Cities need to change from centres of economic growth to centres of sustainability

Cities have long been centers of economic growth, but this has come at a significant cost to the environment. Cities need to change from centers of economic growth to centers of sustainability and the prospect of further urbanisation of the global population means that the change needs to happen quickly, before embedded problems are too difficult to reverse. According to the World Economic Forum, nearly 70% of the world's population will live in cities by 2050. A number which may well be higher than the total global population of today. 

Cities can become more sustainable by prioritizing large-scale investment in critical urban infrastructure and services, ensuring that planning for the large influx of people is undertaken in a way which makes living and travelling in big cities safe and clean. Allowing cities to grow by spreading, building more roads and more low-density housing is a recipe for social and climate disaster.

Cities need to adopt green spaces. Parks, urban forests, vertical gardens and trees by their millions. To do this they need get rid of tarmac and concrete. Replace the private car with public transport, active transport, and walkable neighbourhoods. 

In changing their focus from economic growth to sustainability, our cities offer the best hope for delivering a liveable future for generations to come. Rather than the dystopian nightmare we are currently planning to bequeath them.