UN-Habitat: 80% of housing affected by climate change

About 80% of living spaces are affected by climate change.

Report informs that Kazuko Ishigaki, Director of the UN-Habitat Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, said this at an event titled "Housing Resilience as an Urban Systems Challenge" held as part of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).

According to her, climate change affects a large share of living spaces, creating serious challenges for urban planning.

"Approximately 80% of living spaces are exposed to the effects of climate change. Managing these living spaces is a very difficult issue, and we face major tasks. When shaping the living environment, people's needs and climate risks must be taken into account in parallel. The organization cooperates with the private sector, universities and various institutions in this direction. More than 300 organizations and different agencies are represented on our platforms. The private sector accounts for 58% of members," she said.

The UN official also noted the importance of studying alternative construction materials used in informal settlements.

"In Latin America, people build their homes themselves. We need to study what materials are used there. Perhaps less cement or alternative biological materials can be used. Urban planning, water supply and energy systems remain key areas of sustainable urban development," she said.