City planning must factor in requirements of migrants

WITH two thirds of the world’s population likely living in urban areas by 2050, the UN’s High-Level Political Forum turned the spotlight on the sustainable development of cities. Cities and towns have become the drivers of economic growth and now account for more than 80 per cent of global GDP. Yet, in 2020, over one billion inhabitants of urban areas were still living in slums or informal settlements, predominantly in Asia and subSaharan Africa. As urban populations grow, slums expand even faster, UN data recently shows.

This number is expected to keep rising with an additional two billion people projected to move there over the next 30 years.

said last week.

June witnessed the warmest global average temperature on record, and heatwaves have persisted into early July, according to the UN weather agency, Torrential rains and floods have resulted in dozens of fatalities and affected millions in the United States, Japan, China and India.

“The extreme weather—an increasingly frequent occurrence in our warming climate—is having a major impact on human health, ecosystems, economies, agriculture, energy and water supplies,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.

“We have to step up efforts to help society adapt to what is unfortunately becoming the new normal,” he added.

Heatwaves, among the deadliest natural hazards, kill thousands of people each year.

Elevated temperatures raise the risk of forest fires, as seen recently in Canada, which lost over nine million hectares of forests in 2023 till date, far surpassing the 10-year average of about 800,000 hectares. The resulting pollution and haze spread across much of the northeastern United States, impacting the health of millions.

Above-normal temperatures, with the mercury rising more than five degrees Celsius (41 degrees Fahrenheit) above the long-term average, are forecast in the Mediterranean region over the next two weeks, as well as in many places in North Africa, the Middle East and Türkiye.

A widespread heatwave is intensifying in the southern United States, with high temperatures likely in numerous places, according to the US National Weather Service, which says a few locations could even register all-time temperature records.

Heavy rains and flooding have caused severe damage and loss of life in several parts of the world in recent days.

WMO said the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA) has issued heavy rain emergency warnings for the Fukuoka and Oita prefectures, on Kyushu, the country’s

What is circular economy and why does it matter?

CONCLUSION:

Many countries and territories are already adopting circular economy approaches to shift development and growth to cleaner, greener, and more regenerative ones.

Kosovo, for example, is supporting innovative solutions for start-ups and SMEs, including the development of a mobile app for identifying environmental pollution and misconduct in urban areas.

Ghana is working to improve urban waste management by supporting entrepreneurs who are building houses made of recycled plastic waste.

Meanwhile, by transitioning to a circular economy, countries like Jordan are creating opportunities for women, allowing them to find employment, learn new skills, open their own businesses and take leadership positions in their community.

The Philippines has enacted a bill that requires large manufacturers to limit the use of plastic packaging and pay for the cost of managing plastic waste.

And an increasing number of countries, such as Mexico, are working to better connect circular economy solutions with their climate action plans. Mexico is developing and implementing training programs for subnational authorities to identify circular economy actions that will contribute towards the roadmap for implementing the country’s updated NDC.

The island nation of Vanuatu is more circular than any other country whose circularity has been estimated. In 2021, its domestic consumption was estimated to be 59 percent circular. Ranking behind it were the Netherlands with 24.5 percent, and Austria with 9.7 percent. Meanwhile, global circularity has dropped from 8.6 percent in 2020 to 7.2 percent in 2023.

Indigenous peoples

For a truly circular economy, we, as a collective, need to not only look ahead to new innovative approaches or technologies, but also look back to see what has already worked, and continues to work.

Indigenous peoples have been implementing circular solutions as a way of life for thousands of years– whether it is through agricultural practices that ensure natural systems are regenerated, or building housing and structures using regenerative materials such as bamboo or adobe bricks.

These experiences and practices offer a lot of wisdom and guidance on how to create a truly circular world. In following principles set by these practices, we can better foster local economies centered around holistic approaches and in the process nurture resilience, reciprocity and respect between people and planet.

UNDP support

Whether focusing on climate change, sustainable energy, food and agriculture, or chemicals and waste management, UNDP is working with countries to scale and accelerate transformative change by integrating circular and green economy approaches. For example, under UNDP’s Climate Promise, The Gambia, Lao PDR, South Sudan, Uganda and Vanuatu conducted detailed circular economy assessments as part of their NDC revision process to identify and prioritize circular economy interventions for enhancing their climate ambition.

We’re also supporting a wide range of actions including national, urban and sectoral planning and budgeting, and by convening and engaging key stakeholders and partners at global, regional, and national levels to help build capacities and raise awareness of circular economy and other important nexuses.

Transition

Despite the urgent need to shift to a circular economy, material extraction is rising every year, with circularity declining–from 9.1 percent in 2018 to 7.2 percent in 2023. This means that we are using more virgin materials and becoming more wasteful.

To start closing the loop, UNDP believes that countries should leverage their national climate pledges―their NDCs―to include circular economy measures. As of May 2023, only 27 percent of NDCs include circular economy, so there is ample room for action.

On this journey, it will be key for governments to engage a broad range of stakeholders across different value chains and at all stages, ensuring that all voices are heard in the process, particularly the most marginalized and vulnerable. This way, we can ensure that the best solutions are prioritized in the NDC, are inclusive of all those affected, and have local ownership to be effectively implemented on the ground.

With the next round of NDC revisions required in 2025, now is the time to define circular economy measures to include in NDCs, helping to accelerate the transition to a more circular and regenerative world. UNDP News third largest island, together with a new daily rainfall record two days ago.

“It’s raining like never before,” JMA said.

Meanwhile, the northeastern US, including New York state and New England has seen deadly torrential rains. New York issued a flash flood emergency and more than four million people were under floods alerts on July 11.

Elsewhere, floods in northwest China killed a reported 15 people, and northern India, roads and bridges collapsed and houses were swept away as rivers overflowed during heavy monsoonal rainfall and flooding, claiming dozens of lives.

Extreme weather events, such as floods, heat and drought, affect millions of people and cost billions annually. The UN agency also highlighted that while developed countries have increased level of preparedness, such as warnings, and management of floods, low-income countries remain vulnerable.

“As the planet warms, the expectation is that we will see more and more intense, more frequent, more severe rainfall events, leading also to more severe flooding,” said Stefan Uhlenbrook, WMO Director of hydrology, water and cryosphere.

“Developed countries like Japan are extremely alert, and they’re also very well prepared when it comes to flood management measures. But many low-income countries have no warnings in place, hardly any flood defense structures and no integrated flood management. WMO is committed to improving the situation,” he said. UN News

122m More People Pushed Into Hunger Since 2019

OVER 122 million more people are facing hunger in the world since 2019 due to the pandemic and repeated weather shocks and conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) report published jointly and recently by five United Nations specialized agencies. If trends remain as they are, the Sustainable Development Goal of ending hunger by 2030 will not be reached, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Food Program (WFP) warn.

The 2023 edition of the report shows that between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, with a mid-range of 735 million. This represents an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. While global hunger numbers have stalled between 2021 and 2022, there are many places in the world facing deepening food crises. Progress in hunger reduction was observed in Asia and Latin America, but hunger was still on the rise in Western

Asia, the Caribbean and throughout all subregions of Africa in 2022. Africa remains the worst-affected region with one in five people facing hunger on the continent, more than twice the global average.

“There are rays of hope, some regions are on track to achieve some 2030 nutrition targets. But overall, we need an intense and immediate global effort to rescue the Sustainable Development Goals. We must build resilience against the crises and shocks that drive food insecurity-from conflict to climate, said UN Secretary-General António Guterres through a video message during the launch of the report at the UN Headquarters in New York.

The heads of the five UN agencies write in the report’s Foreword: “No doubt, achieving the Sustainable Development Goal target of Zero Hunger by 2030 poses a daunting challenge. Indeed, it is projected that almost 600 million people will still be facing hunger in 2030. The major drivers of food insecurity and malnutrition are our “new normal,” and we have no option but to redouble our efforts to transform agri-food systems and leverage them towards reaching the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2) targets.”

PLDT, Smart workers bare recycling plan

PLDT Inc. and its wireless unit Smart Communicattions Inc. are advancing sustainability culture in the workplace by empowering employees to recycle.

The PLDT Group during the celebration of its Environmental, Health and Safety Week launched the enhanced recycling and waste management program for employees called ‘Be Kind. Recycle.’ in support of a circular economy.

As part of the program, a weeklong electronic waste (e-waste) collection drive in the PLDT and Smart headquarters allowed employees to donate old electronic devices and appliances like mobile phones, landline phones, routers, laptops, chargers and others. Employees turned over more than 5,500 units of household e-waste. “As much as waste is bad for the plan- et and the environment, it is also harmful to us humans as it poses serious risks to our health and safety, if not handled and treated properly. We are piloting the ‘Be Kind. Recycle.’ program targeting e-waste to help develop the practice of recycling as an act of kindness for us and for the planet,” said Melissa Vergel de Dios, chief sustainability officer at PLDT and Smart. The PLDT Group, including PLDT, Smart, e-PLDT and PLDT Global, is doubling down on its efforts to manage e-waste. The 2022 United Nations’ Global E-Waste Monitor Report cited the Philippines as among the top e-waste generators in Southeast Asia. Improper e-waste disposal impacts people’s health and damages the environment.

In addition to the e-waste collection, the PLDT Group held an organizational

Many will be migrants from rural areas or other countries, forced to leave their homes due to climate change, economic distress and armed conflicts. The head of the UN migration agency told the HLPF it was time to incorporate them fully into urbanization plans.

“Cities are on the frontline demonstrating that, when factored into urban planning, human mobility as a whole is a key driver of sustainable development,” said António Vitorino, Director General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

Believing that migration can be an accelerator of inclusive growth, he called for new national policies allowing migrants to become “active change-makers” in societies. Representatives of migrants, said IOM chief, should participate in urban planning.

The forum highlighted the challenges and opportunities associated with urbanization and the urgent need to address the growing issue of reducing the footprint of slums and slum-like conditions.

Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 seeks to address this by making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable by 2030.

According to UN statistics, the expansion of global cities in terms of physical infrastructure has outpaced population growth rates. Data from 681 cities collected between 1990 and 2020 reveal that the average annual land consumption rates were at 2.0 per cent, compared to population growth rates of about 1.6 per cent from 2000 to 2020. This trend highlights the need for more sustainable urban planning and land management strategies.

While air quality has improved globally, largely due to efforts in highincome countries, there is a need to address air pollution in towns, as they often experience poorer air quality compared to cities. For example, in 2019, towns in eastern and Southeast Asia experienced a serious deterioration in air quality

A lack of public spaces and accessible streets also pose a challenge in cities worldwide. Data from 1,072 urban areas in 120 countries in 2020, indicated that over 75 percent of these cities had less than 20 percent of their area dedicated to open public spaces and streets, falling significantly short of the recommended figures.

Open public spaces accounted for a meager 3.2 percent of urban land, about four times less than the area taken up by streets.

On a positive note, according to UN data, towns and cities are now better prepared for different types of disasters, as the number of countries with national disaster risk reduction strategies grows steadily.

Some 102 countries reported that local government bodies have developed disaster risk reduction strategies, up from just 51 countries in 2015.

PLDT and Smart Communications Inc. president and chief executive officer Alfredo Panlilio drops his old phone for recycling. learning session with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) about e-waste and their hazards to communities. UNIDO also shared tips with employees on how to properly handle and recycle e-waste materials.