Signal New urban definition puts 76.5% of people in cities in 2015, against 54% previously

Summary

The Megatrends 2040 report argues that the world is far more urbanised than earlier estimates suggested. Under a recently adopted definition of urban areas, 76.5% of the global population was already living in cities and towns in 2015, compared with the previous estimate of 54%. The report adds that both the number of cities and their relative importance are rising steadily, although urbanisation rates vary widely by region. It describes cities as growing and operating more autonomously and setting new social and economic standards. The revised figure implies that planning for public services, housing and infrastructure must start from a much larger urban base than previously assumed.