Overpopulation Charges Megacities, Better or Worse

On October 2011, population of human hit approximately seven billion for the first time in
history. More babies being born and the 21st century people are healthier. Where are we going?
What are we leaving behind? How are our lifestyles and social life changing?

The speed of urbanization is amazing. In 1950, there were only two megacities – cities with
population of over 10 million – Tokyo and New York City. A new white paper from
Euromonitor, Megacities: Developing Country Domination, says there are now 33 megacities.
The traditional pattern has been swept away by the industrial revolution that influences the
people to abandon countryside. Farming becomes more mechanized and means that fewer people
are needed to run a farm. Many country residents moved to cities in search of better jobs, higher
salary, and an easier life.

What is happening now in China is the most rapid industrial revolution that the world has
known. More than half of the Chinese population now lives in the urban area. Rapid urbanization
creates problem among housing, jobs, clean water supply, sewage, and crime. It also creates
needs in infrastructure bulding and enlarging such as roads, railroads, trains, and metros to
mobilize the population.

The highest rate of urban migration is in Sub – Saharan Africa. Because of conflicts among
different groups, failing crops, droughts, and floods, people are fleeing to cities at twice the rate
of other countries. Because they are not economically strong enough, the cities are unable to
incorporate the enormous populations moving into them. Richard Kollodge, editor of the United
Nations Population Fund report released in October 2011, noted that “The population is growing
faster than the government’s ability to meet the need for services, education and health.
Economic growth isn’t keeping up with population growth .” the results is that the country are
quickly becoming poorer.

Is there any hope for the future? Experts are working on overcrowded and overpopulation cities
which are closely tied. Education of women, sex education, and access to birth control can lead
to fewer and healthier children. Architects and city planners can devise cities which makes
optimal use of the limited land. Engineers can work on developing new clean water sources and
improve the infrastructure and transportation. Scientist are finding new types of clean energy and
way to reduce pollution. Agricultural expertise can help grow the food to feed the masses. All of
this will take international cooperation and vast sums of money. How does it all relate to
megacities? Joel Cohen, a professor of population studies at Columbia University in New York,
suggests that a well-designed smaller cities of approximately 1 million could provide a better
future for urban life. But with this exploding population now, Cohen said, “We are going to need
to construct a city of a million people every five days for the next 40 years.”