Chapter 11 of Sachs's book, <i> The Age of Sustainable Development</i> starts of

f with how 50% humanity ended up living in cities. Sachs tells us that humans st
arted out as hunters and gatherers that do not live in permanent places. These p
eople are often on the move to search for foodstuffs to nourish them in their da
y to day activities. When an area runs out of food, they simply packed up and le
ft to search for greener pasture.
It is only around ten thousand years ago that civilization began to harness the
power of the land and produced food rather than look for and gather them every s
ingle day. The surplus in food that they are beginning to realize have made it p
ossible for a proportion of the community to engage in activities aside from far
ming.
It was only after the scientific, agricultural, and industrial revolutions did t
he farming sector produce more output per farmer enough to support a larger comm
unity. These revolutions made this possible through better farm practices, bette
r access to soil nutrients, btter transport conditions, and better machinery.
Sachs tells us that demand for agricultural output does not increase in proporti
on with income. Food is a necessity and not a luxury. This means that a person w
ill consume only what he/she needs. A person whose income is ten times higher th
an another does not necessarily mean that he/she will eat ten times more. This t
ells us that as incomes rise, food production need not rise with it. However, as
populations rise, more people would be in need of food. Therefore, food product
ion must be able to meet this increase in demand.
Sachs also tells us that another factor that identifies agriculture is its depen
dence on land. In order to keep up with rising populations, farmers would need m
ore arable land than neighbors. Cities have become popular areas for businesses
because of its density. More neighbors mean more customers and a more efficient
flow of goods and services. This means that cities and farm areas are generally
spaced apart from each other. However, cities and agricultural lands have a syn
ergistic relationship. Farms supply cities with the food stuff that they need, c
ities supply the technological advances that enable farms to produce more.
Aside from being dense, home of research and development, services, industry, an
d trade, as mentioned above, cities are also where average output per person is
higher. This property of a city makes it attractive for people to reside in them
, thus making cities a place for rapid population growth due to both migration a
nd birth. The density of the city also enables it to enjoy enormous advantages o
f economies of scope and scale. Since businesses are closer to each other, it wo
uld be easier to access certain services. This density , however, may also cause
externalities such as traffic, crime, and the spread of diseases if not managed
effectively. It can also cause inequality.
Another factor of a city is that it is generally coastal. This enables cities to
connect with the world since water transport is generally cheaper than air tran
sport.
In order to make the city sustainable, green, and resilient, Sachs tells us that
it must be economically productive, socially and politically inclusive, and env
ironmentally sustainable.
To be economically productive, the city must have the infrastructure to ensure t
hat the people residing in these areas can maximize their resources, especially
time. Efficient means of transport must be available so that goods and services
can flow smoothly. The city must also be grounded with laws and these laws must
be implemented effectively.
As mentioned above, cities can be places where social inequality can ran rampant

. City planners must think ahead so that the divide between the rich and the poo
r will not prevail.
A city must also be environmentally sustainable. As places with high densities,
these areas will be prone to environment ills. City planners must address this b
y effective planning. Sachs tells us that ..densely settled cities, if properly
designed, tend to be more productive and to emit fewer GHGs than sprawling, lowdensity settlements. As such, cities must design smart infrastructure.
AND SEAN'S WORK ENTERS HERE.