John Urry and Salvador Rueda

Is it possible to rethink urban growth and plan mobility with a view to achieving a healthier, more sustainable and socially just future? Urban growth seems to be unstoppable. It is calculated that, by 2050, 70% of the world’s population will be living in urban environments and, even today, some cities have more than twenty million inhabitants. Furthermore, contemporary society is characterised by a lifestyle notable for its intensive mobility. The megalopolis, increasing urban sprawl, tourism and migratory flows mobilise millions of people every day. Hence, access to transport is a key factor determining the quality of human life. Today, however, extensive use of mobility systems depending on fossil fuels has a huge impact on the environment and health, and presents major challenges in an evermore urbanised world. 

Related to Urban Planet: Mobility in Cities of the Future

24 November 2014