Financial Times (May 7, 2013)
“Pollution in China is now so bad that it threatens to obscure the vision being laid out by Xi Jinping, the new president…. The leadership needs to rethink its national goals. After all, what is the point of rapid economic growth if it creates cities in which it is dangerous to breathe?”
Tags: Air quality, China, Cities, Economic growth, Goals, Pollution, Xi Jinping
Wall Street Journal (June 12)
“Rents go down, grocery bills shrink, companies lay off workers and people move away to live in the countryside—and yet somehow Tokyo continues to be among the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates to live in.” Tokyo shot back to the top of Mercer’s annual list of the most expensive cities in the world. The strength of the yen was a major factor. Osaka ranked third and Nagoya tenth.
“Rents go down, grocery bills shrink, companies lay off workers and people move away to live in the countryside—and yet somehow Tokyo continues to be among the world’s most expensive cities for expatriates to live in.” Tokyo shot back to the top of Mercer’s annual list of the most expensive cities in the world. The strength of the yen was a major factor. Osaka ranked third and Nagoya tenth.
New York Times (August 14)
There is “a growing gloom for states and cities.” Struggling to balance budgets, city and state governments have cut 577,000 jobs since 2008. “Washington should have been trying to find a way to help states avoid the layoffs and cutbacks…. Instead, it seems to be doing everything possible to make the situation worse.” This includes “a budget deal that will probably lead to a significant reduction in federal aid; a bond downgrade that could eventually trickle down to the local and state level, making borrowing more expensive; and a stock market plunge that is bleeding state employee pension funds.”
Tags: Budgets, Cities, Local governments, Pension funds, States, U.S., Unemployment
Los Angeles Times (June 19)Los Angeles Times (June 19)
“The largest population shift in human history” is taking place. Every month over 5 million people leave the countryside for cities in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. By 2050, an additional 3.1 billion people are expected to live in cities. In 1950, 70% of the world’s population lived in rural areas. By 2050, 70% will live in urban areas. This massive migration offers both opportunity and danger. It is one of the forces behind “revolutions in the Arab world” and other current events. “Never in human history have so many people changed their locations and lifestyles so quickly,” yet this trend remains little noticed and misunderstood.“The largest population shift in human history” is taking place. Every month over 5 million people leave the countryside for cities in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. By 2050, an additional 3.1 billion people are expected to live in cities. In 1950, 70% of the world’s population lived in rural areas. By 2050, 70% will live in urban areas. This massive migration offers both opportunity and danger. It is one of the forces behind “revolutions in the Arab world” and other current events. “Never in human history have so many people changed their locations and lifestyles so quickly,” yet this trend remains little noticed and misunderstood.
Tags: Cities, Revolution, Urban migration
