The Safe City: Living Free in a Dangerous World

By Indu B. Singh and Joseph N. Pelton

The Safe City: Living Free in a Dangerous World We are today investing billion in urban security and hundreds of millions more in training first responders for 21st century urban challenges. But are we truly safer? Are we prepared for the onslaught of changing climate, impending natural disasters and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) terrorism and accidents? Are we better prepared to defend our democratic values and ideals?The Safe City promotes new strategies for a safer urban future. It is not a matter of doing more or spending more money. It is a matter of doing things smarter and better. We advocate improved practices, standards, and technology to exploit existing security systems. These "smarter" practices are key to meeting new urban challenges. We need to face head-on issues like urban overpopulation, coming food, water , resource and energy shortages. With a global population surging toward 12 billion by 2100 and urban growth exceeding 1.67 billion in just the next four decades no one should underestimate the challenge. We are facing an urban crisis of unparalleled proportion. We are witnessing the greatest surge in urban population of all time. Two hundred years ago only 3 percent of the world's population lived in cities. By 2040 70 percent of people will live in urban areas-by 2075 it will be 75%.As we grow from 54% urban to 75% urban, every challenge, problem--and yes crisis--will rise to epic proportions. We need to build new types of "metacities" and create a how new "toolkit" for modern urban planners built on new technology and standards. We have to be smarter, faster, more flexible, more strategic and more cost-efficient.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1482592495
• ISBN13: 9781482592498
• Release Date: May 2013
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 248 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.6" x 6.0"