The physical structure of urban economies -- comparative assessment

Abstract

Urban metabolism provides a characterization of anthropogenic material flows in urban systemsand should contribute to identify the economic activities that were involved on their supply andtransformation. Typically, its quantification requires data that is not easily available in differentgeographies. This paper makes use of a methodology based on monetary input–output tables andinternational trade statistics that might be easily replicable to many metropolitan areas in theworld, and which is intended to provide a first rough estimation of urban material flows.The paper discusses the results obtained for four metropolitan areas (Lisbon, Paris, Seoul–Incheonand Shanghai), assessing the material requirements of these economies. The urban areas arecompared in terms of the quantity and the type of material input, destination of materials withinthe economy and their distribution among economic activities. The results showed that whileLisbon is the most diverse urban area in terms of the consumption of material types, it is also theurban area with the least diversified manufacturing sector.The application of this methodology to several urban areas and across multiple years enables the

assessment of the technological and economic evolution of those regions