In a powerful statement at the COP29 ministerial meeting on urbanization and climate change in Baku, Anaclaudia Rossbach, the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), emphasized the critical importance of cities in shaping our global future.
With over half of the world's population already residing in urban areas, Rossbach delivered a startling projection: in the next two decades, cities worldwide will witness an additional 4 billion inhabitants.
According to Report, Rossbach said that unplanned city expansion poses grave threats to biodiversity, the environment, food security, and social equality. Uncontrolled urban sprawl leads to social differentiation and physical decay, she cautioned.
The building and construction sector, responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, finds itself at the heart of this urban sustainability crisis. Rossbach highlighted the significant gaps in infrastructure and the prevalence of informal settlements.
To achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, it is necessary to build 96,000 homes every single day, she declared.
Cities, Rossbach warned, are extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. A staggering 70% of urban areas are experiencing temperatures up to 10 degrees higher than surrounding rural regions.90% of territories along the coastlines face the dual threats of rising sea levels and intensifying storms.
"65% of the 2030 Agenda goals rely on local action," Rossbach noted.