Title: Urbanization and the Megacity - World Population
Headings: Urbanization and the Megacity
Urbanization and the Megacity
Implications of Growing “Too Fast”
The Rise of Slums
The Emergence of Megacities
Environmental Pros and Cons
Planning an Urban Future
distribution of world urban Population by area

Content: But of course, there are ecological downsides to cities as well. Concentrations of people mean concentrations of pollutants and trash. Cities produce up to 70 percent of global CO2 emissions and smog is becoming a common feature in many urban landscapes. Large swaths of continuous pavement prevent water drainage and boost temperatures. Without proper infrastructure, cities also risk having waste – both trash and human waste – clogging waterways and causing damage. And with cities across the globe producing more than 2 billion tons of waste annually, that’s a lot for one area to handle. Planning an Urban Future
It is predicted that most future urban growth will happen in settlements currently home to between 100,000 and 250,00 people, and if this is to be done sustainably, planning is a must. Future high-growth areas require strategic urban planning individually tailored to a city’s history, culture, value system, and other specificities; a single cookie-cutter approach won’t work, nor will the plans of the 20th century. But by keeping an eye towards social justice concerns, natural resource use, environmental hazards, and other issues of modern cities, urban plans can help ensure the health and well-being of tomorrow’s city dwellers.