According to the United Nations, by 2050 the world’s urban population is expected to nearly double, making urbanisation one of the 21st century’s most transformative trends.
In the global context, UN says cities and other urban areas occupy only 2% of the total land. However, it accounts for more than 70% of global economy, 60% of global energy consumption, 70% greenhouse gas emissions and 70% of global waste.
Populations, economic activities, social and cultural interactions, as well as environmental and humanitarian impacts, are increasingly concentrated in cities, and this poses massive sustainability challenges in terms of housing, infrastructure, basic services, food security, health, education, decent jobs, safety and natural resources.
Since the adoption of the Millennium Development Goals in 2000, the world has certainly seen improvements in the quality of life of millions of urban inhabitants, including slum and informal-settlement dwellers. However, the persistence of multiple forms of poverty, growing inequalities and environmental degradation remain among the major obstacles to sustainable development worldwide, with social and economic exclusion and spatial segregation often an irrefutable reality in cities and human settlements.
The world is still far from adequately addressing these and other existing and emerging challenges, and there is a need to take advantage of the opportunities presented by urbanisation as an engine of sustained and inclusive economic growth, social and cultural development, and environmental protection, and of its potential contributions to the achievement of transformative and sustainable development.
The UN has adopted a New Urban Agenda, which lays strong emphasis on achieving sustainable urban development globally.
It sets a new global standard for sustainable urban development, and will help us rethink how we plan, manage and live in cities.
The New Urban Agenda is a roadmap for building cities that can serve as engines of prosperity and centres of cultural and social well-being while protecting the environment.
The NUA also provides guidance for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and provides the underpinning for actions to address climate change.
The UN has urged the world leaders to ensure to provide basic services for all citizens and ensure that they have access to equal opportunities, promote measures that support cleaner cities, strengthen resilience in cities to reduce the risk and the impact of disasters, take action to address climate change by reducing their greenhouse gas emissions, fully respect the rights of refugees, migrants and internally displaced persons regardless of their migration status, improve connectivity and support innovative and green initiatives and promote safe, accessible and green public spaces.
Throughout modern history, urbanisation has been a major driver of development and poverty reduction.
Governments can certainly respond to this key development opportunity by promoting a new model of urban development that is able to integrate all facets of sustainable development to promote equity, welfare and shared prosperity.
The onus therefore is on the international community to help national governments and local authorities achieve this.