GTFS: Global Trends and Future Scenarios Index

Global Trends to 2030: The future of urbanization and megacities

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The management of urbanization is the key issue for overall balance. The unprecedented acceleration poses indeed huge challenges in terms of sustainable urban development. This issue is more or less taken into consideration in Western countries but completely overlooked in other parts of the world and particularly in Africa or Latin America. The megacities create a new urban dynamic, as supersized cities are seen as the new engine of the global economy, connecting the flow of goods. However, the current pattern of urbanization has all too often resulted in urban sprawl, low productivity, segregation, exclusion and congestion. The consequences of modern urbanization must not be underestimated. In today globalized world, “local” and “global” are more and more interconnected and many developments at urban level are in fact part of global trends. Understanding the causes and consequences of urbanization is crucial to ensuring a proper response to the global issues of our time and in preparing for the period ahead.