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.
About Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
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