The strengths and weaknesses of metropolises among a declining population and the cost of living
About Cities is a well-executed magazine edited by Fabio Brioschi and published by EuroMilano Servizi, and for quite some time now it’s been focusing its attention on narrating urban and metropolitan change, in the belief that efforts driving innovation, change and an improvement in work and life conditions tend to concentrate in cities. The new issue is entitled “Sempre in movimento. Per parlare delle città e ascoltarne la voce” (“Always on the move. To talk about cities and listen to their voices”) and centres on theoretical analyses and first-hand experiences concerning mobility, quality of life, and the conflicts and contradictions that citizens encounter in their daily lives (something that’s also echoed in the other publications related to the magazine, such as the original anthology Elementi di urbanistica noir – Elements of noir urban planning – curated by Gianni Biondillo, architect by education and profession but also brilliant noir author, whose books depict the gloomy criminal nature lurking behind the “thousand lights” of wealthy, glamorous and fashionable Milan).
Here’s the crux of the matter: cities are brimming with potential for development, including sustainable development, but, at the same time, they’re also marked by a significant economic and social fragility leading to serious reflections on politics and culture.
An attentive read of ISTAT’s Focus report entitled “Profili delle città metropolitane” (“Outlines of metropolitan cities”) helps gaining a better understanding of all this – published at the beginning of February, the report adopts the same two terms we mentioned above, “potential” and “frailty”, to frame the interpretative analysis of such phenomena.
Indeed, Focus scrutinises more thoroughly the data relating to the 14 metropolitan cities founded in accordance with the indications outlined in the reformed Title Five of the Italian Constitution and Law no. 56 of 7 April 2014 – that is, Turin, Milan, Venice, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Bari, Reggio Calabria, Palermo, Messina, Catania and Cagliari (though critics find it’s too many, as only four of these cities count more than two million inhabitants: Rome, with over four million; Milan, with over three million; then Naples, with almost three, and Turin).
Let’s look at some highs and lows: Turin is the most extensive (6,827 square km), Genoa is the “oldest” (269 elderly people for every 100 young people) and Naples is the youngest (130 elderly people for every 100 young people). Bologna is the most cultured (42 graduates for every 100 residents) and counts the highest number of working women (51 women for every 100); Milan features the highest income per inhabitant (€23,202) and the highest entrepreneurial density (106 local units for every 1,000 inhabitants, for a total of 346,000 enterprises), as well as the highest labour productivity (added value per employee, equal to €71,200). Catania has the lowest income per inhabitant (€9,844), Messina shows the lowest production rate (€29,200) and Palermo the lowest employment rate (49% for people aged between 25 and 64).while Rome is the city that, over the past 20 years, has experienced the highest population growth, with an increase of 14%.
A careful analysis of the ISTAT data also reveals some underlying trends: over 21 million people live in metropolitan areas, while the majority of the Italian people prefer medium-sized cities, towns and villages, thus shaping a territory marked by highly widespread urbanisation and whose productive structure extends to smaller towns, or, to “the shadow of bell towers”, as renowned economic historian Carlo Maria Cipolla used to say. A peculiar structure, which allows the economy to be flexible, creative, productive and competitive, promoting the prevalence of a culture founded on the notion of “beautiful and well-made” manufacturing.
The North of Italy, as a whole, is more economically dynamic, and that’s where the greatest opportunities for change are concentrated. However, it’s also the region with the most ageing population: a situation that, looking ahead, prompts some serious political and economic questions, including those relating to the continued upkeep of welfare sustainability.
With regards to the demographic drop currently affecting the country, its impact on metropolitan areas is lower (-1.5% in 2030, as opposed to the -1.8% average for Italy), though it’s very unevenly distributed: Bologna (+2.9%) and Milan (+2.5%, with as much as +7% in the capital) will continue to grow, Rome will lose only 0.1% of the population, while Naples will drop by 2.8% and Messina by as much as 6%.
Employment, businesses and education attract young and dynamic people, although, according to other surveys and journalistic research, the appeal of Milan, for instance, is affected by increasingly relevant issues concerning services, the provision of affordable housing (“Housing, Milan loses the middle class”, was the headline of Corriere della Sera of 20 February; “Living in Milan, a nightmare that would stagger Orwell ”, stresses L’Espresso of 29 January), the cost of life and tangible opportunities for integration – fragility, as we mentioned, also within a context of positive change and development.
The ISTAT study focuses on statistical analysis and as such doesn’t include more precise observations, yet this data, portraying prospects of growth and unresolved social issues, also illustrates that what needs to be addressed by the Italian government, as well as by regional and municipal authorities, are opportunities for sustainable, environmental and social development.
If current trends driven by the knowledge economy identify cities and metropolitan areas as the sites for prospective and productive involvement in economic and social transformation, then that’s precisely where we need to act in order to instigate a “paradigm shift” in economic values, in order to attain a circular, civic, fairer and more balanced economy. Discussions “about cities”, basically, equate to discussions about quality of life, production, employment, consumption, civil coexistence, new and improved communities, collaborative and “competitive” attitudes. Always bearing in mind that the term ‘competitiveness’ derives from cum and petere – to pursue the right future, together.
(photo Getty Images)
About Cities is a well-executed magazine edited by Fabio Brioschi and published by EuroMilano Servizi, and for quite some time now it’s been focusing its attention on narrating urban and metropolitan change, in the belief that efforts driving innovation, change and an improvement in work and life conditions tend to concentrate in cities. The new issue is entitled “Sempre in movimento. Per parlare delle città e ascoltarne la voce” (“Always on the move. To talk about cities and listen to their voices”) and centres on theoretical analyses and first-hand experiences concerning mobility, quality of life, and the conflicts and contradictions that citizens encounter in their daily lives (something that’s also echoed in the other publications related to the magazine, such as the original anthology Elementi di urbanistica noir – Elements of noir urban planning – curated by Gianni Biondillo, architect by education and profession but also brilliant noir author, whose books depict the gloomy criminal nature lurking behind the “thousand lights” of wealthy, glamorous and fashionable Milan).
Here’s the crux of the matter: cities are brimming with potential for development, including sustainable development, but, at the same time, they’re also marked by a significant economic and social fragility leading to serious reflections on politics and culture.
An attentive read of ISTAT’s Focus report entitled “Profili delle città metropolitane” (“Outlines of metropolitan cities”) helps gaining a better understanding of all this – published at the beginning of February, the report adopts the same two terms we mentioned above, “potential” and “frailty”, to frame the interpretative analysis of such phenomena.
Indeed, Focus scrutinises more thoroughly the data relating to the 14 metropolitan cities founded in accordance with the indications outlined in the reformed Title Five of the Italian Constitution and Law no. 56 of 7 April 2014 – that is, Turin, Milan, Venice, Genoa, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Bari, Reggio Calabria, Palermo, Messina, Catania and Cagliari (though critics find it’s too many, as only four of these cities count more than two million inhabitants: Rome, with over four million; Milan, with over three million; then Naples, with almost three, and Turin).
Let’s look at some highs and lows: Turin is the most extensive (6,827 square km), Genoa is the “oldest” (269 elderly people for every 100 young people) and Naples is the youngest (130 elderly people for every 100 young people). Bologna is the most cultured (42 graduates for every 100 residents) and counts the highest number of working women (51 women for every 100); Milan features the highest income per inhabitant (€23,202) and the highest entrepreneurial density (106 local units for every 1,000 inhabitants, for a total of 346,000 enterprises), as well as the highest labour productivity (added value per employee, equal to €71,200). Catania has the lowest income per inhabitant (€9,844), Messina shows the lowest production rate (€29,200) and Palermo the lowest employment rate (49% for people aged between 25 and 64).while Rome is the city that, over the past 20 years, has experienced the highest population growth, with an increase of 14%.
A careful analysis of the ISTAT data also reveals some underlying trends: over 21 million people live in metropolitan areas, while the majority of the Italian people prefer medium-sized cities, towns and villages, thus shaping a territory marked by highly widespread urbanisation and whose productive structure extends to smaller towns, or, to “the shadow of bell towers”, as renowned economic historian Carlo Maria Cipolla used to say. A peculiar structure, which allows the economy to be flexible, creative, productive and competitive, promoting the prevalence of a culture founded on the notion of “beautiful and well-made” manufacturing.
The North of Italy, as a whole, is more economically dynamic, and that’s where the greatest opportunities for change are concentrated. However, it’s also the region with the most ageing population: a situation that, looking ahead, prompts some serious political and economic questions, including those relating to the continued upkeep of welfare sustainability.
With regards to the demographic drop currently affecting the country, its impact on metropolitan areas is lower (-1.5% in 2030, as opposed to the -1.8% average for Italy), though it’s very unevenly distributed: Bologna (+2.9%) and Milan (+2.5%, with as much as +7% in the capital) will continue to grow, Rome will lose only 0.1% of the population, while Naples will drop by 2.8% and Messina by as much as 6%.
Employment, businesses and education attract young and dynamic people, although, according to other surveys and journalistic research, the appeal of Milan, for instance, is affected by increasingly relevant issues concerning services, the provision of affordable housing (“Housing, Milan loses the middle class”, was the headline of Corriere della Sera of 20 February; “Living in Milan, a nightmare that would stagger Orwell ”, stresses L’Espresso of 29 January), the cost of life and tangible opportunities for integration – fragility, as we mentioned, also within a context of positive change and development.
The ISTAT study focuses on statistical analysis and as such doesn’t include more precise observations, yet this data, portraying prospects of growth and unresolved social issues, also illustrates that what needs to be addressed by the Italian government, as well as by regional and municipal authorities, are opportunities for sustainable, environmental and social development.
If current trends driven by the knowledge economy identify cities and metropolitan areas as the sites for prospective and productive involvement in economic and social transformation, then that’s precisely where we need to act in order to instigate a “paradigm shift” in economic values, in order to attain a circular, civic, fairer and more balanced economy. Discussions “about cities”, basically, equate to discussions about quality of life, production, employment, consumption, civil coexistence, new and improved communities, collaborative and “competitive” attitudes. Always bearing in mind that the term ‘competitiveness’ derives from cum and petere – to pursue the right future, together.
(photo Getty Images)