AN URBAN FUTURE

1. Where will virtually all population growth take place over the next 30 years?


2. What is the difference between the terms "urban" and "city"?


3. What are the criteria that most governments use to define urban settlements?


4. Does most of the world's urban population live in big cities or in smaller urban settlements?


5. Which region of the developing world is currently as urbanized as the developed world?


6. Rapid urban population growth reflects which three basic factors?
   Which of these factors plays a greater role in urban growth?


7. In general, why do people move from rural to urban areas?


8. What are some examples of push factors? Of pull factors?

THE URBAN POOR

1. Do most poor people in developing countries live in rural or urban areas?


2. Why should income-based poverty statistics, especially urban poverty statistics, be interpreted cautiously?


3. What contributes more to urban poverty, unemployment or employment in the informal labor market? Why?


4. What types of jobs are in the informal sector?


5. What is security of tenure?


6. Why is it misleading to state that urban residents in developing countries generally enjoy better health than rural dwellers?


7. Why are the urban poor more vulnerable than other urban residents to poor health and environmental hazards?


8. Why don't basic services needed for good health reach the urban poor?

POLLUTION AND HEALTH

1. From what sources are urban water supplies contaminated?


2. What is the major waterborne malady?


3. What are some of the major urban air pollutants?


4. Is outdoor air pollution more of a problem in developed or in developing countries?

IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT

1. What factors contribute to the environmental impact of urban settlements?


2. What is an "ecological footprint"?


3. Do developing or developed countries have heavier ecological footprints?

MAKING URBAN AREAS WORK

1. What are some of the steps that governments can take to address urban problems better?


2. What is governance?


3. Who should have direct control over the planning and management of urban areas, national or municipal governments?


4. What are the three conditions that must be met for decentralization of power, authority, and responsibility from national to local governments to be effective?


5. How can slower population growth encourage economic growth?


6. What are among the most important ways to improve urban living conditions for the poor?


7. What are two of the most important components of policies to avoid slums?


8. What is fundamental to the success of a slum upgrading program?


9. How can donors support better urban governance?


10. What are the two steps most needed to prevent the majority of water-related diseases and deaths in urban areas?


11. Which two types of sanitation technologies can help improve sanitation?


12. What steps can be implemented to help curb outdoor urban air pollution?


13. What is an example of a "low-tech" solution to recycling urban waste that poorer countries can afford?