UN-Habitat has released a report examining the connection between urban growth and climate change. The report states that “the fight against climate change and the struggle to achieve more sustainable and equitable urbanization are two sides of the same coin.” What does the future hold for cities, which play a dual role as both victims and contributors to the crisis of climate change?
Climate change is one of the most widely discussed issues across all levels and sectors. The urban development sector is no exception: cities are advancing more rapidly than national governments can implement policies to limit the annual rise in global temperatures to 1.5°C.
The World Cities Report 2024 highlights the impact of climate change on urbanism and urban development. It proposes strategies to reduce the vulnerability of urban areas while enhancing their sustainability. Cities are both major victims and significant contributors to climate change. They are responsible for a large portion of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, yet they also suffer disproportionately from climate disasters such as floods, heatwaves, hurricanes, and droughts. The main challenge is that cities concentrate millions of people and resources in one location, making them highly vulnerable. At the same time, the percentage of green space – one of the most effective means of reducing temperature, improving air quality, and promoting human health in urban areas – has decreased from 19.5% in 1990 to 13.5% in 2020. On average, urban residents now have access to just 30.6 m² of green space each, less than half of what they had 30 years ago. These changes have significant effects on the environment and public health. More than 2 billion people currently living in cities could experience an additional temperature rise of at least 0.5°C by 2040. At least 900 cities could transition to more humid climates by 2040, potentially affecting an additional 250 million people compared to current exposure. Many of these cities are expected to shift to a tropical climate, where increased humidity exacerbates the challenge of managing extreme temperatures.
One important, yet often overlooked, issue is that climate change is exacerbating social inequalities, particularly among the poor and vulnerable. People living in informal settlements are most likely to suffer from the impacts of climate change due to a lack of infrastructure and resources for adaptation. These communities are also the least responsible for carbon emissions but bear the greatest burden of climate change. Green gentrification has emerged as a consequence of climate interventions, as the creation of green spaces often leads to the displacement of marginalized communities.
Current technologies and practices hold great potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the national, urban, and local levels. Cities can address climate challenges by embracing sustainable development trends, such as low-carbon development models, sustainable transport systems, energy-efficient buildings, and an increasing number of local initiatives for ecosystem adaptation and restoration. Furthermore, climate action not only has environmental benefits but also helps reduce poverty, create jobs, and improve infrastructure and public health. However, cities must remain consistent in their efforts to combat climate change and pursue sustainability. The report suggests strategies that include integrated approaches: developing infrastructure to protect against flooding and extreme temperatures, supporting vulnerable groups such as women, children, the elderly, migrants, and ethnic minorities, and addressing the root causes of vulnerability, including discrimination and social inequality.
The report underscores the need to close the financing gap for climate action by attracting additional investments in sustainable infrastructure and ensuring these funds are equitably distributed among cities, especially to support poor and vulnerable communities. Currently, cities receive less than 20% of the funding needed for effective climate action. Just over 1% of expenditures on urban climate action are allocated to adaptation, despite the urgent need for such investments in poor communities. Cities require an estimated $4.5–5.4 trillion annually to build and maintain climate-resilient systems. Achieving this will require private sector involvement, as part of a multi-level governance framework. Similarly, there is a need for coordinated efforts across international, national, and local levels to respond effectively to climate challenges.
Cities have already demonstrated successful localized initiatives that can be scaled and adapted globally. The report shows that, despite the risks, cities still have the potential and resources to pursue sustainable and balanced development.
