The book examines contemporary urban challenges andopportunities within the context of the traditional Malthusian theory. The bookreorients the classic Malthusian debate on population and food by focusing onglobal urbanisation and its consequences for peoples’ access to basic means ofsubsistence.  Case studies from bothdeveloping and developed countries provide a comprehensive overview of theissues related to availability of food and water in an urban context. The booksuggests that the concern for human survival is still relevant and can beexacerbated by rapid urbanisation, and that the negative impacts of urbanprocesses require an increased attention of the international community as weenter the new Sustainable Development Goals era.