The growth of cities and their past - Research Paper Example

Past Practices- Urban GrowthIntroductionUrban growth is the process of expansion of economic agglomerations. Urbanization, structure of cities, organization of economic activities and overall economic growth of a country are important determinants of this expansion. Growth of cities and their pastThe past always forms foundation for the future and this is true to the growth of cities as well. Past planning forms the basis of present and future developments and with regards to this, planning for safe efficient transportation system, is key to urban growth.

Venice, one of the oldest cities in the world had centred the planning of its transport system on water-ways that are in use to this day. This transport system was not only efficient but also safe in the modern context of carbon emissions (Glaeser, 2011). It did not occur to the planers of the city at the time but present inhabitants of Venice have one of the least carbon emission modes of transport in the world with human navigated boats forming a significant fraction of the transport vessels.

From the planning of Venice, modern cities have an opportunity to gather new ideas on having durable, low carbon emission transport networks. The 21 century cities may not have waterways but could come up with systems founded on the concept of the water ways of Venice. High speed rail networks for example, are an improvement of 18th century rail networks that presently solve most cities’ transport problems but were developed from these early transportation rail networks that were not very fast at the time of their initial use.

Planning for high-rise housing units to provide more room for city residents in the skies, encouraging urban agriculture as is done in Tokyo Japan, adopting water recycling systems to ensure no water used in urban centers go to waste as is the case with Israeli cities and developing efficient underground public transport systems to minimize interference with human activities on the surface, are some of the practices that can be integrated to deal with the rapid urban growth that is depleting both resources and space (Kahn, 2006).

ReferencesGlaeser, E. L. (2011). Triumph of the city: how our greatest invention makes us richer, smarter, greener, healthier, and happier. New York: Penguin Press. Kahn, M. E. (2006). Green cities: urban growth and the environment. Washington, D.C.: Brookings Institution Press.