Week 2.2 - Increasing Urban Demographic

Currently around half the worlds population live in urban cities, with that figure expected to rise by 20% by 2050. Yes this is a worrying figure, but does it need to be? Can humanity make the necessary adaption's within 35 years so that Co2 emissions from cities do not disproportionately outweigh those from rural settings? In established cities, it is optimistic to say they could, however it is realistic in cases where effective action is already underway, e.g. Copenhagen who have expectations to be carbon neutral by 2025.

It is apparent that the key resource in this process is time, as drastic changes cannot be expected to happen overnight. However, as innovative cities lay the blueprint for change, this process can only improve as others follow. There is a great deal of optimism for master-planned cities, e.g. Masdar City, and great scope for developing cities (under the condition that strict planning conditions are adhered to). If they are, there is potential for the increasing urban population to be offset by a decline in per-capita carbon emissions. 

http://www.slideshare.net/halloliver/copenhagen-solutions-for-sustainable-cities-2012-export-catalogue

http://masdarcity.ae/en/