Estimating and projecting urbanization at the global level, Thomas Spoorenberg / URBDEMO
Event details
| Date | 17.05.2023 |
| Hour | 12:15 › 13:30 |
| Speaker | Thomas Spoorenberg, United Nations Population Division |
| Location | Online |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
| Event Language | English |
Lecture series in Urban Demography organized by the URBDEMO LAB EPFL-ENAC-IA
The Urban Demography Lab at EPFL has the pleasure to invite you to a series of six open conferences on population dynamics and urban change in Switzerland and globally.
Lecture 5: “Estimating and projecting urbanization at the global level”
Presenter: Thomas Spoorenberg, United Nations Population Division
Abstract: Globally, more people live in urban areas than in rural areas, with about 57 per cent of the world’s population residing in urban areas in 2023. By 2050, more than two thirds of the world's population is projected to be urban. These global figures mask variations by region and across countries and are based on official estimates and projections from the World Urbanization Prospects, prepared by the United Nations Population Division. The presentation will first review changes in urbanization at the global level, before turning to the methods and data used by the United Nations to estimate and project urban, rural and city populations. The presentation will highlight some of the challenges related to the United Nations approach and discuss ongoing and future development in the estimation and projection of urbanization.
Short biography: Thomas Spoorenberg is currently Population Affairs Officer in the Demographic Analysis Section, United Nations Population Division in New York. Since 2009, he has worked on successive revisions of the World Population Prospects (WPP; the official United Nations population estimates and projections), the World Urbanization Prospects (WUP; the United Nations estimates and projections of urban, rural and city populations) and was involved in various activities related to the World Population and Housing Census Programs. Thomas has also provided support to National Statistical Offices by developing tools and methodologies, conducting data analysis, and building and strengthening technical and institutional capacity in various countries in Asia, Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. Thomas studied Economic and Social History at the University of Geneva (M.A.), Demography at the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium (M.Phil.) and holds a PhD in Demography from the University of Geneva.
The Urban Demography Lab at EPFL has the pleasure to invite you to a series of six open conferences on population dynamics and urban change in Switzerland and globally.
Lecture 5: “Estimating and projecting urbanization at the global level”
Presenter: Thomas Spoorenberg, United Nations Population Division
Abstract: Globally, more people live in urban areas than in rural areas, with about 57 per cent of the world’s population residing in urban areas in 2023. By 2050, more than two thirds of the world's population is projected to be urban. These global figures mask variations by region and across countries and are based on official estimates and projections from the World Urbanization Prospects, prepared by the United Nations Population Division. The presentation will first review changes in urbanization at the global level, before turning to the methods and data used by the United Nations to estimate and project urban, rural and city populations. The presentation will highlight some of the challenges related to the United Nations approach and discuss ongoing and future development in the estimation and projection of urbanization.
Short biography: Thomas Spoorenberg is currently Population Affairs Officer in the Demographic Analysis Section, United Nations Population Division in New York. Since 2009, he has worked on successive revisions of the World Population Prospects (WPP; the official United Nations population estimates and projections), the World Urbanization Prospects (WUP; the United Nations estimates and projections of urban, rural and city populations) and was involved in various activities related to the World Population and Housing Census Programs. Thomas has also provided support to National Statistical Offices by developing tools and methodologies, conducting data analysis, and building and strengthening technical and institutional capacity in various countries in Asia, Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa. Thomas studied Economic and Social History at the University of Geneva (M.A.), Demography at the Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium (M.Phil.) and holds a PhD in Demography from the University of Geneva.
Practical information
- General public
- Free