URBANISATION is eating away at the planet’s most fertile and productive land. Although only 3 per cent of land has been built on in the US, the resulting loss in plant growth is enough to offset the gains made by agriculture as shown by a groundbreaking study. If this pattern is repeated in developing countries, the loss of agricultural land could have a serious effect on food supplies.
Forests and cropland also absorb large amounts of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. When that land is urbanised, these “carbon sinks” are lost and the carbon is released into the atmosphere. These…
