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THE PROJECTED continued influx of people into Asia's urban areas will further strain the sustainability of the region's cities unless there are major improvements in efficiency and management, and massive infrastructure programs, says a new book released today by ADB and Cities Alliance.

"The continuation of present practices and levels of investments could well see the sustainability of many Asian cities undermined, periodic urban environmental crises, and gradual erosion of quality of life for the majority of urban populations," according to the book, "Urbanization and Sustainability in Asia."

The book takes good practice case studies from 12 Asian countries and examines their success stories in sustainable development in urban centers. Countries covered include Bangladesh, Cambodia, People's Republic of China, India, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

"We hope the book will encourage discussion on the development of Asian cities and help in the formulation of policies and more sustainable practices," said WooChong Um, Director Energy, Transport, and Water Division at ADB's Regional and Sustainable Development Department.

Economically dynamic cities are central to the region's future growth, he writes, as over the next 25 years, Asia's urban population will grow by around 70% to more than 2.6 billion people. "Development in Asia is tied to the growth of sustainable cities," he said.

The chapters each contain a fact sheet on urbanization, including statistics, history, and overview of urban issues in the country profiled. The authors, who are academics, city planners, and other development experts, then present three urban case studies, tackling lessons learned from efforts such as environmental improvement, waste recycling, infrastructure improvements, and city planning.

The book is edited by two university professors based in Canberra, Australia - Brian Roberts, Director of the Center for Developing Cities, and Trevor Kanaley, Adjunct Professor of Development Studies.

"These case studies may not be transferable to many cities in Asia now, but provide a guide to future directions and approaches," the authors said at the launch.

"Achieving greater sustainability of urban development will be difficult. In the longer term, it will require a significant shift in societal values, behavior, and consumption and production patterns."

View the publication.

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