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Three Thoughts on Rural-Urban Interaction
David Freshwater, December 11, 2024
We ignore “raw materials” at our peril. The current focus of economic policy is
mainly on - workforce skills, finance and innovation/technology in an urban
context. But,
• Raw materials from rural areas are vital for climate adaptation –lithium, cobalt, copper, silicon,
etc.
• Green energy is largely rural – wind, large scale solar, biomass
• AI and cloud computing use vast amounts of electricity
• Rural industries, including agriculture and forestry, both produce carbon and can sequester
carbon
Bringing about effective rural-urban interaction requires joint governance
that satisfies both parties.
US Farm Bills support farming, forestry and rural settlements, but also provide food and nutrition
programmes that mainly benefit metropolitan areas.
Fayette Urban County government in Kentucky ensures a ”rural voice” in a county where the
majority of the population is urban by making one council member’s district purely rural.
Food prices matter.
“I won because of immigration and groceries.” Donald Trump, Dec. 14, 2024

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  • 1. Three Thoughts on Rural-Urban Interaction David Freshwater, December 11, 2024 We ignore “raw materials” at our peril. The current focus of economic policy is mainly on - workforce skills, finance and innovation/technology in an urban context. But, • Raw materials from rural areas are vital for climate adaptation –lithium, cobalt, copper, silicon, etc. • Green energy is largely rural – wind, large scale solar, biomass • AI and cloud computing use vast amounts of electricity • Rural industries, including agriculture and forestry, both produce carbon and can sequester carbon Bringing about effective rural-urban interaction requires joint governance that satisfies both parties. US Farm Bills support farming, forestry and rural settlements, but also provide food and nutrition programmes that mainly benefit metropolitan areas. Fayette Urban County government in Kentucky ensures a ”rural voice” in a county where the majority of the population is urban by making one council member’s district purely rural. Food prices matter. “I won because of immigration and groceries.” Donald Trump, Dec. 14, 2024