BEIJING (dpa-AFX) - Asia's sprawling mega cities - which are driving economic growth - face an uncertain future as rising temperatures, aging populations and unplanned urban development tests their resilience, says a new report by the UN's regional development arm, ESCAP.
Seven of the ten most populous cities in the world are in Asia, with Tokyo, Delhi, Shanghai and Dhaka topping the list. These urban giants, long seen as symbols of opportunity and progress, are now in danger of dragging economies backwards, according to the report.
ESCAP warns that without urgent and inclusive action, these stresses could widen inequality, overstretch public services, and deepen social and environmental tensions.
In response, Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, ESCAP's Executive Secretary, is calling for a new urban model that prioritises equity and resilience.
'The road to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development runs through cities and across the entirety of human settlements,' she wrote in a foreword to the report, stressing the need for decisive and inclusive action.
The climate crisis is pushing many of Asia's cities to their limits.
In 2024, record temperatures swept through South and Southeast Asia - from Dhaka and Delhi to Phnom Penh and Manila - straining infrastructure and healthcare systems.
The 'urban heat island effect', which causes cities to be hotter than surrounding rural areas, is worsening these conditions, especially for the elderly and the lowest earners in crowded informal settlements.
Between 2000 and 2019, nearly half of all global heat-related deaths occurred in Asia and the Pacific. With rising temperatures and shrinking green spaces, risks are growing.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
