# Rapid Urbanisation

**Source**: https://grandchallenges.unsw.edu.au/themes/rapid-urbanisation
**Parent**: https://grandchallenges.unsw.edu.au/

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**We live in an urban age. Cities are growing by 1.5 million people per week. Two-thirds of us will be city-dwellers by 2050 – that’s 2.5 billion more than today.**

#### **Cities offer economic opportunities and stimulate innovation. Cities also highlight growing inequality and fuel climate change. So, how do we ensure future cities are more sustainable, resilient and inclusive? How do we create cities that do not continue to deplete resources, increase temperatures and contribute to chronic poverty?**

#### **What’s the role of smart cities? How can cities work to mitigate and adapt to climate change and disaster risk? And how can societies best manage the impacts of urbanisation?**

#### **The Grand Challenge on Rapid Urbanisation tackles the demand for urban solutions, with researchers crossing disciplines to develop new possibilities.**

#### **Professor David Sanderson leads the Grand Challenge on Rapid Urbanisation.**

Related content

#### Related Content

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David Sanderson

David has over 25 years experience working across the world in development and emergencies and is a Professor at UNSW’s Factulty of Built Environment.](/lead/david-sanderson)

[8

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A meeting of the minds brought to you by UNSW Grand Challenges and the Institute for Global Development.](/event/meet-authors-urbanisation-risk-lessons-cyclone-winston-fiji)

[26

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Past event

2019 Kaldor Centre Annual Conference

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The webinar, featured Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdon, Executive Director at the Public Spaces in the Place, Design and Public Spaces team at NSW Department of Planning, Industry & Environment who explored walkability and access to quality public, green and open space for New South Wales.](https://youtu.be/ShJA2c9AFrM)

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Grand Challenge to rethink our subterranean cities

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RUPH Research Network webinar: Ft Monica Barone, CEO of the City of Sydney and UNSW researchers

The webinar, featured Monica Barone, CEO of the City of Sydney, who explored issues relating to urban regeneration and COVID-19 related adaptation in Sydney.](https://youtu.be/o_dx0j6VB7k)

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VIDEO RECORDING || Meet the Authors: Urbanisation at Risk? Lessons from Cyclone Winston, Fiji

UNSW’s Professor David Sanderson explores lessons from Tropical Cyclone Winston in Fiji with Anna Gero and Dr Keren Winterford from the [Institute for Sustainable Futures](https://www.uts.edu.au/research-and-teaching/our-research/institute-sustainable-futures) at the Univ](/article/video-recording-meet-authors-urbanisation-risk-lessons-cyclone-winston-fiji)

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Academic Profile | Professor David Sanderson & Laura Bruce

Professor David Sanderson and Laura Bruce discuss their work on editing the recently published book: *Urbanisation at Risk in the Pacific and Asia. Disasters, Climate Change and Resilience in the Built Environment.*](/article/academic-profile-professor-david-sanderson-laura-bruce)

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