The Rockefeller Foundation recently released its new publication Century of the City: No Time to Lose, an in-depth study of urbanisation and how to address global urban challenges.
Written by journalists Neal Peirce and Curtis Johnson with Farley Peters, Century of the City developed out of the major themes and discussions of the , sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation in 2007.
The summit brought together leaders from the private and public sectors to discuss urgent issues resulting from rapid urbanisation and the importance of taking multidisciplinary approaches to these issues.
Century of the City provides an overview of the debate and analysis that took place among the participants at the month-long summit.
It highlights the challenges faced by growing urban populations in the developing world in a number of areas: water, sanitation and shelter; building climate change resilience; promoting urban population health; and designing an inclusive city.
The book also includes several chapters on urbanisation issues in the United States, such as transportation reform and the need for the U.S. to develop a comprehensive plan to invest in climate, energy independence, equity and jobs.
Century of the City concludes with a call to establish a web-based global urban research commons that would allow urban planners around the world to share information, research, analysis and findings.
Established in 1913, the Rockefeller Foundation is a leading philanthropic organization and private foundation based in New York City. Its current focus is on enabling “smart globalisation,” ensuring that tools and technologies that have significantly improved human lives around the world are accessible to as many people as possible.
