State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Can We Build Cities That Think Like A Planet?

NPR: In 1950, less than 50 percent of the world's population lived in cities.

As of 2014, more than half of people on Earth occupied space in urban areas. By 2050, it is expected that the city dwellers will grow to 66 percent.

The tipping point has been crossed. More important, our rapid urbanizing comes at exactly the same moment the planet begins its transition to a new (and unknown) climate state.

There are dangerous links between this climate change and our relentless city building. How resilient will our vast urban agglomerations — called "mega-regions" — be to rising sea levels or changing storm patterns? How much damage do cities do to the environment and the "services," like clean water, it provides human civilization?

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