Sustainable Cities in the Age of Global Warming and Peak Oil

Abstract

The megacities are a 20 th century invention made possible by the car and cheappetrol. But cheap energy is no longer an option, and the city of the 21st centuryis challenged in a large number of ways. Peak oil and global warming makes itimperative for the principles of urban development to change profoundly. Zero netenergy consumption, durability, recycling, and food production become the orderof the day. The walkable city, the city of towns may become the new structure.The world is confronted with some of the most serious crises humanity has everencountered, and the world cities are challenged too. A new paradigm must be developed– and rapidly. This article states the challenges and outlines some possibledirections for that paradigm.