2.4.1 Population and Urban Areas

The world’s population has grown at an increased rate since the 1800s. In 1820 the population was 1 billion, by the 1970s it was 3 billion and today it is 7 billion. This growth will lead to further demand on resources and the environment unless more sustainable growth levels are achieved.

Reflecting the growth of population is the rise in urban areas. It is estimated that half of the world’s population now live in urban areas. As this trend continues, it is essential to plan and design sustainable new urban areas that are liveable places as well as investing in the renewal of older urban areas.

In Ireland the historical population trends reflect the global trend with a growth in population from about 3 million in the 1970s to 4.75million people today. The population has also become more urbanised with a shift of people from the west

to the east of the country due the importance of Dublin and its hinterland as an urban and employment centre. In Dublin the population has risen from just under 500,000 a century ago, to 1.3 million today.

The trend in population increase and urbanisation (including denser urban development) is likely to influence the city landscape in the following manner:

• The need to service an increasing population will require identification of new parks, in particular in the denser central areas or those areas with a concentration of apartments where private garden space is limited.
• Development on remaining institutional lands with private/semi-private landscape may reduce the greening and recreational benefits to the city.
• Loss of greening, due to conversion of private open/green areas to parking areas or amalgamation of older housing stock into larger development blocks.
• Greater need and use of public space for infrastructure and services, such as underground utilities.
• New and revived methods to green urban areas and urban living, such as living walls, green roofs, edible gardens, urban farming, allotments, etc. will continue to evolve.