state of the world's cities 2012/2013 - United Nations Sustainable ...

Urban Infrastructure: Bedrock of ProsperityIt is possible to identify the specific contributions adequateinfrastructure can make to the prosperity of cities, but it must beremembered that they are interrelated and interact with one anotherin a variety of ways. As perceived by experts participating in theUN-Habitat survey, these contributions are the following (by orderof decreasing importance): economic growth; facilitating mobility;improving access to health and education; improving quality of life;steering spatial expansion; environmental quality; improving slumconditions and reducing poverty; and reducing spatial disparities.These eight types of contribution are presented in the charts for thefour regions under review.Economic Growth: Infrastructure plays a crucial role in supportingeconomic growth, and it is worth noting that the reverse causalrelationship also holds – that is, infrastructure benefits fromeconomic growth. Infrastructure contributes to growth throughenhanced productivity of the factors of production. Indeed between1990 and 2005, improved infrastructure contributed one per centto per capita economic growth in Africa, and 1.2 per cent inAsia. 48 In Africa, the greatest impact has been attributed totelecommunications and, to a lesser extent, roads.Facilitating Mobility: Seamless movement within and betweencities thanks to efficient mass transit systems is essential to theproper functionality and prosperity of cities. Cities that have deployedsustainable transport policies to enhance mobility have reaped hugeadvantages that positively impact on the other ‘spokes’ of prosperity.In Bogotá and Curitiba, for instance, BRT makes both cities morelivable in very tangible ways, including reducing traffic congestion,decreasing travel times and costs, reducing energy consumption andimproving environmental quality.Access to health and education: Infrastructure facilitates accessto health and education, which are essential components ofhuman development and feature prominently among MillenniumDevelopment Goals. Healthy children learn better and healthyadults work better – both being major assets to the city. Educationis crucial to empowerment, reducing poverty and enhancingproductivity. Cities with a healthier, better-educated workforce aremore likely to be productive and competitive.policySteering spatial expansion: Infrastructure can steer the spatialexpansion of a city, facilitating more compact urban developmentand integrating different land uses. This urban form is deemedto be efficient, inclusive and sustainable in four different ways:(1) the costs of infrastructure are cheaper; (2) access to servicesand facilities is improved; (3) the livelihoods of the urban poor areenhanced; and (4) social segregation is reduced.Environmental quality: Many developing country cities arecharacterized by inadequate water supply and squalid conditions interms of sanitation. These two components of infrastructure are vitalto improved environmental conditions in cities, as they facilitate aclean and pollution-free environment. On top of this, flood-controlinfrastructure safeguards urban areas against erosion, flooding,landslides and disasters.Improving slum conditions and reducing poverty: Infrastructurecan contribute to the prosperity of cities through improved slumconditions and reducing poverty. Providing adequate infrastructurefor roads, water, sanitation and electricity can reduce the healthburden faced by slum dwellers, delivering major benefits in terms ofenvironmental quality.Reducing spatial disparities: Infrastructure can reduce spatialdisparities, particularly in uncontrolled and un-serviced peri-urbanareas, connecting them to consolidated parts of the city.policyThe provision of infrastructure must take intoconsideration the needs of women.Beneficiary communities must be fullyinvolved in the design, provision andmaintenance of infrastructure.Improving quality of life: Infrastructure can improve quality oflife in a variety of ways, including: enhancing safety and security,especially for youth and women; and expanding the provision ofpublic goods to enhance the city’s appeal.57