Africa and Asia: Two of the world's fastest growing regions

Abstract

This book is about two of the world's fastest growing regions: Africa and Asia. They are the world's two largest and most populous continents. Many of the world's poorest people - those living on less than US $1 a day live in these regions. Their urban areas are fast expanding, most with inadequate solid waste management, sanitation, clean water, housing and living space and are at risk from increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events and sea level rise. To illustrate; more than 70% of the urban population in sub-Sahara Africa lives in slums. More than half of the population of Mumbai, India's richest city, lives in slums (Mehta and Dastur 2008). By 2020, some 75-80% of the world's total urban population is projected to live in developing countries, with the largest increases anticipated in Africa and Asia. This development trajectory and the increased incidence of natural disasters and diseases caused by climate change will challenge cities already burdened with urban growth. How can these cities prepare for the urban future? © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.