Smart Growth in a Changing World

Can the United States adopt smart growth policies before it's too late? The United States is in the midst of a crisis of energy consumption and environmental degradation. This crisis is masked by our vibrant economy, high standard of living, and abundant land, but as our population continues to grow and our cities continue to sprawl, the costs of current development policies will become increasingly clear.The U.S. population is likely to grow from 281 million in 2000 to 433 million in 2050, while sprawl in urban regions doubles. Most of the growth will take place in nine multicity regions, where development is already rolling over fields and forests much faster than necessary, unbalancing the natural environment, creating huge traffic problems on highways and at airports, and burning petroleum at rates far greater than the rest of the world. Meanwhile, our global competitors are investing in smart growth: high-speed rail; regional rapid transit; compact, mixed-use development; and natural resources conservation. Smart Growth in a Changing World, the latest book from respected planner and urban designer Jonathan Barnett, documents the United States' hidden crisis and shows how balanced transportation and natural resources preservation can make new urban development sustainable, as well as more efficient and more equitable.Barnett, Jonathan is the author of 'Smart Growth in a Changing World ', published 2007 under ISBN 9781932364361 and ISBN 1932364366.