Discussions were held during a conference on Eastern Europe and Central Asia regions organized within the framework of WUF13, APA reports.
An official from the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) stated that cities in the Asia-Pacific region are facing interconnected risks such as climate change, informal settlements, infrastructure shortages, and governance problems, and noted that integrated approaches are required to address these challenges.
It was reported that nearly 700 million people in the region live in informal settlements, accounting for approximately 60 percent of the global population living in informal housing conditions.
According to the official, this situation reflects not only a housing shortage, but also structural gaps in governance and urban planning.
The ESCAP official noted that the region is lagging behind in achieving the Sustainable Cities and Communities goal set under the UN Sustainable Development Goals. At the same time, it was highlighted that progress has been made in some countries in developing disaster risk reduction strategies and improving air quality.
