Mega-challenges for megacities

Source : Straits Times - 27 Jun 2008

THROUGHOUT the developing world, cities are growing bigger and larger, but not necessarily more liveable.

For the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population, some 3.3 billion people, now live in urban areas. In 1950, there was only one megacity with more than 10 million people - New York. Asia had none.

Today, Asia has more than half of the world’s largest cities, including 10 megacities: Bangkok, Beijing, Kolkata, Jakarta, Seoul, Shanghai, Tokyo, Mumbai, Osaka and Karachi. By 2015, Asia is expected to have 12 megacities. The UN estimates that Asian cities will double in size by 2030.

Underpinning this rapid urbanisation is the region’s unprecedented economic growth over the last few decades. Economic growth and urbanisation go hand in hand. The building frenzy in Asia is a concrete manifestation of this trend. Outstanding architects from Norman Foster and Rem Koolhaas to Fumihiko Maki and Zaha Hadid are in high demand as Asian cities seek to create their own ‘Guggenheim effect’ that put Bilbao on the world map.

The rising living standards in Asia will spur new patterns of consumption, trade and commerce as well as interlinkages between cities. If the 20th century was an era of new nation states, the 21st century could see the emergence of cities as significant players in the global economy, along with their transboundary networks of capital, knowledge and talent. But none of these is a given.

According to the UN, close to one billion people live in slums across the world and this figure is expected to double by 2030. Half of them are in Asia, where income disparities are widening. Many of Asia’s cities are also becoming overcrowded and congested. Yet they continue to attract more people.

The challenges facing Asia’s cities will therefore grow in scale and complexity. There is under-investment in public infrastructure and utilities. Lack of good sanitation, proper housing, accessible transport, clean air and water continues to plague many Asian cities.

There has also been over-exploitation of existing resources. Rivers have been polluted, entire eco-systems damaged and forests depleted. With the growing concern over climate change, managing these issues has become of compelling importance.

Four areas require urgent attention.

First, dealing with the region’s water scarcity: According to the Asian Development Bank, Asia already has one of the lowest per capita availability of fresh water among the world’s continents. One out of five people in the region does not have access to safe drinking water. Furthermore, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that Central, South, East and South-east Asia will face freshwater shortages due to climate change. Competition for scarce water resources could lead to friction among states.

Second, keeping pollution within limits: A study led by the Stockholm Environment Institute in 2006 showed that the air quality in the majority of Asian cities still exceeded international guidelines for human health for certain pollutants.

Third, promoting greater energy efficiency: With oil prices at record highs, it makes sense for Asia’s cities to pay attention to making their buildings, power plants, transport systems and industries energy-efficient. When coupled with investments in renewable energy, the cost- savings of energy efficiency - not to mention the ensuing reduction in carbon emissions - can be significant. Japan is able to grow its economy over the three decades since the oil shocks of the 1970s by being more energy-efficient in nearly everything it does.

Fourth, making cities more liveable: While there is no one definition of ‘liveability’, there is growing recognition that cities have to balance the imperatives of economic growth, social harmony and environmental protection. The solution is not to curb economic growth, for there can be no development without growth. The challenge is to ensure that growth is sustainable in the long run.

Dealing with these four challenges will require political will, a whole-of-government approach and pragmatic deployment of scarce resources. But unfortunately, there is no single formula that can be applied across the board. Urban management is a highly contextualised affair. No two cities are alike. Each country should adopt its own solutions based on the best practices of other cities.

In the United States and Europe, many cities are trying out innovative approaches to urbanisation, energy security and climate change. Likewise, Asian cities can play a similar role as catalysts for change in their countries.

Ultimately, Asia will need to chart its own sustainable growth path, one that balances the need for economic growth with the need to preserve the environment for future generations.

By Andrew Tan, director of the Centre for Liveable Cities.