Urbanization to slow population growth, says expert
The city of Freiburg in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Photo: Till Westermayer
Scientists agree that around now, for the first time ever, most people on Earth are living in cities.
And that’s a good thing, scientists say. For one thing, population growth should slow down in a mostly urban world. Here’s George Martine, lead author of the U.N.‘s 2007 State of World Population Report.
George Martine: Urbanization is a very strong factor in fertility reduction. In a rural area, you look upon having a large number of children as a way of increasing the manpower that you’ll have to work on a farm. In urban areas large families are difficult to crowd into what are usually very crowded residences.
Asia and Africa are adding about a million new urbanites each week, mostly from births within cities.
George Martine: Urban parents tend to be more concerned with the future of their children in terms of how much education they’re going to get, and It’s very difficult to get them all educated if there is a large number of them. There just is very little that is beneficial from having a large family, and there are a lot of difficulties.
Martine said the shift to cities is positive. He said it’s easier to provide health services, education, and other infrastructure in cities. Plus it saves surrounding nature for wild plants and other creatures.
Our thanks to:
George Martine, Author of State of the World Report United Nations Population Fund Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth
