3rd Quarter 2006
Urban
Planning
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Inside
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Chairman’s
Message
While urban areas accounted for only three percent of the world's population in 1800, that percentage rose to 30 percent just a century and a half later. By 2005, half of the world's population was residing in urban areas and, in most developed countries, that number has risen to 75 percent. In the United States, 80 percent of the country's current population resides in cities, and the United Nations recently projected that about five billion people are expected to live in cities by the year 2030 - 61 percent of the anticipated global population of 8.1 billion. Much of the recent phenomenon we term "globalization" is taking place in urban areas, where a majority of the impact of the Information Technology (IT) Revolution and the worldwide financial, manufacturing and distribution integration is occurring. From the booming skyscrapers, of which eight of the 10 largest buildings in the world are either in construction or were constructed within the last 20 years, to the growing number of huge ports and hub airports processing ever-growing trade, the vitality and importance of urban areas in the new millennium is clearly evident. But while urbanization presents great opportunities, it also introduces numerous challenges. With urban populations rising by over 60 million yearly, the provision of even the most basic services for urban residents is straining many local and national governments. Additionally, many major cities in the developing world are faced with overcrowding, growing traffic congestion, inadequate water and sewerage supplies and environmental deterioration. These conditions have an immediate affect on economic growth and, if not addressed properly and in a timely manner, on the health and well-being of urban inhabitants as well. Initially, factories spewing pollution and noise in the middle of residential neighborhoods were by-products of the Industrial Revolution and necessitated the need for zoning to separate the industrial areas of the city from the residential. Today, however, industry is often quieter and less dangerous, and the need to separate is not as essential as the need for "mixed use" areas. In a "mixed use" area, urban inhabitants are presented with a combination of residential, retail, commercial and industrial zones, where people live within walking distance of both work and shopping. As the world continues to realize the phenomenal benefits of residing in urban areas, Berger will continue its efforts to effectively provide essential urban services to the residents in need. In this issue of BergerWorld, we are focusing on the increasingly important role cities are playing in our emerging global community and Berger's recent activities in this field. 
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