ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of East Asia's rapid urbanisation, associated challenges, and required actions. Along with and in part because of their rapid growth, East Asian cities are also confronting several major challenges. The urban economy is becoming increasingly servitised. Manufacturing, which has supported much of the financing of urban infrastructure, housing, and services in East Asia, is losing ground. Cities must effectively harness digital and other technologies while containing their downsides and vulnerabilities. Climate change calls for investments and actions to strengthen resilience and for a managed withdrawal of settlements from areas exposed to severe weather, rising sea levels, high temperatures, or desertification. Cities of all sizes and development stages will need to reduce energy intensity and lower greenhouse gas emissions. No solution to each of these challenges will be easy. There will be opposition from entrenched interests and impediments of burdensome costs and stranded assets. National and municipal governments must make long-term plans, accelerate implementation, and win public support. East Asia provided the growth model that has served as a beacon for elsewhere for half a century. Now East Asian cities have the chance of showing how urbanisation can viably and sustainably evolve, through bold vision, innovative planning, and effective action.
