The global urban population is projected to peak by 2080, with 9.2 billion people — or about 90% of the world’s inhabitants — expected to be living in cities, according to the United Nations. In the century leading up to that year, a rapid urban expansion will continue to strain governments’ capacity to keep up in terms housing and planning capacity. New cities will emerge, while existing small cities and towns will see some of the fastest growth. 

Then comes population decline, the pace of which remains unclear. In a new perspective, contributors Greg Clark, Borane Gille and Jennifer Dolynchuk — creators of the podcast Century of Cities — take a look at the data on urban population growth around the world, and explore how cities can prepare. Today on CityLab: The Steep Curve to Peak Urban

— Linda Poon

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