The New Global Frontier: Urbanization, Poverty and Environment in the 21st Century - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1844075605 ISBN 13: 9781844075607

Publisher: Routledge, 2008

Synopsis

Massive urban growth can either help pave the way to sustainable development or greatly exacerbate poverty and environmental stress. The outcome depends on decisions being made now. The first part of this book takes a critical look at the forecasting of population growth and migration using the UN Population Division's cities databases. The second part looks specifically at urbanization and poverty, focusing attention on the critical issues of urban shelter, land and service provision and the socioeconomic and demographic information needed for improving governance and social programmes. Part three looks at social difference, equity and urban demography, pointing out the potential advantages of urbanization for poverty reduction, the empowerment of women and youths, and even the reduction of HIV/AIDS. The final part of the book examines social and sustainable use of urban space including coping with urban expansion, urban sprawl, global environmental change and urbanization. There is also special treatment China, and the critical case of urbanization in low elevation coastal zones in the context of global climate change and rising sea levels. Published with IIED and UNFPA

About this title

Review:

'This remarkable book convincingly challenges urban misconceptions about such issues as growth, poverty and the environment, and uses compelling evidence-based arguments to demonstrate why urbanization is the most important 21st century priority. Its ambitious, comprehensive scope ... ensures that it will become an indispensable classic for policymakers, practitioners and academics.' Caroline Moser, Director, Global Urban Research Centre, Manchester University 'Too many policymakers fear our urban future, seeing only slums and strife. With the help of this excellent and timely volume, they should look again, and they may see a fast-disappearing historic opportunity: well-managed urban growth has the potential to provide more solutions than problems.' Billy Cobbett, Manager of Cities Alliance 'We need to recognize the centrality of urbanization's challenges and their overwhelming impacts, especially in poorer countries ... This book helps overcome national and international resistance to this agenda and, more importantly, indicates alternative approaches that serve to dispel our puzzlement at this gigantic challenge.' Erminia Maricato, Former Undersecretary, Ministry of Cities, Brazil

About the Author:

George Martine is lead author of UNFPA's State of the World Report 2007 on Urban Growth and President of the Brazilian Population Association. Gordon McGranahan is the Head of the Human Settlements Group at the IIED. Mark Montgomery is a senior associate in the Policy Research Division at the Population Council and a professor, State University of New York at Stony Brook. Rogelio Fernández-Castilla is Director of the Technical Support Division (TSD) of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

About this edition

• Publisher: Routledge
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 1844075605
• ISBN 13: 9781844075607
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400
• Editor: Martine George