Director of UN-Habitat: Large settlements cause significant environmental damage

Large settlements and big cities cause significant environmental damage, Executive Director of the United Nations Settlement Program (UN-HABITAT) Maimunah Mohd Sharif said at the event “Current Challenges for Creating Sustainable and Viable Cities” at the ADA University, Report informs.

She noted that 70% of energy consumption in the world occurs in cities: “At the same time, 39% of energy consumption occurs in the construction sector, 11% in the production process of building materials.”

Sharif added that by 2030, about 3 billion people in the world could remain homeless. To provide housing for 3 billion people, 96,000 new housing units need to be built, she said.

“To solve global problems, it is necessary to demonstrate an integrated approach,” she added.

Sharif also emphasized that the construction sector contributes to approximately 40% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.