Cities continue growing with no indications that this trend is changing. Despite the disruptive conditions posed earlier by the COVID-19 pandemic, figures point to expansion according to the UN Habitat World Cities Report 2022. The report indicates that the population in urban areas worldwide increased from 25 percent in 1950 to 50 percent in 2020, and is set for an upward trajectory in the next fifty years.
The figures for low-income areas are also striking. According to the UN Habitat report, there is a projection that from 2020 to 2070, the population of urban areas will increase by 76 percent in low-income countries, 20 percent in high-income and lower-middle-income nations, and 6 percent in upper-middle-income countries. These statistics are a wake-up call to world leaders and urban planners to adopt sustainable strategies for the future based on current data, challenges, and growth opportunities.
Population growth in cities has both positive and negative effects. Cities form a point where humans come together to trade, work, socialize, learn, and live. Cities are alluring because of reliable infrastructure, jobs, and safer environments. With these apparent advantages, an influx of people from rural to urban areas or intercity migration brings an increased diversity of cultures, skilled professionals, an increase in the local economy, and a boost to government taxes. Conversely, these migrations' adverse effects are competition for natural resources, pollution, overcrowding, and pressure on existing infrastructure.
Just as living organisms require energy and supplies to survive, so do cities. Mining resources like materials used for building infrastructure, fossil fuels for powering industries and vehicles, and acquiring land for the provision of food, water, and expansion all put a strain on the finite resources available. External resources are required to fill in gaps where the city resources are inadequate, hence the need to implement strategies to minimize resource extraction and energy usage while generating more value.
Various methods are deployed to help minimize resource depletion. One way is through energy conservation and the use of renewable energy. Energy conservation entails the prudent use of energy, meaning using it when necessary, using energy-saving illumination, and regularly maintaining heating systems. Installation of renewable energy systems like solar panels and wind turbines helps significantly in the over-reliance on fossil fuels in power generation. The result is a reduction of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Cities should also employ an efficient waste management system that enhances reusing, recycling, and recovering techniques. The circular economy paradigm is a perfect example, since it demonstrates that waste is a human concept and not a property of cities.
Water conservation is another useful method to minimize resource depletion. Water is a critical resource in cities. However, its misuse leads to reduced water supplies, affecting many aspects of life. Therefore, water must be conserved by using water-conserving plumbing fixtures and keeping water systems tight, leak-free, and efficient.
Aside from natural resources, food security is another key concern in the ever-increasing city population. A rise in population means food shortages may become a problem requiring food from other cities or rural areas. One approach is for cities to embrace urban agriculture as a solution to making them more sustainable.
