Urbanization - a major driver of global environmental change
Science plan for a new IHDP core project and new reports
Urbanization - both as a social phenomenon and a physical transformation of landscapes - is one of the most powerful, irreversible and visible anthropogenic forces on Earth. More than half of world's population live in urban areas and most of future population growth is likely to be concentrated in cities.
The IHDP plans to dedicate a new core project to urbanization. It will be focused around four research themes:
- Urban processes that contribute to global environmental change
- Pathways through which global environmental change affects the urban system
- Interactions and responses within the urban system
- Consequences of interactions within urban systems on gl. env. change
A link to the science plan will be published on our web site as soon as it becomes available.
Another useful source of information on urbanization and mega cities is the «Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network» GaWC.