Preface
This book is a collection of essays that consider living in megacities in a sustainable
manner. We have detected at least 18 megacities with more than ten million people
in the world although the number of megacities depends on the definition of cities
and megacities. Historically speaking, the advent of megacities is a relatively new
phenomenon. Thus, our understanding of megacities has not been sufficiently
accumulated to make our lifestyle there sustainable. In so doing, we need to consider
environmental, economic, and social dimensions (the triple bottom line). In addition,
world population has been growing and is expected to reach 9.3 billion in 2050.
Urban population is expected to become 6.3 billion in 2050. The aggregate impact of
urban population concentrated in megacities on global environment cannot be
ignored although it is sometimes said that eco-efficiency is relatively high in cities.
Our life in cities is closely linked with global environmental issues, such as climate
change due to emissions of greenhouse gases, biodiversity loss, land-system change,
atmospheric aerosol loading, ocean acidification, chemical pollution, and so on. We
will have to change our urban lifestyles and more wisely live in megacities.
From this perspective, we conducted a research project on megacities and global
environment in the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) in Kyoto,
Japan (2010–2015). All the authors of this volume contributed to the international
symposium held in Kyoto in 2014. Starting from the discussion there, they have
further enriched and deepened their research with the expertise of their respective
fields. The results are collected in this volume. Their diverse contributions are
categorized into three sections by the editors: historical perspectives, proposals of
sustainable living, and sustainability assessment. Still, we need to accumulate results
of relevant research in the theme further through inter- and transdisciplinary
approaches. We hope that this volume will become one of the important studies
along these lines.
In the process of preparing this book, many people helped the editors. We highly
appreciate comments from Kaoru Sugihara (RIHN), Junko Habu (University of
California, Berkeley), Satoshi Ishikawa (Tokai University), and several anonymous
reviewers. We would like to give thanks to Hayato Sugimoto (RIHN) and Yumiko
vii
This book is a collection of essays that consider living in megacities in a sustainable
manner. We have detected at least 18 megacities with more than ten million people
in the world although the number of megacities depends on the definition of cities
and megacities. Historically speaking, the advent of megacities is a relatively new
phenomenon. Thus, our understanding of megacities has not been sufficiently
accumulated to make our lifestyle there sustainable. In so doing, we need to consider
environmental, economic, and social dimensions (the triple bottom line). In addition,
world population has been growing and is expected to reach 9.3 billion in 2050.
Urban population is expected to become 6.3 billion in 2050. The aggregate impact of
urban population concentrated in megacities on global environment cannot be
ignored although it is sometimes said that eco-efficiency is relatively high in cities.
Our life in cities is closely linked with global environmental issues, such as climate
change due to emissions of greenhouse gases, biodiversity loss, land-system change,
atmospheric aerosol loading, ocean acidification, chemical pollution, and so on. We
will have to change our urban lifestyles and more wisely live in megacities.
From this perspective, we conducted a research project on megacities and global
environment in the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature (RIHN) in Kyoto,
Japan (2010–2015). All the authors of this volume contributed to the international
symposium held in Kyoto in 2014. Starting from the discussion there, they have
further enriched and deepened their research with the expertise of their respective
fields. The results are collected in this volume. Their diverse contributions are
categorized into three sections by the editors: historical perspectives, proposals of
sustainable living, and sustainability assessment. Still, we need to accumulate results
of relevant research in the theme further through inter- and transdisciplinary
approaches. We hope that this volume will become one of the important studies
along these lines.
In the process of preparing this book, many people helped the editors. We highly
appreciate comments from Kaoru Sugihara (RIHN), Junko Habu (University of
California, Berkeley), Satoshi Ishikawa (Tokai University), and several anonymous
reviewers. We would like to give thanks to Hayato Sugimoto (RIHN) and Yumiko
vii