Scientific experts are urgently advocating for major changes to global governance to protect the future of cities around the world and the planet as a whole. Cities are growing at an unprecedented rate, putting tremendous pressure on developed land, scarce resources and fragile ecosystems. Experts from the Universities of Bristol, Oxford and Yale have made bold proposals in an article in the journal Science, proposing a new global advisory system to tackle the worrying impacts of urban sprawl.
The system will perform functions similar to those of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on climate change.
The overlooked impact of urban development
Lead author Dr. Jessica Espey, an expert in international governance of sustainable development at the University of Bristol, said: "Climate change has attracted great global attention, but when studying the devastating impact of huge urban development on the planet, we have discovered a huge blind spot. Strengthening international cooperation is crucial to better manage the sustainable development of cities and protect the important earth systems on which we depend, including water, air and land."
According to the recently released World Cities Report, more than half (55%) of the world's population currently lives in cities, and this proportion will rise to nearly two-thirds by 2050.
As recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), urban areas account for about three-quarters of total CO2 emissions, but their expansion is not collectively managed at the multilateral level. In addition to exacerbating climate change and air quality problems, cities are dramatically reshaping Earth's four major systems: the hydrosphere, atmosphere, biosphere and geosphere.
The environmental costs of urban expansion
Professor Karen Seto, co-author of the report and professor of geography and urbanization sciences at the Yale School of the Environment, said: "Global urban land expansion is one of the largest causes of habitat and biodiversity loss. This phenomenon is caused not only by the reclamation and occupation of land by cities, but also by the further fragmentation of remaining undeveloped land. This interrupts wildlife and ecological areas, in addition to increasing the risk of fire, pests and diseases, making them more likely to spread."
Waste disposal, harmful emissions from industry and transport, and land development are all responsible for the dramatic decline in biodiversity. Even so-called green alternatives, such as energy-saving technologies like LED lighting, can have harmful effects, such as suppressing the secretion of melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep patterns in humans and other organisms.
The need for comprehensive urban policies
Professor Michael Keith, director of the Peak Cities Research Project at the University of Oxford, which brought together the authors and other world leaders in global urban policy, said: "It is time for world leaders to sit up and recognize that it is impossible to tackle climate change if we do not look at how we design, build, fund and manage the world's cities."
Tim Schwanen, co-author of the report and professor of transport geography at the University of Oxford, called for stronger policies to harness the potential of cities to drive technological and social innovation to minimize the negative impacts of urbanization.
"Growing cities around public transport, cycling and walking can improve public health and social inclusion while minimizing emissions and the consumption of land and natural resources," Professor Schwanen said.
Despite the huge and far-reaching impacts of urban sprawl, the issue is rarely discussed in most global policy-making forums, nor is there sufficient systematic consultation with relevant scientists who could provide important insights or innovative solutions.
Dr. Esper, formerly director of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, said: "While it is encouraging that the United Nations Secretary-General recently established a new independent scientific advisory group, there is currently no representation from urban science. This must change if we are to collectively and effectively address some of the most pressing global challenges."
The authors recommend the creation of a new urban science advisory system that would work with the United Nations General Assembly to highlight relevant issues and deliver the latest information on the transformative impacts of urban growth to policymakers.
Co-author Professor Susan Parnell, Chair Professor of Human Geography at the University of Bristol, added: "This does not have to be a large-scale, expensive undertaking like the IPCC, other models are possible. It is becoming increasingly clear that this change must happen now so that we do not sleepwalk into another planetary catastrophe."
Compiled source: ScitechDailyScience