31 OCTOBER 2022 | VIRTUAL EDITION

Background

Pollution, climate change, habitat destruction and over-exploitation of natural resources such as fresh water and fisheries, are compounding crises, presenting cascading risks on human health, wellbeing and livelihoods, especially among poorer regions, and are undermining the prospects for a long-term resilient and robust economy.

The risks of climate change are already affecting people and ecosystems. Cities, and notably those in developing countries, are often bearing the brunt of climate change. Natural hazards, changing rainfall patterns, energy shortfalls more and more regularly disrupt urban life. Weaker strata of the population disproportionately suffer from climate-induced stressors.

Most economies around the world are also facing a deepening energy crisis, due to global supply disruptions and high energy prices. Cities being responsible for up to 80% of the world’s energy consumption are certainly hit the hardest. The energy transition policies and the switch to renewables will play a crucial role in the fight against climate change and they can, at the same time, bring benefits to cities and citizens globally.

Meeting the climate challenge requires industries and institutions — both public and private — to be able to assess and understand climate change, measure the impact of cascading risks, design and implement adequate low emission policies and to work towards resource efficient societies, infrastructure and – ultimately – communities. “Decoupling” natural resource use and environmental impacts from economic growth is a key requirement for overcoming the pressing challenge of growing resource consumption.

Sustainable Development Goal 13 and the Paris Agreement urge to take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. Moreover, the Global Development Initiative put forward by China to support the development of developing countries and the achievement of 2030 agenda, includes climate action as one of its major priorities.