Urbanization is a global phenomenon and the book emphasizes that this is not just a social-technological process. It is also a social-ecological process where cities are places for nature, and where cities also are dependent on, and have impacts on, the biosphere at different scales from local to global. The book is a global assessment and delivers four main conclusions: Urban areas are expanding faster than urban populations. Half the increase in urban land across the world over the next 20 years will occur in Asia, with the most extensive change expected to take place in India and China Urban areas modify their local and regional climate through the urban heat island effect and by altering precipitation patterns, which together will have significant impacts on net primary production, ecosystem health, and biodiversityUrban expansion will heavily draw on natural resources, including water, on a global scale, and will often consume prime agricultural land, with knock-on effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services elsewhereFuture urban expansion will often occur in areas where the capacity for formal governance is restricted, which will constrain the protection of biodiversity and management of ecosystem services

Think globally, act locally emphasizes the importance of scale in dealing with environmental challenges, but not how to factor it in. This major new book focuses on the spatial dimensions of urban environmental burdens, showing how important it is to take these into account when pursuing environmental justice and good governance - whether in the context of the sanitary risks of slum living, the pollution of uncontrolled industrialization and motorization, or the enormous ecological footprints of affluent urban lifestyles. Written by leading experts in the fields of urban development and environmental planning, the book reviews the urban environmental shifts that have shaped today s challenges, and examines conditions and problems in the urban centres of low-, middle- and high-income countries. Case studies address such economically diverse cities as Accra, New Delhi, Mexico City and Manchester, while thematic chapters explore issues including water, sanitation and transportation. The book concludes by exploring and analysing different scales of governance. The editors argue that we should not rely solely on local governance to address local burdens like poor sanitation, nor depend only on global governance for global challenges such as greenhouse gas emissions, but that scale is crucial in both understanding the problems and devising successful responses. Published with UNU-IAS and IIED.

While there has been much recent research into achieving sustainability in urban areas, most of this is specific to a particular region. This volume broadens these discussions by extending the analysis from North American and European cities to include East Asian cities. Many cities in Asia have deep historical roots, have sustained dense populations through time and have grown prosperous in recent decades. They also face significant environmental degradation and other planning challenges. In bringing together and comparing strategies and experiences from three distinct global regions, this book offers unique insights and new perspectives on the challenges of moving towards greater urban sustainability. While questioning which strategies can promote sustainable cities in a global context, the book also illustrates that while formulae generated out of American and European experience cannot be universally applied, some of the analytical approaches and experience of the other developed countries can offer insights for those working in different contexts. It argues that managing urban change for greater urban sustainability in diverse regions requires detailed understanding of local issues and regional strategies as well as strong support from local communities.

Urbanization is a global phenomenon and the book emphasizes that this is not just a social-technological process. It is also a social-ecological process where cities are places for nature, and where cities also are dependent on, and have impacts on, the biosphere at different scales from local to global. The book is a global assessment and delivers four main conclusions: Urban areas are expanding faster than urban populations. Half the increase in urban land across the world over the next 20 years will occur in Asia, with the most extensive change expected to take place in India and China Urban areas modify their local and regional climate through the urban heat island effect and by altering precipitation patterns, which together will have significant impacts on net primary production, ecosystem health, and biodiversity Urban expansion will heavily draw on natural resources, including water, on a global scale, and will often consume prime agricultural land, with knock-on effects on biodiversity and ecosystem services elsewhere Future urban expansion will often occur in areas where the capacity for formal governance is restricted, which will constrain the protection of biodiversity and management of ecosystem services

While there has been much recent research into achieving sustainability in urban areas, most of this is specific to a particular region. This volume broadens these discussions by extending the analysis from North American and European cities to include East Asian cities. Many cities in Asia have deep historical roots, have sustained dense populations through time and have grown prosperous in recent decades. They also face significant environmental degradation and other planning challenges. In bringing together and comparing strategies and experiences from three distinct global regions, this book offers unique insights and new perspectives on the challenges of moving towards greater urban sustainability. While questioning which strategies can promote sustainable cities in a global context, the book also illustrates that while formulae generated out of American and European experience cannot be universally applied, some of the analytical approaches and experience of the other developed countries can offer insights for those working in different contexts. It argues that managing urban change for greater urban sustainability in diverse regions requires detailed understanding of local issues and regional strategies as well as strong support from local communities.

Think globally, act locally emphasizes the importance of scale in dealing with environmental challenges, but not how to factor it in. This major new book focuses on the spatial dimensions of urban environmental burdens, showing how important it is to take these into account when pursuing environmental justice and good governance - whether in the context of the sanitary risks of slum living, the pollution of uncontrolled industrialization and motorization, or the enormous ecological footprints of affluent urban lifestyles. Written by leading experts in the fields of urban development and environmental planning, the book reviews the urban environmental shifts that have shaped today s challenges, and examines conditions and problems in the urban centres of low-, middle- and high-income countries. Case studies address such economically diverse cities as Accra, New Delhi, Mexico City and Manchester, while thematic chapters explore issues including water, sanitation and transportation. The book concludes by exploring and analysing different scales of governance. The editors argue that we should not rely solely on local governance to address local burdens like poor sanitation, nor depend only on global governance for global challenges such as greenhouse gas emissions, but that scale is crucial in both understanding the problems and devising successful responses. Published with UNU-IAS and IIED.