Cities are home to people and economies, but their assets are increasingly exposed and vulnerable to the impact of Climate Change. It is well accepted that 68 per cent of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2050. In the face of Climate Change challenges, this calls for building ecologically sustainable, greener, and more inclusive cities through urban planning.

By documenting and highlighting the current trends, challenges and opportunities in cities, the World Cities Report 2022: Envisaging the Future of Cities attempts to provide greater clarity on how to build our cities despite the existing disruptive conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic threw never-before challenges to cities and people living in them. Looking forward, the report suggests ways to address a wide range of shocks that cities may have to endure while transitioning into sustainable urban futures. The report proposes that cities should have informed awareness to anticipate change, correct their course of action, and become familiar with different scenarios and possibilities.

The report states, “Building economic, social and environmental resilience, including appropriate governance and institutional structures, must be at the heart of the future of cities.” It stresses on the need to build urban futures that rely on collaborative and effective interventions to tackle poverty and inequalities, to promote diverse, resilient and productive cities. This vision, the report states, is supported by the New Urban Agenda which was adopted in 2016. “The New Urban Agenda provides a holistic framework for urban development that encourages the integration of all facets of sustainable development to promote equality, welfare and shared prosperity,” explains the report.