The Penn Institute for Urban Research's latest issue of Urban Link features Lewis Dijkstra writing on the Degree of Urbanisation, the first global definition of cities, towns and rural areas endorsed by the UN.
The lack of a global definition of urban and rural areas is a well-known obstacle to reliable international comparisons of urbanization and of the situation in the urban and rural areas. With several recent global agendas calling for the collection of indicators for cities, urban, and rural areas, six international organizations have worked closely together to develop a harmonized definition.
In March 2020, the UN Statistical Commission endorsed the definition, and in June, the European Union and OECD launched "Cities of the World, A New Perspective on Urbanisation," a report that describes the use of and technical background of the new definition, the Degree of Urbanisation.
Lewis Dijkstra, Head of the Economic Analysis Sector of the Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy in the European Commission, editor the European Commission’s Cohesion Report, a visiting professor at the London School of Economics, and a Penn IUR Scholar, writes about the Degree of Urbanisation in the latest issue of Penn IUR’s Urban Link.
FULL STORY: UN Endorses a Uniform Measure for Urbanization
Is the Urban-Suburban Divide Destined to Disappear?
In a new book, Hans Westlund and Tigran Haas argue that the global knowledge economy is radically reshaping urban development. Eventually, they say, it'll render meaningless our present notions of "urban," "suburban," and "rural."
New Report Contradicts the U.N.: More Like 84 Percent of the World Lives in Urban Areas
"Everything we've heard about global urbanization turns out to be wrong."
Five Key Takeaways from the 2018 World Urban Forum
Insight into the hard work of implementing the New Urban Agenda.
The Right to Mobility
As we consider how to decarbonize transportation, preserving mobility, especially for lower- and middle-income people, must be a priority.
Early Sharrow Booster: ‘I Was Wrong’
The lane marking was meant to raise awareness and instill shared respect among drivers and cyclists. But their inefficiency has led supporters to denounce sharrows, pushing instead for more robust bike infrastructure that truly protects riders.
Push and Pull: The Link Between Walkability and Affordability
The increased demand for walkable urban spaces could make them more and more exclusionary if cities don’t pursue policies to limit displacement and boost affordability.
Orange County Project Could Go Forward Under ‘Builder’s Remedy’
The nation’s largest home builder could receive approval for a 530-unit development under an obscure state law as the city of La Habra’s zoning laws hang in limbo after the state rejected its proposed housing plan.
Memphis: Crime-fighting Camera Sheds Light on Police Abuse
The irony is unmistakable. Public surveillance cameras, long controversial in the criminal justice community, provided pivotal video footage of the beating of motorist Tyre Nichols by five Memphis police officers at a traffic stop on January 7.
How Autonomous Cars Could Impact Energy Use
The complex algorithms used by self-driving vehicle technology use massive amounts of energy, which could lead to a steep rise in carbon emissions as autonomous cars become more commonplace.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension
York County Government
York County, Human Resources
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Culver City
Sonoma County Transportation Authority
City of Piedmont, CA
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
