An Urbanizing WorldPresidential Forum, American Meteorological Society, Phoenix, January 12, 2009

Kai N. LeeDavid & Lucile Packard Foundation

Population Implosion

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Cities with population >10 millionSource: United Nations 2002. World Urbanization Prospects. The 2001 revision. New York: United Nations. Report ST/ESA/SER.A/216.

Population Implosion

Cities with population >10 million

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Population Implosion

In 1800, 2% lived in cities. By 2008, >50%.

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Population Implosion

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Urban Ecosystem Services

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Water, crops, energy, breathable air, waste processing, and more come from nature.

15 liters of water weighs 15 kG (33 lb)

Urban Ecosystem Services

A city is a physical and social mechanism to acquire and deliver essential natural services to a concentrated human population

•Infrastructure•Markets, governance

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Urban Ecosystem Services

Environmental threats: local for poor; global for rich04/21/23 8Presidential Forum, American

Meteorological Society

Urbanization…and sustainabilityHumans are a predominantly urban species;In the next half century, will build as much

urban habitat as now exists• Large majority in poor and developing

economies• Can build for sustainability & non-stationary

climateFurther reading: Lee, State of the World 2007—Our Urban

Future (W.W. Norton/Worldwatch), chap. 1.

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