Archive for August 22nd, 2011

Growth of Urban Areas Poses Long-Term Threats, Study Says

Yale Environment 360: A new study says the explosive growth of urban areas worldwide over the next two decades poses significant risks to human populations and the global environment, from the loss of agricultural land and wildlife habitat to increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change. Using satellite data on urban growth, the study calculates that the world’s total urban area quadrupled in size from 1970 to 2000 -- an increase of about 22,400 square miles. By 2030, that urban footprint will expand by another...