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Cities are both the victims of climate change and among its worst offenders: though disproportionately exposed to its impacts, they are also responsible for generating a significant share of global greenhouse gas emissions. From flooding to heatwaves, powerful storms to drought, urban areas frequently find themselves on the frontline of the climate crisis. Many of the world’s largest mega-cities concentrate millions of people and trillions of dollars in assets into areas that are becoming more vulnerable to sudden shocks with every passing year.
The World Cities Report 2024, published on Tuesday, provides a wide and far-reaching analysis of the current and expected climate impacts on different regions and cities, as well as the differing vulnerabilities urban populations face as a result of poverty, inequality, ethnicity, gender, disability and other characteristics.
Impacts on the most vulnerable
Climate change is in many ways exacerbating existing inequalities, as the urban poor and other marginalized groups and communities find themselves facing its most extreme impacts with least resources.
“Almost no urban resident will be unaffected, with billions of people subjected to hotter temperatures or exposed to the risks of flooding and other threats,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director of UN-Habitat.
“Informal settlements and slums – typically situated in environmentally sensitive areas and lacking in protective infrastructure – often bear the brunt of climate related disasters or extreme events,” she emphasised.
She added that these vulnerable communities are not only more exposed to risk in the first place but also less likely to receive support once a shock does occur.
“Accelerated transformation of slums and informal settlements, as well as addressing the needs of the most vulnerable territories in cities is thus a priority,” she underscored.
More than two billion people currently living in cities could be exposed to an additional temperature increase of at least 0.5 degrees Celsius by 2040, and cities overall need an estimated $4.5 to $5.4 trillion investment per year to build and maintain climate-resilient systems, yet current financing stands at just $831 billion — only a fraction of the required amount.
While projections show that without appropriate measures in place cities will suffer considerable impacts as a result of extreme weather events associated with climate change, these worst-case scenarios are by no means inevitable. The decisions we make now, both in terms of mitigating the causes of climate change through decarbonization and strengthening adaptation by making cities more resilient, will determine to a large extent their severity. If national and local governments are willing to commit to a truly transformative approach, then climate action could serve as a vital tool in delivering a broader agenda of inclusion and social justice.
Access the full report by clicking here.
For more key facts and figures, click here.
Sources: UN-Habitat and UN News