The State of World Population Report 2007, published by the UNFPA and subtitled Unleashing the Potential of Urban Growth, focuses on the consequences of the unprecedented migration of populations from rural environments into cities – which is currently happening at the rate of a million people a week. In the next year, for the first time in human history more people will live in urban areas than in the country.
The most pronounced shift in populations will occur in Africa and Asia, where the urban population is set to double in a generation. The move can have very positive benefits for individuals and their families, as cities can often provide better access to health centres and education. The report also sets out the obstacles to development – including tackling climate change and the impact of urban poverty.
One vital aspect of sustainability is ensuring adequate opportunities for safe physical activity in everyday life. Combined with – as is often the case in cities – lack of access to fresh, healthy foods, a failure to provide for exercise often leads to obesity and then an epidemic of diabetes, heart disease and cancers.
A paragraph on ‘Planning for parks and walkways’ notes that ‘urban public parks and walkways are sometimes considered a luxury that cities in poor countries can ill afford, but open spaces contribute to individual well-being and physical fitness’. However, the main topic of this section is on public space as a ‘great equaliser’ – and, while this is important, it is disappointing that the long-term health repercussions of urban planning were not given greater exposure in this report.
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Source: The Guardian, 28 June 2007