Global urban populations growing; Tyson's Tunnel

Unlike many others in the Virginia blogosphere, I haven't really been talking about the Tyson's Tunnel debate too much. However, this is certainly worth noting and could serve as a major talking point for the Tyson's Tunnel crowd.

Some 3.3 billion people — more than half of humanity — will be living in cities by next year, according to a U.N. report released Wednesday. By 2030, cities will be home to close to 5 billion.

Without proper planning, cities across the globe face the threat of overwhelming poverty, limited opportunities for youth, and religious extremism, U.N. Population Fund Executive Director Thoraya Ahmed Obaid told The Associated Press in London, where the report was released.

"In 2008, half of the world's population will be in urban areas, and we are not ready for them," said Obaid, a U.N. undersecretary-general.

Her agency's "State of the World Population 2007" report outlines the rate and scale of urban growth and calls for the policy initiatives to manage it.

With the anticipated rise in urban populations, let's plan for smart growth, not piss poor attempts at finding a "quick fix" which will almost certainly lead to even more problems in the future.