200 million people moved to Asia’s cities between 2000 and 2010. Yet experts believe that urbanization is just beginning, mainly because the proportion of urbanites only increased from 29-36 percent over the same period, or from 579 million to 778 million. In East Asia the urban land area expanded from 106,400 to 134,800 square kilometers – but less than 1% of the region’s land area is urbanized.

In 2010 the Asia-Pacific region’s urban population amounted to 754 million people. In South and South West Asia only 34 percent of the population lives in urban areas; it is expected to reach 50% by 2026. Yet seven of the 10 most populous world cities are here – Tokyo, Delhi, Shanghai, Mumbai, Beijing, Dhaka and Kolkata. Although economic growth is led by the cities, the urban growth in this region is not sustainable. Existing infrastructure development and patterns of growth are likely to lock the communities into unsustainable consumption and production models. The cities are vulnerable to spread of disease and other health issues, environmental disasters, crime and armed dissention, breakdowns of infrastructure.

China accounts for two-thirds of the growth in urban land area, and more than 80% of the urban expansion – with 477 million urban inhabitants. Urban expansion is fasted in Laos (7.3%) and Cambodia (4.3%), followed by China (3.1%) and Vietnam (2.8 %) (source).

There is a recognized need for better planning and for improved urban governance, with a focus on economic policies to reduce inequalities within the cities. There is a need for properly implemented urban infrastructure and services which are more environmentally-friendly and sustainable. Cities are built with efficiency but lack the sense of community needed to attract people. The time for Impact Investment is now, so that aggressive changes can be inserted in planning options, to make them more human scale. Some highly innovative changes in city-building and planning in Asia are occurring; and with additional investment, their social impact could allow city-dwellers to enjoy a sense of community as opposed to rampant isolation.