We live in an urban age. Over half the world’s population now lives in urban areas, while the urban population is expected to reach 60% by 2030. At the same time, the importance of cities for national economic growth and climate change continues to increase. Three groups of cities will be particularly important for the global economy and climate: Emerging Cities, Global Megacities and Mature Cities. When combined, these 468 cities are projected to contribute over 60% of global GDP growth and over half of global energy-related emissions growth between 2012 and 2030 under business as usual.

However, not all countries and cities will benefit from the potential economic gains of urban growth under business as usual. The winners and losers of urban expansion will depend on the policy decisions that national and sub-national governments make over the next few years. Evidence suggests that urban growth that is poorly managed by governments can lead to a range of economic, social and environmental costs, such as traffic congestion, inefficient public transport, air pollution with associated health impacts, and inadequate infrastructure for basic services such as energy, water and waste.

This paper first examines the importance of coordinated governance. Governance will be particularly crucial in many Emerging Cities where current levels of capacity are often insufficient for implementing the policy programmes needed to move towards compact urban growth and deliver effective, connected infrastructure. Four elements of coordinated urban governance are essential: (1) multi-level governance with effective coordination of national, regional and city policies; (2) city leadership and financial authority; (3) transparency and accountability; and (4) policy integration at the local level. Municipal governments can also use international and regional networks of cities to transfer knowledge and innovation more effectively.