Distribution of population, by degree of urbanisation, 2014 (% of total population)

Europe is a highly urbanised continent. Some 41.6 % of the EU-28 population were living in a city in 2014, with a further 31 % residing in towns and suburbs. As such, nearly three quarters of the EU population was living in an urban area (see Figure 1), a share projected to rise to just over 80 % by 2050. The concentration of people and activity in cities often causes high levels of local pollution with impacts on air, water and waste. At the same time, it offers opportunities to reduce such impacts. Cities provide meeting points or hubs where people, businesses and resources can cooperate and innovate, bringing remedies to environmental problems. On another level, their density can allow for more energy-efficient forms of transport, housing and service provision. This is all the more important as cities currently account for some 80 % of Europe’s energy use.