According to the most recent United Nations World Urbanization
Prospects report, more than half of the world’s population now lives in cities
compared to 30% 50 years ago and 10% 100 years ago.
In Africa where the combined urban population
is expected to double from about 300 million in 2000 to 750 million in 2030,
the next two decades will be immensely challenging. With rapid population growth
and a history of low-density settlement, the rate of increase in urban land
cover in Africa is predicted to be the highest in the world.
Urban growth in Kenya’s cities occurs
organically, in an unplanned fashion through proliferation of slums in the
inner city. Slums often develop in ecologically sensitive areas such as riparian
buffers and wetlands. For example, 16 out 25 major slum settlements in Nairobi
are located in very close proximity to rivers, dams and wetlands.
Kenya’s
urban expansion has taken an unprecedented path, annexation of farmland and
rangelands. In 2009, Thika Greens Limited purchased 1,706 acres from Othaya
Farmers Cooperative Society to build an ultra modern golf city 40 km from
Nairobi. Tatu City will soon rise upon an old coffee estate 15 km northeast of
Nairobi. About 96 km south of Nairobi, concrete, glass and steel skyscrapers
will transform pristine rangelands into Africa’s Silicon Savannah.
Kenya’s growing urban clusters are now transforming
peri-urban regions, with significant impacts on biodiversity and the provision
of vital services of nature such as water. Moreover, loss of agricultural land
to urbanization, combined with weak food systems, is beginning to place severe
constraints on future food security for Kenya’s rapidly growing urban population.
Worldwide cities are widely regarded as
crucible or laboratory for experimentation, failure and success. One would
expect our city planners to learn from this laboratory and formulate innovative
models for 21st century urban design. In her seminal book, The Death
and Life of Great American Cities, Jane Jacobs argues that there is nothing
inevitable – socially or economically – about the decay of old cities or the
fresh-minted decadence of new urbanization.
We will wind up this century as homo urbanus, wholly urban creatures. Such
a demographic transition will see millions give up the vast airy purity of open
rural spaces for a cloistered, stifling existence in the city – the concrete
jungle of hard tarred roads, stone, glass, steel, parking lots, traffic gridlock
and foul air. Global sustainability is now tightly linked with safe and healthy
urban living.
The Cities and Biodiversity Outlook report, the first global
assessment of the links between of urbanization and biodiversity ecosystem services
was launched at the 11th Conference of Parties to the Convention on
Biological Diversity held in Hyderabad, India last week. According the report, urban growth will have significant impacts on biodiversity,
natural habitats and a range of vital ecosystem services that we depend upon.
The Cities and Biodiversity Outlook report
argues that while urbanization is the cause of many socio-economic and
environmental problems, it provides an unprecedented opportunity for finding
novel solutions for sustainable urbanization. Sustainable urbanization presents
a great opportunity for achieving water, food and energy efficiency while
enhancing the maintenance of vital ecosystem services both within and outside
the city boundaries.
The future growth and expansion of Kenyan cities
must not be condemned to one of two paths: proliferation of slums or annexation
of agricultural land or rangelands. The sustainable growth pathway must
comprise re-designing existing cities with development aggregated around
high-density residential areas, mixed-use development, public transit,
pedestrianism, public recreational spaces (squares and parks) and urban gardens.
The global epidemic of non-communicable
diseases such as heart disease, diabetes and chronic respiratory illnesses, are
associated with urban. However, there is growing evidence that urban spaces
that improve air quality and promote active living can enhance human health. We
must therefore increase the quantity and quality of well-planned beautiful
public spaces.
Through innovative building codes, Nairobi
could mandate harvesting and storage of rainwater. Ecological engineering deploying
constructed wetlands and wastewater aquaculture can effectively to treat and
purify roof and urban storm runoff. Nairobi can achieve water sufficiency and end
its wasteful appropriation of water from outlying agricultural areas.
The metastasizing of cars is an indictment of
our incompetence at urban planning and design. A combination of incentives for
transit-oriented, walkable and bicycle- friendly urban areas can promote healthy
living and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
A study published by Egerton University’s
Tegemeo Institute in 2011 revealed that 30% of food insecure households live in
urban and peri-urban areas. The study also showed that 44% of households in
Nairobi are undernourished. Urban agriculture provides a complementary strategy
to reduce urban poverty and food insecurity.
Smart
urbanization must equitably allocate the costs and benefits of development, enhance
natural and cultural resources and promote economic wellbeing and population
health.
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