World Bank Embraces Cities

After an extended history of favoring rural areas over metropolitan ones, The World Bank appears to be changing course.

1 minute read

January 3, 2010, 5:00 AM PST

By Tim Halbur


Neal Pierce reports on an announcement in Singapore by World Bank president Robert Zoellick.

"Manage the growth of developing world cities well, he said, and the challenges of climate change, jobs, poverty reduction and health can be dealt with proactively, and more effectively.

There's lots to like in the new approach. It acknowledges that cities, with their pools of talent and capital, are the linchpins of global economic growth."

The World Bank announced a new program they're calling EcoCities to create standards for sustainable development.

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