CITIES AND URBAN ECOSYSTEMS

Apuntes

CITIES AND URBAN ECOSYSTEMS Cities and urban ecosystems Urban ecosystems are cities and the surrounding, socio-ecological systems where most people live (Maes, et. al. 2016). They are very peculiar ecosystem types: they are almost completely artificial, but they include, in different proportions, all other ecosystem types (forests, lakes and rivers and agricultural areas can all be part of urban fringe) and they are strongly influenced by human activities. 60% of cities’ economic growth is coming from a growing population, and 40% from improving labour productivity. To run efficiently, urban areas need better transport, water, energy and waste management infrastructure, logistics facilities and public services from healthcare to education. Living With rapid urbanization and now over half the world’s population living in cities, housing affordability has reached crisis levels. https://youtu.be/Hg2xVVCxwu4?si=z3ZF_3tzJfAPPRad Cities may occupy just 2 per cent of the earth’s land surface, but they are home to more than half of the world’s population and generate 80% of all economic output. And their dominance is growing, by 2045 an extra 2 billion people will live in urban areas...