Challenges and opportunities

Question 1

What is the main obstacle to cities becoming more sustainable?

Answer 1

The main obstacle to cities becoming more sustainable is financial difficulty.

Question 2

What does money have to be invested into in cases of extreme poverty?

Answer 2

Money has to be spent on providing basic infrastructure rather than on the investment of sustainable projects and development.

Question 3

What are the four social trends?

Answer 3

By 2025, urban populations will live mainly in small and medium-sized cities.
Number of urban people living in slums continues to grow.
Insufficient use of public services (water, electricity)
Ageing

Question 4

What challenges does the movement of urban populations to smaller cities present for developing countries?

Answer 4

Access to housing, water and sanitation will need to be improved.
Public infrastructure will need improving
These countries will have to foster an institutional capacity.

Question 5

What opportunities does the movement of urban populations into smaller cities present for developing countries?

Answer 5

There will be more investment into public infrastructure such as transportation.
In middle-income countries, there will be the construction of compact buildings.
The links between rural and urban areas will strengthen.

Question 6

What challenge does the movement of urban populations into smaller cities present for developed countries?

Answer 6

There may be a lack of social cohesion.

Question 7

What opportunities does the movement of urban populations into smaller cities present for developed countries?

Answer 7

There will be more decentralisation.

Increased investment into compact urban development.

Question 8

What challenges do developing countries face as slums continue to grow?

Answer 8

They will need to reduce poverty and the risk of disease.
Social cohesion needs to be improved
Reduce the number of unemployed youths.

Question 9

What opportunities are presented to developing counties as slums grow?

Answer 9

There will be investment into universal access to affordable water and sanitation.
Better public transport
Creation of jobs will reduce youth unemployment in LICs.
Public transportation.
Could reduce the growth of slums as these improvements take place.

Question 10

What challenges will developed countries face as a result of the growth of slums?

Answer 10

They will have to reduce the amount of urban unemployment due to economic crises, especially for the youth.
Adequate housing will need to be provided in poor neighbourhoods.

Question 11

What opportunities are presented to developed places as a result of slum growth?

Answer 11

This could strengthen and widen social safety nets.

There will be more investment into social protection for both crises and the aftermath.

Question 12

What challenged will be faced by developing countries as a result of inefficient use of public services?

Answer 12

Waste and recycling management will need to be improved.
Citizens will need to be encouraged to purchase local produce.
High- income households will have to stop overconsumption.

Question 13

What opportunities will there be for developing countries as a result of inefficient use of services?

Answer 13

Subsidies can be provided to households and small firms to try and reduce non-saving water systems.
Incentives could be provided to local communities in order to improve recycling schemes.

Question 14

What challenges will developed countries face as a result of inefficient use of public services?

Answer 14

Overproduction and overconsumption lifestyles will need to change.
Waste and recycling management will have to be improved.

Question 15

What opportunities are presented to developed countries because of inefficient service use?

Answer 15

Investment into retrofitting in buildings of water- and energy- saving devices.
Upgrading of public infrastructure.

Question 16

What challenge do developing countries with ageing populations face?

Answer 16

It is difficult to create productive employment for older people.

Question 17

What opportunities do developing countries with ageing populations have?

Answer 17

They have the opportunity to invest in universal pensions as well as to extend working age and to support family networks.

Question 18

What challenge do developed countries with ageing populations face?

Answer 18

There is pressure to decrease health costs and increase productivity.

Question 19

What opportunities are presented to developed countries with ageing populations?

Answer 19

They can invest in retraining older people and extend the working age.

Question 20

What are the two economic trends that take place in urban areas?

Answer 20

Inequality and financial fragility.

Food insecurity.

Question 21

What challenges does inequality and financial fragility cause for developed countries?

Answer 21

A policy will need to be created for inclusive development.
Unemployment needs to be reduced.
Economic diversification will need to be encouraged.

Question 22

What opportunities does inequality and financial fragility bring to developing countries?

Answer 22

There are opportunities to invest in the green industry.
Adapt to climate change
Structural economic change (industrial and service leapfrogging for least developed countries).
Strengthen regional cooperation.

Question 23

What challenges does inequality and financial fragility bring to developed countries?

Answer 23

Unemployment needs to be reduced.
Economic growth needs to be boosted.
International cooperation needs to be strengthened.

Question 24

What opportunities does inequality and financial fragility bring to developed countries?

Answer 24

Investment into green infrastructure.

Policy coherence and coordination.

Question 25

What challenges does food insecurity present to developing countries?

Answer 25

There needs to be improved access to food.

Increased productivity.

Question 26

What opportunities does food insecurity bring to developing countries?

Answer 26

Investment in urban agriculture.
More investment into local crops.
Better storage facilities.
Research and development.

Question 27

What challenge do developed countries face in regards to food insecurity?

Answer 27

Food waste needs to be reduced.

Question 28

What opportunities does food insecurity provide for developed countries?

Answer 28

Investment into storage infrastructure.
Reducing food subsidies.
Policy coordination.

Question 29

What are the two environmental urban trends?

Answer 29

Energy access

Climate change

Question 30

What challenges does energy access bring to developing countries?

Answer 30

There may be difficulty in providing access to clean energy and reducing the use of “dirty” energy in poorer households.
High energy consumption needs to be discouraged in high-income households.

Question 31

What opportunities does energy access provide for developing countries?

Answer 31

More investment into capacity development, energy-saving devices, production and use of renewable sources of energy.
Subsidies and incentives for efficient energy use and water use for middle and high income households.

Question 32

What challenges does energy access provide for developed countries?

Answer 32

Overproduction and overconsumption needs to be reduced to sustainable levels.

Question 33

What opportunities for developed countries are associated with energy access?

Answer 33

Investment and incentives to produce and use renewable energy sources.
Decentralisation of energy production.

Question 34

What challenges does climate change bring to developing countries?

Answer 34

The impact on livelihoods needs to be minimised.
Carbon emissions need to be reduced.
Financial resources need to be generated for adaptation.

Question 35

What opportunities does climate change bring for developing countries?

Answer 35

More investment in health and education facilities and infrastructures.
Adaption and mitigation technology including early warning systems.
Green public transportation.
Strengthened regional cooperation for green technology transfer.

Question 36

What challenges does climate change bring to developed countries?

Answer 36

Disaster risk prevention systems need to be updated.

Carbon emissions need to be reduced to sustainable levels.

Question 37

What opportunities does climate change bring to developed countries?

Answer 37

Investment in mitigation, industrial green transformation.
Retrofitting of buildings.
Policy coordination.