2012 Articles

The Sustainability of Urban Development in Developing Economies

Kiamba, Anita

Many developing countries are currently undergoing increasingly rapid economic growth, which contributes in turn to urban development. Though this urban development would seem to benefit these countries, it can also, if inappropriately managed, create distinct challenges for them. In this article, several development scenarios for a developing country are presented and discussed in order to demonstrate that robust long-term economic growth ultimately requires an increased commitment to sustainable development policies. After these scenarios, the article then identifies important and newly emerging issues for developing countries, and it concludes with specific policy recommendations for achieving more sustainable urban development.