More Urban Less Poor

A world more urban... The world is undergoing massive urbanization now topping 3 billion of the world?s 6 billion people and projected to increase to 4 billion city dwellers, mostly in the developing world, within twenty-five years. The impacts and development challenges posed by historic shift are of equal magnitude and include growing slums, lack of access to adequate water, sanitation and utilities, challenges to transport, employment, education and dramatic effects on human well being and the environment. ...but less poor It does not have to be like this. Unplanned shanty-towns without basic services are not an inevitable consequence of urbanization and slums are not explained only by poverty. Indeed, urban misery is often the product of misguided policies, inappropriate legal frameworks, dysfunctional markets, poor governance, and not least of all, lack of political will. Urbanization and economic development go hand-in-hand and the productivity of the urban economy can and should benefit all and with proper solutions, including good governance, living conditions for the urban poor can be dramatically improved. It is clear that solutions are available, what is now required is decisive and concerted action. This comprehensive text covers the full breadth and depth of the challenges in urban development in developing and transitional countries and makes sense of this complex and important field. Written in an accessible style, and employing graphs, tables, photos and extra readings, the book examines the key issues in urban development and management including how cities grow, economic development, urban poverty, slums, housing and land tenure, environmental problems and health. It also examines the obstacles to development, the management and governance of urban growth, the finance and delivery of services as well as the role of development cooperation, donors and policy frameworks in overcoming the challenges. This is essential reading for development professionals, researchers, students and others working on any facet of urban development and management in our rapidly urbanizing world.