live in the cities.
According to the statistics from World Health Organization, most of the urban population growth in the next years will occur in the cities of developing countries. China for example is projected to become more than 50 percent urbanized with in terms to urban population growth than ever. While Africa’s urban population is growing fastest in percentage, Asia will remain having the biggest volume of growth. Summing up, most urban growth will be seen and be happening on these two continents.
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The Truth That Is Being Overlooked
Figures may be quite blinding and shocking. In fact, it may seem to be a leading doubt that cities in the future will soon be crowded. But this is just one truth that the future cities are in front of. The world is fast approaching to the point where majority will be living in the city, and another substance to grasp by most of us is that, the forthcoming cities will be under the cliché ride of endangerment.
Yes, the statement is accurate. With geological timescale concerned, even cities are likely to become temporary in nature. The ever great urban migration causes rising threats as they affect the support of greater food production by tapping rivers and diverting it into irrigation, industry and even canal transport. To maintain a balanced living, cities are usually formed around the water setting but the disadvantage of irrigation and industry needs is that some major cities are in the dilemma of sinking into the oceans. Venice, Italy— one of the world’s most beautiful, historic and romantic cities is one great example that is built on water and will soon be under it. It is expected that as early as next century, Venice will no longer be livable. Rising ocean levels caused by global warming are not the only menace to the low-lying city but also the increasing tourists’ population which promote harmful industry developments and squeeze city’s waterways with terrific traffic.
High rise demand of urban constructions will also affect different cities as it may cause flooding and erosion. More and more cities will be vulnerable to flood risk. In result most cities, if not all, will be in pandemonium.
Given all the facts and records, the formula lies behind and between the existing climate change we have and the ever-escalating urban inhabitants.
Re-thinking the Urban Core ‘DNA’
It is no doubt that a great quantity of people, even in the business sector and contemporary humankind in whole are now conscious and aware of how tremendous climate change may bring to the refuge vicinity we are in. More companies, business aesthetics and even city building owners are putting their shelves onto turning green. Condominiums in the key cities are embracing green methods and practices that will ensure long term sustainability to the urban schema. Vast amount of energy efficient design trends are rising to meet the stipulate of eco-correctness principle.
Not only that. In recent statements, there is an increasing number of cities around the world that are being more particular with the ‘climate change preparation’ as part of their basic urban planning. Creating smarter cities now is more likely to begin with this kind of scheme. The fact that a city is responsible for 80 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and three quarter consumptions of Earth’s energy resources, major cities must unite to lessen these possibilities. Rethinking the way we operate each city we have is a grand drift to provide solution to many of our environmental and social problems. Current and upcoming cities should be retrofit for a new urban approach that will allow more people to live, function effectively with lower carbon emissions and with resiliency in character.
Indisputably, we are living in a distinctively urban time in Earth’s history. As cities grow taller, life and sustainable living becomes a valued commodity. The truth is, humans are part of this predicament and so, they are also be a piece of the elucidation and the navigation of this undying human-caused climate change. Still, there are more words to utter and more acts to do before we subsist this dying urban world. And starting and adopting the green efforts in the present time is much more valuable than waiting for the vague future.
Jona Miranda Jone is a Washington Times Communities Writer. She’s been writing about business, sustainability and environment.
