Cities and urbanisation
In 2014, 54% of the global population was living in urban areas and this is predicted to rise to 66% by 2050. The characteristics of cities differ greatly across countries and regions of the Commonwealth and some issues facing large and megacities will differ from those faced by secondary cities and towns and across the Commonwealth, the degree of urbanisation varies significantly. Whilst 38.1% of the population of the Commonwealth lived in urban settlements in 2014, Commonwealth Europe is 82% urban and Commonwealth South-East Asia 78% with Commonwealth Africa 41%, Commonwealth South Asia 33% and the Commonwealth Pacific Islands 18% urban. Achievement of SDG 11 will require cities to actively address the key dimensions of sustainable development – the economy, the society and the environment and to be inclusive, and proactive to ensure safety of all citizens. Subthemes includes urbanisation and migration, urban planning, informal settlements, formal and informal urban economy, disaster risk reduction and emergency planning, safety and security in cities, and smart cities and ICT.
Featured
BOOK REVIEW: Governing Cities in a Global Era: Urban Innovation, Competition and Democratic Reform
Robin Hambleton and Jill Simone Gross have assembled a collection of papers which powerfully supports their argument that “those concerned with the future of cities, whether as academics or practitioners, should devote more time to instrumental learning from abroad.” Contributions range widely from the influence of globalisation and urbanisation, to the importance of understanding the unique impact of our own context; from innovation in the leading ‘world cities’ of the developed world, to the seemingly intractable problems of cities in the developing world; from celebrating the importance of a shift from government to governance, to contributions highlighting the potential of governance to undermine local democracy; and from the role of leadership to the dangers of persistent managerialism.
Author: Peter McKinlay Publisher: university of Technology, Sydney Publication year: january 2009
How do mid-size cities perform in the UK and Australia? An international comparison
The Regional Australia Institute (RAI) has published two new reports analysing the recent performance of Australia’s regional cities, and outlining a plan for future growth based on the City Deals model currently in use in the UK.
Author: Elena Magrini Publisher: Regional Australia Institute (RAI) Publication year: 2017
The Emergence of Pacific Urban Villages: Urbanization Trends in the Pacific Islands
This publication expands and builds on an earlier report, The State of Pacific Towns and Cities: Urbanization in ADB’s Pacific Developing Member Countries, by examining in greater depth the need for a quantum shift in how development agencies, practitioners, and researchers perceive and address the needs of those urban residents who live in some form of urban village and often in hardship and poverty.
Author: Paul Jones Publisher: Asian Development Bank Publication year: 2016
Future Urban Living
A policy commission investigating the most appropriate means for accommodating changing populations and their needs in the cities of the future
Author: University of Birmingham Publisher: University of Birmingham Publication year: 2014
Governing Cities in a Global Era: Urban Innovation, Competition and Democratic Reform
This book is about the role that ideas, institutions, and actors play in structuring how we govern cities and, more specifically, what projects or paths are taken. Global changes require that we rethink governance and urban policy, and that we do so through the dual lens of theory and practice.
Author: Jill Simone Gross , Robin Hambleton Publisher: Palgrave Publication year: 2007
