In November 2019, in a pre-pandemic context, Barcelona played host to a novel iteration of the Smart City Expo World Congress, operating under the banner «Cities Made of Dreams.» It is unequivocal that our global geographical and demographic landscape is undergoing a profound metamorphosis, exerting considerable influence on the urban centers where an ever-expanding portion of the global populace congregates.
The urban transformation necessitated by this displacement of population presents formidable challenges to a majority of local authorities, governmental bodies, and representatives of civil society who grapple with the daunting task of accommodating thousands of individuals arriving in cities already burdened by congestion, a situation prevalent across various regions of our planet. These newcomers seek opportunities for enhancing their quality of life and securing a brighter future for their families. According to the United Nations, it is projected that within the span of a decade, a staggering five billion people will reside in urban environments, with an even more remarkable two-thirds or greater proportion of humanity expected to do so by the year 2050.
This thematic dossier of the IDHUS Institute analyses this transformation required by cities to adapt to the arrival of new inhabitants and the effect that demographic population change has on services, urban development and local coexistence.