Deep Dive: Investment opportunities in energy transition

Acceleration of urbanisation

Over the past century, the earth's population has grown at an alarming rate. It is predicted that by 2045 there will be nine billion of us on this planet; that is nearly two billion more people demanding food, water, energy and materials.

As a result of this rapid population growth, the number of middle class in developing countries will rise, pushing up incomes and the demand for resources such as cars and electronics. This brings with it an acceleration of urbanisation, as hundreds of millions of people move from rural areas to cities, placing increasing demands on energy production and waste handling. The planet is already depleting its natural resources - how will it cope under the strain of so many additional people?  A significant amount of projected population growth will come from developing countries, and as t...