With half of the world’s population now living in cities or towns, the future will depend more than ever on building sustainable urban communities with three key factors: potable water, reliable power and efficient transportation.
That was the message at a 27 May climate change forum sponsored by Hitachi Ltd. and featuring panels organized by AAAS and The Brookings Institution. The forum, the second in a series sponsored by Hitachi, examined the growing pressures on the world’s cities and some of the strategies, such as “smart” power grids, that could help ensure a more livable urban future both in the United States and globally.
The challenges are complex, driven by demographic trends, aging infrastructure, inefficient use of energy and water, multiple and overlapping governmental and regulatory jurisdictions, and other issues. But the imperatives are clear, forum participants said: Find better ways of managing water, power, and transportation, or suffer the consequences of dramatic and dynamic changes in the urban landscape.
To read the full, original article click on this link: AAAS - AAAS News Release - "Water, Power, Transit: The Critical Elements to Building Sustainable Cities"
Author: Earl Lane
