In 2012 more than 50% of the world’s population are classified as ‘urban’. By 2050 this figure will have reached 75% **. Humanity is experiencing the fastest urbanisation period in world history, presenting a myriad of complex development issues. Spurred on by urgency, and committed to realising cities as “dreams of improvement and prosperity”, the I’m a City Changer campaign consists of 6 connected elements…
On Monday UN Habitat marked the 28th World Habitat Day with a clear declaration:
“It is time for changing our cities and for building new opportunities”*
This year’s theme, “Changing Cities, Building Opportunities”, plays into UN Habitat’s wider I’m a City Changer campaign which has been designed to strengthen active urban citizenship and, in so doing, deliver “better cities” through activating potential “synergies between urbanisation and development”.
The facts on urban development speak for themselves. In 2012 more than 50% of the world’s population are classified as ‘urban’. By 2050 this figure will have reached 75% **. Humanity is experiencing the fastest urbanisation period in world history, presenting a myriad of complex development issues. Spurred on by urgency, and committed to realising cities as “dreams of improvement and prosperity”, the I’m a City Changer campaign consists of 6 connected elements:
It is doubtless that major changes in urban planning are necessary if this vision is to become concrete. However, the opportunity is there:
“We have the science and the knowhow. And we know too that our ever growing cities are just where the changes can be implemented fastest and new opportunities created.”
The responsibility for delivery is collective - all actors, whether top-down or bottom-up, must contribute, and all groups must be allowed to contribute. In particular, youthful demographics, who themselves represent the popular majority of many cities in the Global South, must be engaged as partners, and must themselves engage (for the process is two-way) in imagining & reimagining, inventing & reinventing and building & rebuilding their own futures.
For better or worse, tomorrow’s cities will be “the greatest legacy of our human civilisation”. It is our responsibility to become “city changers” and ensure it is a legacy for the better.
* All quotations, unless otherwise identified are taken from: Dr. Joan Clos (2012), UN World Habitat Day: Message of the Executive Director, UN Habitat (Monday 1 October 2012), http://www.unhabitat.org/downloads/docs/11313_1_594575.pdf
** Figures taken from Burdett, R. and Sudjic, D. (2007). The Endless City.London: Phaidon Press.
Having recently completed an MSc in Urban Development Planning at the Development Planning Unit (UCL), this topic resonates with my academic and professional interests. I hope to write further on the challenges of development in the Urban Age with a particular focus on tracing the intersections between Youth and Urban Development and would be interested to hear your thoughts.
Featured Image Credit: eflon via Compfight cc