Cities in a Globalized World: Governance, Performance, and Sustainable Development

Author: Fu Lanni
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-09-01
Features: The World Bank's survey shows that by 2003, 48% of the world's population (3 billion people) lived in cities—up by 33% compared to 1991. By 2020, there will be 4.1 billion people (55% of the world's population) living in cities. Of this growth, 94% comes from developing countries. By 2015, there will be 22 major cities (urban agglomerations with a population of over 8 million) and 475 cities with a population of over 1 million. The immense force of urbanization will reshape developing countries, offering both opportunities and challenges in the social and economic spheres. At the same time, globalization will become a powerful driver of economic growth and development. Cities will inevitably compete to attract liquid investments, thereby providing employment opportunities for the growing urban workforce and must provide security, services, and urban infrastructure for the growing urban population. All of this will pose challenges to local governments, demanding substantial improvements in the capacity and performance of local cities. The level to which each city addresses these challenges will depend on a range of comprehensive factors—some beyond the city's direct control, and others within its control, such as individual city policies and local governance. Cities in a Globalized World offers a fresh interpretation of the interactions and connections between globalization, urbanization, and local governance. The book argues for the close interplay between these relationships and their growing importance for sustainable development. It highlights that better policy design in urbanization depends on improved causal analysis, which in turn requires a significant enhancement in the quality of collected data. This book will greatly benefit urban management practitioners, students, and those interested in globalization and developing countries.