It is in Asia where it is predicted that the majority of the worlds' largest cities will exist, and which will accommodate about half of the 5 billion urban dwellers by the year 2030. There are serious questions as to how sustainable this process might be. These large cities dominate regions, drawing in people from surrounding rural areas often leading to wide disparities in wealth and poverty and in overcrowding.
Rapid development raises densities and exploits land in private ownership to the full.
The power of capital and patterns of land ownership affect the form of these fast growing cities. Concentration of development in city centers leads to a rapid expansion of agglomerations on the periphery. Peripheral growth often adds to problems of congestion and unsustainable use of private transport, however policies attempting to control growth and development often have negative consequences. A sustainable future With growing global environmental problems, sustainability with be a significant issue and increasingly subject to legislation. Guiding this process will need the collaboration of both the development industry and local and regional government.