For immediate release
Contact: Anthony Flint 617-503-2116
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (January 21, 2011) -- The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy will release a major report on urban expansion worldwide, Making Room for a Planet of Cities, at an event hosted by Cities Alliance and the World Bank, Thursday, 27 January 2011, 10:30 AM - 12:00 noon Eugene H Black Auditorium in the "H" Building of the World Bank - 600 19th Street, NW Washington DC.
Over half the world’s population lives in urban areas, including many millions in informal settlement. Urban population growth is expected to soar in the coming decades, requiring preparation and planning. Lead author Shlomo Angel, visiting fellow at the Lincoln Institute, will present analysis of the quantitative dimensions of past, present, and future global urban land cover to suggest a new paradigm for preparing for this explosive growth in cities the world over, particularly in the developing world.
Original data sets include 120 cities with 100,000 people or more, 1990 and 2000, based on satellite images; historic population density data in digital images for 20 U. S. cities, 1910–2000; a sample of 30 cities, 1800–2000, based on historic maps; and urban land cover areas of over 3,600 cities in 2000, based on satellite images. The data will be made available on the Lincoln Institute Web site in a new addition to the Databases section of Resources & Tools.
The presentation will reflect the key findings that on average, density is declining, while the urban population of the developing countries is expected to double between 2000 and 2030 and the built-up area of their cities can be expected to triple. The research suggests that preparation for the sustainable growth of cities in rapidly urbanizing countries should include realistic projections of urban land needs; generous metropolitan limits; selective protection of open space; and an arterial grid of roads that can support transit spaced one kilometer apart.
Making Room for a Planet of Cities (embargoed for release January 27, 2011) provides both the conceptual framework and, for the first time, the basic empirical data and quantitative dimensions of past, present, and future urban expansion in cities around the world that are necessary for making minimal preparations for the massive urban growth expected in the coming decades.
Media contacts to attend: Anthony Flint 617-503-2116 anthony.flint@lincolninst.edu, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge; Chii Akporji, 202-473-01935 cakporji@citiesalliance.org, Cities Alliance in Washington.
The event is open to the public as capacity permits, but registration is required. Please rsvp to ntuteja@citiesalliance.org. A photo ID will be required.
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is a leading resource for key issues concerning the use, regulation, and taxation of land. Providing high quality education and research, the Institute strives to improve public dialogue and decisions about land policy.
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