• Friday, May 13, 2011
• Inter Press Service

The world’s cities are responsible for up to 70 per cent of the world’s harmful greenhouse gas emissions. And if these cities don’t take action for a sustainable change, there will be a deadly collision between urbanization and climate change, warns a new report by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

The report, released Thursday, urges the cities of the world to create more environmentally sustainable urban development. The fuel for this collision is said to be the increasing number of people who live in cities and the impact of the greenhouse gases.

The report states that there is a huge difference between greenhouse gas emission between regions, countries, but also within countries.

The18 per cent of the world’s population living in developed countries account for 47 per cent of global CO2 emissions, while the 82 per cent of the world’s population living in developing countries, account for the remaining 53 per cent.

For example the US and Canada account for 19.4 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, while Africa accounts for 7.8 per cent.

'We at UN-Habitat are promoting revising urban planning, in both the developed and developing world. Revisiting the urban planning in a sense of coming back to basics, and rethink the way we manage our city', said Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat.

Briefing reporters, she said: ' We need a city that mitigates emissions of greenhouse gases, and a city which is capable of reacting in case of need, and with a capacity to adapt to climate crisis. This is of course a financial issue for the developing world and a planning issue for the developed' said.

According to the report, the developing world is paying and will pay the highest price. And it is the poorest and marginalized people that live in slums who will suffer the most; their settlements are unstable and unplanned and often placed in risky land areas.

'The inequity of the urban divide is set to become even more pronounced as the effects of climate change are more frequently felt. As well as action at the global level, there must be action at the local level to address these inequalities.' said Clos in a press statement released here.

UN-Habitat promotes socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all.

© Inter Press Service (2011) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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