There are 28 ‘mega-cities’ today, compared to just two in 1970. Another 13 mega-cities are expected to emerge by 2030. And it’s not just the biggest cities which are expanding – the fastest-growing urban areas are medium-sized cities, and cities in Asia and Africa which have populations of less than 1 million.
What this means for our global society has been ignored for a long time but finally, at Habitat III, ‘urbanisation’ has made it to the international stage.
Next week’s long-awaited conference will bring together member states and relevant stakeholders to discuss and agree a New Urban Agenda. With a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) dedicated to sustainable cities, the New Urban Agenda promises to be an international agreement governing how to implement and localise a shared urban vision. It seems that the persistent and rapid urbanisation of countries across the world has pushed its way into the global policy arena at last.
And yet, city governments are not centre-stage. While they have contributed to the agenda, municipal governments are not leading the discussion, or making commitments at Habitat III.
This, sadly, is not a surprise. The decentralisation of political power and public money to cities is often half-hearted. City populations are growing and people are migrating to urban centres, drawn to the opportunities they offer. Yet, cities with quickly growing populations need services, infrastructure, housing and economies which can expand and include more and more people. This requires money and leadership – a fully empowered local government.
