Claudia Baranzelli, head of the OECD Geospatial Analysis lab, stated at the WUF13 event that metropolitan areas in OECD countries are constantly growing.
However, at the municipal level, the picture is different. In Spain, for example, half of municipalities have lost more than 10% of their population in the last decade.
Demographic changes also include an aging population. In Japan, Tokyo's elderly dependency ratio is 40%, while Hokkaido reaches 64%.
Environmental statistics are striking: greenhouse gas emissions have decreased in 57% of OECD cities. In Paris, emissions increased by 30%, while in Istanbul, despite population growth, emissions more than doubled.
