Megacities and Global Change in East, Southeast and South Asia

Abstract

Megacities have particular significance in the world-wide process of urbanisation: In the year 2015, more than 600 million people will be living in about 60 megacities worldwide (i.e. metropolises with more than 5 million people). Under the dynamics of global change they affect global change just as profoundly as global change can affect megacities. Often, megacities are perceived mainly as burdened by disadvantages, origins and motors of multiple problems as well as agents and victims of risks. Such a view does, however, neglect - at least potential - benefits, chances and advantages of mega-urban developments. In East, Southeast and South Asia, radical spatial, demographic, social and political structural changes in (mega-)urban areas took place, associated with the economic rise of the whole region since the mid- 1980s, which show remarkable differences. Furthermore, the issue of systematic risk minimisation and risk prevention and the question of growing importance of informality within megaurban areas are touched.