It states that Asia’s megacities face an uncertain future.

• Seven of the ten most populous cities in the world are in Asia, with Tokyo, Delhi, Shanghai and Dhaka topping the list.

Key findings of report

• Skyrocketing temperatures: Straining infrastructure and healthcare systems.
  • The “urban heat island effect”, which causes cities to be hotter than surrounding rural areas, impacts especially for the elderly and poor.
• Rapidly ageing populations: By 2050, the number of older persons in Asia and the Pacific is projected to reach 1.3 billion – nearly double the figure in 2024.
• Expanding informal settlements: With housing prices soaring and wages stagnating, slums increase.

Recommendations 

• Enhance regional cooperation: To share knowledge and best practices among cities and enable them to act as catalysts for regional leadership.
• Adopt integrated national urban policies to bolster multilevel governance: It will ensure that urban development aligns with national economic, social and environmental goals.
• Development of subnational and local capacities: To collect, interpret and utilize disaggregated data with a view to effectively localizing the Sustainable Development Goals.
• Innovative approach to urban financing: Strengthening municipal own-source revenue collection, including through property tax reforms.
• Bolster planning capabilities: To address demographic changes, including population ageing, youth outmigration and international migration.