Megacities Might Not Save the Planet After All

Large cities are described as the “economic and cultural beating heart” for countries, attracting those seeking jobs, economic markets and entertainment. “In 2010, 6.7 percent of the human beings on Earth lived in a megacity,” reports Lizzie Wade for Wired, writing about research from engineer Christopher Kennedy with the University of Toronto, assisted by 28 researchers in 19 countries. “That number is only going to go up. Those people are going to need resources, and they’re going to generate waste.” Recent research suggests that megacities – defined as metropolitan areas with more than 10 million – as less beneficial to the environment than once thought. Density does not lead to as much efficiency as expected. Cities produce a greater share of economic activity as measured by GDP, but also encourage energy use with surrounding sprawl. Low energy use may be due to inequality rather than efficiency. The research suggests that good infrastructure planning is essential. – YaleGlobal