 The City is Missing in the Millennium Development GoalsMichael Cohen Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 2014, vol. 15, issue 2-3, 261-274 Abstract: The scale and pace of urbanization in the economic and social transformations of developing countries continue to be among the most overlooked phenomena of the twenty-first century. Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 7, Target 11 focuses on improving the living conditions of 100 million slum dwellers-about 5% of projected urban growth in developing countries from 2000 to 2020. The target is not precise, nor evidence based, nor framed to allow rigorous confirmation of achievement or not. Most importantly, it diverts policy and public attention away from the central role of cities as the sites of production of more than 60% of gross domestic product in most countries, the role of cities in recovery from the global economic crisis, and as a site of impact and remedy of climate change. Target 11 thus "misses the target" of urban development and, more broadly, the target of development and human development altogether. It demonstrates the "power of framing" policy objectives and the "power of targets" that result in agenda setting. Date: 2014 Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:15:y:2014:i:2-3:p:261-274 Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from DOI: 10.1080/19452829.2014.899564 Access Statistics for this article Journal of Human Development and Capabilities is currently edited by Kathryn Rosenblum More articles in Journal of Human Development and Capabilities from Taylor & Francis Journals |
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to contribute.
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to .
EconPapers is hosted by the
School of Business at Örebro University.