By 2040, the global urban population will experience a 0.5°C temperature rise, with nearly two billion people living in cities facing this increase, according to the World Cities Report 2024: Cities and Climate Action. UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach stated, “Nearly no urban resident will be unaffected, with billions of people subjected to hotter temperatures or exposed to the risks of flooding and other threats.” The report highlights how cities contribute significantly to greenhouse gas emissions and suffer as victims of climate change.

According to the report, major cities with millions of residents and significant assets are becoming more susceptible to climate shocks like flooding, unpredictable rainfall, and intense heat. As cities continue to grow, their vulnerability to devastating calamities increases. The report highlights that the global urban population will experience a 0.5°C temperature rise by 2040. Cities require an estimated $4.5 to $5.4 trillion a year to build climate-resilient infrastructure, but only $831 billion is being spent at the moment despite this mounting threat. Cities and especially vulnerable people are subject to increasing vulnerabilities as a result of this large budget imbalance.

Also Read: Critics Warn UK Lagging On Sewage Pollution Regulation As EU Strengthens Waterway Cleanup Rules

Vulnerabilities in Informal Settlements and Social Inequalities

The report’s main focus is on how climate change affects slums and informal settlements, where disadvantaged groups live with long-standing structural injustices. These communities are especially vulnerable to climate-related disasters because they frequently lack protective infrastructure and are situated in environmentally sensitive locations. Rossbach underlined that “slums and informal settlements—which are usually located in environmentally sensitive areas and lack protective infrastructure—often bear the brunt of climate-related disasters or extreme events.”

Furthermore, if catastrophes occur, these vulnerable areas are less likely to get assistance in addition to being more exposed to danger. To lower these risks and increase resilience, the research recommends giving slum redevelopment first priority and attending to the needs of the most vulnerable communities.

Declining Green Spaces and the Risks of ‘Green Gentrification’

According to the report, one of the main causes of the increasing environmental problems in metropolitan areas is the disappearance of green spaces. Globally, the average percentage of green space in metropolitan areas decreased from 19.5% in 1990 to 13.9% in 2020. Since green spaces act as natural buffers against extreme weather events and help reduce heat and floods, this loss has important ramifications for urban resilience.

The research also highlights the problem of “green gentrification,” in which park construction and other climate interventions may inadvertently push out low-income people or raise property prices to the point where it becomes untenable for them to stay. The report emphasizes the need for careful management of such programs to guarantee that they help marginalized populations without uprooting them.

Also Read: India Included 16000 New Plant And Animal Species To Its Biodiversity In The Last Decade