Half of humanity – 3.5 billion people – lives in cities today
By 2030, almost 60 per cent of the world’s population will live in urban areas
95 per cent of urban expansion in the next decades will take place in developing world
828 million people live in slums today and the number keeps rising
The world’s cities occupy just 3 per cent of the Earth’s land, but account for 60-80 per cent of energy consumption and 75 per cent of carbon emissions
Rapid urbanization is exerting pressure on fresh water supplies, sewage, the living environment, and public health
But the high density of cities can bring efficiency gains and technological innovation while reducing resource and energy consumption