In this report, ESCAP explores the future of urbanization in Asia and the Pacific, focusing on the dynamic shifts in the region’s urban landscape. It highlights the region’s demographic transformations, including population ageing, and the persistent challenges of urban poverty and inequality. The analysis covers urban areas of all sizes, …
This publication examines opportunities for pursuing pro-poor urban resilience initiatives to reduce the increasing impacts of heat stress faced by urban populations in Asia and the Pacific. Cities in the region are increasingly at risk of heat waves, which are expected to be more severe and persistent due to global …
Global poverty monitored by the World Bank for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is reported only at the national level, lacking a breakdown between urban and rural areas. A key challenge to producing globally comparable estimates of urban poverty is the need for consistent definitions of urban areas and poverty. …
Urbanization and regional trade integration are dual megatrends, and each is likely to have a powerful impact on African economies and broader economic development throughout the region. While African urbanization and African trade integration have both been extensively studied and are the subject of ongoing policy dialogue, the relationship between …
This report highlights the scope and functions of a dozen tree laws implemented in different states in India. The implementation of these laws has come to public focus in recent years due to the growing number of cases of large-scale tree felling in Indian cities. The government use of mechanisms …
India's urban population is estimated to stand at 675 million in 2035, the second highest behind China's one billion, the UN said in this report, noting that after the COVID-19 pandemic, the global urban population is back on track to grow by another 2.2 billion by 2050. World Cities Report …
Investment in urban climate projects is urgently needed worldwide. Cities hold most of the global population and economic activity and contribute approximately three-quarters of the global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, underlining the urgent need for projects to reduce emissions in urban areas and increase climate resilience. This brief presents one …
This book examines the transition to sustainable energy systems in emerging cities. Experts from around the world present case studies from different countries and discuss efforts were needed for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The authors look into the issue of environment vs. economics and discuss the …
How can cities promote resilient, low-carbon and just urbanisation, in a context of increasing climate breakdown and inequality?. IIED’s urban researchers set out a vision for urban transformation to build just and inclusive cities. Building on the core principles of IIED’s framework for transformative urban recovery co-developed with grassroots organisations, …
A report into the impact of climate change on cities, which is becoming increasingly important as more and more people live in them. One of the most severe impacts, which is already starting to bite, is cities running out of water. Urban areas make up just 1% of the earth’s …
Air pollution is a complex and multifaceted issue. Cleaning up our air can be a secret weapon in addressing some of society’s biggest challenges together, from public health to climate change, children’s development and sustainable economic growth. By working together, have a golden opportunity to make action on air pollution …
Greenpeace India’s latest report follows the heatwave trends in 10 Indian capital cities: New Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow, Shimla, Bhopal, Patna, Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai. India ranks 5th in terms of people exposed to heatwaves. In 2022 alone, India has experienced numerous heatwaves in the span of 2 months with …
The populations of African cities are expected to grow by more than 900 million by 2050. Many of these people will live in secondary cities. These cities are a sub‑set of cities within national systems of cities. Secondary cities play a critical intermediary role in the operation and development of …
This report presents compelling evidence - from 2 600 cities across 34 countries - that urbanisation in Africa contributes to better economic outcomes and higher standards of living. It shows that in most socio‑economic dimensions, Africa’s cities significantly outperform the countries in which they are located, and that the gap …
The last decade was the warmest on record, and leading organisations on climate change indicate that warmer temperatures are not a potential threat but a surety. This report considers ways in which disaster risk reduction (DRR), climate change adaptation (CCA), and related scientific communities can rise to data challenges in …
This paper provides available evidence-based data on urban nutrition in India and explores practical multisectoral interventions that can contribute to ADB's support for the implementation of the country's National Urban Health Mission. It describes malnutrition’s impact on health and nonhealth sectors, identifies key determinants, and offers specific solutions according to …
Human interference with the climate system is occurring, and climate change poses risks for human and natural systems (Figure SPM.1). The assessment of impacts, adaptation, and vulnerability in the Working Group II contribution to the IPCC’s Fifth Assessment Report (WGII AR5) evaluates how patterns of risks and potential benefits are …
Institutional weaknesses limit the capacity of local governments to support efficient urbanization in developing countries. They also lead to the emergence of large developers with the clout to build entire cities. This paper analyzes the urbanization process when local governments are weak and large developers are powerful. Results from a …
Vulnerable populations in urban areas globally have been among the worst hit by the global COVID-19 crisis. In South and South-East Asia, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased levels of vulnerability and food insecurity in cities through disruptions to food supply chains, increased food prices and loss of income. In 2021, …
Cities are the engine of the global economy - contributing 80% of the world’s GDP – but their exponential growth in recent decades has come at the expense of nature. The built environment has grown by two-thirds in the first 12 years of the 21st century, leading to the degradation …
Cities and urban settings are crucial to preventing, preparing for, responding to, and recovering from health emergencies, and therefore enhancing the focus on urban settings is necessary for countries pursuing improved overall health security. WHO has published the Framework for Strengthening Health Emergency Preparedness in Cities and Urban Settings in …
