Exploring Future City Growth & Urban Landscapes Dr. Cassidy Johnson

Resilient Cities | Exploring Future City Growth & Urban Landscapes 

Ep#1 | AXA Research Fund

Exploring the future of global city growth and urban landscape development to help build resilient cities with National Geographic. 

The global population is rising. in 1950 there were 700 million people on earth. It is predicted that by 2050 this number will rise to over 6 billion. City populations are expanding ever faster with people arriving for economic opportunities, but few consider the risks they face. 

Cities are expanding beyond their original boundaries and people are now living in areas that are more exposed to some kinds of natural hazards. 

In this film we talk to Dr. Cassidy Johnson, (University College London), a researcher supported by the AXA Research Fund and Simon Clow, an expert in social responsibility at AXA. 

Data is key to understanding risk in growing cities - Dr. Johnson's research looks at'Metrics and measurement for urban resilience', helping to understand who is in an area and what their vulnerabilities are. This in turn allows Governments and planners to build the infrastructure needed to support them. 

Awareness is key to making the right decisions and populations, governments and private organisations can change the way they act on a daily basis. 

Over population in cities is not an inevitable outcome. Understanding risk and planning for growth will help plan city development and it's infrastructure and help build resilient cities.