Urban futures

Urbanisation will be one of the big issues of the new millennium. According to UN estimates, half the world's population will soon live in cities. Cities are at a cross-roads. Will they be able to capitalise on their strengths - many-layered opportunities for economic and social contact, accessible leisure and cultural facilities, dense networks - leading to an urban renaissance; or will suburbanisation intensify, becoming sprawl, because the disadvantages of city life outweigh the benefits? How can cities reconcile economic vigour with sustainability? What will be the impact of new technology? What should be the role of governance? What do cities need to do to succeed and prosper in a globally competitive world of increasingly footloose industries and individuals?