world's largest cities are morphing into overcrowded 'mega regions' defined by poverty and...

7/30/2019 World's largest cities are morphing into overcrowded 'mega regions' defined by poverty and pollution, UN report

1/8

World's largest cities are morphing into

overcrowded 'mega regions' defined by povertyand pollution, UN report warns

By Mail Foreign ServiceUPDATED: 19:03 GMT, 24 March 2010

The world's largest cities are merging into vast 'mega regions' which will be characterised by overcrowding,poverty and pollution, a new report warns.

The continuing growth of urban areas is likely to be one of the most significant factors affecting societyover the next 50 years, a United Nations agency said.

Such mega regions will stretch hundreds of miles across countries and will be home to more than100million people. Last year it was confirmed for the first time that over half the world's population lives incities.

First 'mega region': The Hong Kong-Shenhzen-Guangzhou region of China is home to120million people... and will only get bigger

The State Of The World Cities report claims that urbanisation is 'unstoppable'.

A mega region, which is often two or more cities becoming connected as increasing numbers of towns andghettos spring up between them, has already been established in the Hong Kong-Shenhzen-Guangzhouregion of China where 120million people live.

Eduardo Lopez Moreno, the report's author, said: 'The top 25 cities in the world account for more than halfof the world's wealth, and the five largest cities in India and China now account for 50 per cent of thosecountries' wealth.'

ld's largest cities are morphing into overcrowded 'mega regions' def... http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1260329/Worlds-largest-citie...

8 4/01/2013 10:08 AM


2/8

However, he claims an explosion of mega regions will not necessarily be a bad thing despite warning of'further patterns of social and economic exclusion'.

'They, rather than countries, are now driving wealth,' Mr Moreno added.

"Research shows that the world's largest 40 mega regions cover only a tiny fraction of the habitablesurface of our planet and are home to fewer than 18 per cent of the world's population yet account for 66per cent of all economic activity and about 85 per cent of technological and scientific innovation.'

Anna Tibaijuka, director of UN-Habitat, said: 'Just over half the world now lives in cities but by 2050, over70 per cent of the world will be urban dwellers.

'By then, only 14 per cent of people in rich countries will live outside cities, and 33 per cent in poorcountries.'

THE INDIA URBAN CORRIDOR: A projected 875 mile corridor between Mumbai and Delhi.Already the population of these two cities is nearly 40m


8 4/01/2013 10:08 AM


3/8

THE SOUTH AMERICA MEGA REGION: More than 43m live in Rio de Janeiro and SaoPaulo in Brazil and the area inbetween

THE CHINA MEGA REGION: A growing population of 120m live in the area around HongKong, Shenzhen and Guangzhou

THE AFRICA URBAN CORRIDOR: A huge corrdior of urbanisation stretched between thecoasts of Ghana, Togo, Benin and Nigeria


8 4/01/2013 10:08 AM


4/8

JAPAN MEGA REGION: The UN says the population in the area including Kobe, Osaka,Kyoto and Nagoya is set to explode. There are 19.5m living in those cities, the total willhit 60m by 2015

THE EAST ASIA URBAN CORRIDOR: The huge cities of Beijing in China, Tokyo in Japan,Seoul in South Korea and Pyongyang in North Korea will engulf 77 separate cities

MOST READ NEWS

Previous

123Next

Sick comic facing axe: Jack Whitehall could be dropped as...


8 4/01/2013 10:08 AM


5/8

Jim Davidson pulls out of Celebrity Big Brother after he is...

'I don't know what the fuss is all about, it's just a...

Revealed: How youngest Indian gang-rapist was cruellest of...

Father apologises after football fan son, 10, is engulfed in...

Unemployed graduate, 24, spends his last 500 taking out...

For sale on eBay, the Christmas presents no one wants: Gifts...

Teenager's warning over rogue tattooist after paying 50 for...

Justin Bieber speaks of his 'shock and sadness' after...


8 4/01/2013 10:08 AM


6/8

Muslim couple sue school who banned their nine-year-old...

Benefits cheat who claimed he was blind and disabled is...

Battle of the mega yachts: Roman Abramovich takes on Qatari...

Comments (28)

NewestOldestBest ratedWorst rated

View all

There are too many people on this planet and we all know it . - mike, durham, 24/3/2010 16: This is why we have AIDS, famine,natural disasters - to wipe out lots of people. Its tragic, but nature will find a way to control us.

-james , Rothwell, 25/3/2010 09:29

Click to rate Rating 7

Report abuse

"There are too many people on this planet and we all know it ." - mike, durham, 24/3/2010 16:51 Maybe it's time for a cull, then.Start with you, shall we?

- Peregrine , London, 25/3/2010 08:16


Report abuse

People have been migrating to cities as ever more efficient farming takes away the need for labour in the countryside. The UNestimate that population will peak and stabilise around 2050 at somewhere between 9 and 10 billion. It's high but sustainable ifwe are energy and food efficient.

- Keith , Sussex, 25/3/2010 08:12


Report abuse

`morphing` - why not use a real word eg. spreading.

- peter holland , nottingham, 25/3/2010 07:56


Report abuse


8 4/01/2013 10:08 AM


7/8

I hope the town planners here in Australia are taking note before they expand the cities to a point where we will have the samemega areas. Seems they are hell bent on more urban expansion with the cities becoming more congested. Instead of developingand investing in the large country towns where they could be upgrading hospitals so that people do not have to travel 4 hrs justto see a specialist. Or just have some decent shopping, go to uni or even the theatre. A few Govt depts. could be moved thereand companies looking to expand should be offered grants to set up outside the urban area. People will always go where thework is but the infrastructre needs to happen too. And better transport links. There are no fast trains servicing the country townsto Melbourne. There is no fast rail linking Melb to Sydney even. You have to fly or drive for nearly 10 hrs. A lot of people wouldrather live in towns rather than the big cities, me being one of them.

- deb , australia, 25/3/2010 07:16


Report abuse

Good news for animal wild life to be left alone

- rrs , bury, 25/3/2010 06:47


Report abuse

Well said Mike, durham What will kill us all is far simpler than we think, over population and the effects of it.

- Peter , London, UK, 25/3/2010 05:37


Report abuse

This a good thing. Increasing urbanization means population growth will slow markedly in the next few decades. Urban regionsalways reduce population growth in every country at every time in history. Population growth always occurs in rural regions. Sothis is a good thing. It means we are in store for much lower population growth and much higher productivity. The world isbecoming a better place, believe it or not.

- Marc , Lake Worth, FL, 25/3/2010 05:33


Report abuse

This is pure bull! I live in Kobe Japan. We have a declinging population in Japan, as there is l ittle immigration and the domesticpopulation simply isn't reproducing enough to sustain the population! So where are the 40.5 million extra people going to comefrom in the next 5 years.... ? This is another example of the U.N. clearly lying to the public, pushing claims of overpopulationwhen they simply don't exist.

- Ian Wilkinson , Kobe, Japan, 25/3/2010 04:40


Report abuse

"Looks about time for another world war" said one population control philanthropist to the other.. whilst mulling the worse thanexpected employment statistics, along side the population growth rates. "Well" said the other, grinning, theres always a profit tobe made mopping up and rebuilding..

- Astute , Brighton UK, 25/3/2010 03:28


Report abuse

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

Ads by Google:Caritas AustraliaHelp end poverty so the worlds poor don't need to rely on charity.www.caritas.org.au/End-Poverty


8 4/01/2013 10:08 AM


8/8

Funny T Shirts50% off today only Over 1000 designs for only $7.50www.BadIdeaTShirts.com$10,000 Holiday GiveawaysWin 1 of 5 Summer Holidays Entry Is Free. Don't Miss Out!www.DealsDirect.com.auBeautiful Chinese WomenChinese Women For Dating & Marriage Join Us And Find Your Love Today!www.asiamatchonline.comCheap Hong Kong HolidayGuaranteed Low Holiday Prices! Cheap Hotels, Flights, Cars & Morewww.EscapeTravel.com.au

Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

Associated Newspapers Ltd


world's largest cities are morphing into overcrowded 'mega regions' defined by poverty and...

Documents