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The City in 2050 Initiative

The recent instability of global capital markets combined with newly emerging frameworks of environmental policy creates several imperatives for ULI. Real estate markets will be restructured and regulatory frameworks redefined. ULI’s mission calls us to forge ahead and proactively explore new land use paradigms and scenarios. This is a crucial time to help land use professionals innovate and explore new business strategies.

With The City in 2050: Creating Blueprints for Change, we take the opportunity to create a dialogue that explores potential paths of innovation. The initiative is being presented as an exchange of ideas to prepare for and act upon the changes facing metropolitan areas over the next decades as the world becomes more urbanized.

Elevated concerns over capital markets, rising energy costs, climate change, exploding populations, and equitable development are changing how communities define ‘the responsible use of land.’ As these issues increasingly affect our daily lives, discussions regarding sustainable development continue to both broaden and escalate.

In only 42 years, when we mark the midpoint of the 21st century, cities around the world will have experienced unprecedented growth—serving larger and more diverse populations than ever in world history. The quest to balance market pressures, public policy goals, and land use decisions in a fast-paced global marketplace will be more challenging than ever.

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Emerging Frameworks
Major forces will influence urban growth over the next 40 years, including energy prices, climate change, technology, and the globalization of capital. As the world's population also grows from 6 billion to 9 billion people, with the majority living in urbanized communities, more choices will face us at all levels. From policy makers, to young people entering careers, to investors choosing portfolios, societies will not adopt one urban model, but many. The following is a summary of the framework established in ULI's The City in 2050: Creating Blueprints for Change publication.

News
The City In 2050: Creating Blueprints For Change--ULI Explores Future Urban Design And Development With Visionary Exhibit
September, 18, 2008

An urban laboratory that explores factors shaping the future design and development of cities worldwide -- including emerging trends for alternative energy use, new technology affecting housing, and new approaches to achieve economic, social and environmental sustainability – is prepared by ULI.
Founding Sponsor

The Urban Land Institute gratefully acknowledges the support of The City in 2050 initiative by a founding grant from the Galbreath Family Foundation in the memory of John W. Galbreath and Daniel M. Galbreath.

Listen to reflections on 2050 from Liz Ann Galbreath, Galbreath Family Foundation and Rick Rosan, President of ULI Worldwide.

Creating Blueprints










The Urban Land Institute is currently engaged in a variety of program activities which seek to define “best futures” land use outcomes for the City in 2050.  From the Reality Check program to new publications; from focused forums to student competitions, we seek to frame how land use professionals define the “best 2050 future” for their community.