Urban Form in America and Europe

Pietro S. Nivola

Senior Fellow

Governance Studies

The Brookings Institution

Fundamentals Space

Source: Center for International Earth Science Information Network, Columbia University

Demography Population Growth

Source: OECD

Demography Demography Age Profile

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Italy

Germany

UnitedKingdom

France

United States

Children (under 15)

Adults (15-64)

Seniors (over 65)

Source: OECD

Demography Mobility

Within County (65%)

New County, Same State (19%)

Different State (13%)

International (3%)

Over one in ten Americans moved in 2008 (38.7 million people)

Mobility patterns:

Source: US Census Bureau

The Economy GDP

Source: OECD

05000

100001500020000250003000035000400004500050000

1970

1973

1976

1979

1982

1985

1988

1991

1994

1997

2000

2003

2006

France

Germany

Italy

United Kingdom

United States

Per Capita Gross Domestic Product (inflation adjusted USD)

Policy Distinctions Agricultural Subsidies

Source: OECD

Transportation Policy

United States Untied Kingdom

PublicTransit

PublicTransit

Roads and Road-Related

Expenses

Roadsand Road-RelatedExpenses

Allocation of Transportation Spending (as share of total ground transportation

spending)

Source: US Department of Transportation, UK Department for Transport

Energy Prices and Taxes

Source: The Brookings Institution

Unleaded Gas Prices and Taxes (2008, Q1)

Source: The Brookings Institution

Automotive Diesel Prices and Taxes (2008, Q1)

Energy Prices and Taxes

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

France

Germany

Italy

United Kingdom

United States

Electricity Prices for Households (U.S. Dollars per Kilowatt-hour)

Source: OECD

Energy Prices and Taxes

Percent of Trips Taken by Various Modes of Transportation

Auto Public Transit Bicycle Other (includes walking)

Auto Trips Per Transit Trip

United States

89 2 1 7 44.5

Great Britain

65 14 4 17 4.6

France 56 13 5 25 4.5

Germany 49 16 12 23 3.1

Source: Sprawl in Europe and America, Michael Lewyn, 46 San Diego L. Rev. 85

Source: Transportation: A Geographical Analysis, by William Richard Black, pp. 39

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

United States United Kingdom Germany France

8829

6286 6299 6313

Vehicle Kilometers Driven (per capita, 2003)

Education

Source: US Department of Education

Per Capita Education Expenditure(Annual expenditure per student, in USD)

430440

450460

470480490

500510

520530

U.K. Germany France UnitedStates

Italy

Science

Math

High School Math and Science ScoresInternational Comparisons

Source: The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), 2006.

The Urban-Suburban Education Gap in America

Sources: The New York Times, Mass. State Board of Education

Over 95%

90-95% 80-89%

Under 80%

MCAS Composite

Source: IEA Statistics Division, Energy Balances of OECD Countries (2008 edition).

Energy Consumption: Total energy consumption per capita

Units: Kilograms of oil equivalent (kgoe) per person

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

1990 2000 2005

France Germany Italy

United Kingdom United States

So What? Big Foot

0

5

10

15

20

25

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

Met

ric

ton

s o

f C

O2

per

cap

ita

France

Germany

Italy

United Kingdom

United States

Carbon Footprint: International ComparisonCarbon dioxide emissions (CO2), metric tons of

CO2 per capita (UNFCCC)

Source: United Nations

What To Do? Shopworn “Solutions” Emulate Europe? No and Yes