Baku: ‘Building climate-resilient cities is essential in urban development, and integrated planning is crucial for this,’ said Erfan Ali, Director of the UN-Habitat Regional office for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, in his remarks at the OTS High-Level Urban Dialogue held at the Azerbaijani pavilion opened at the Urban Expo as part of the 13th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13).
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Ali highlighted that over 65% of the world’s population resides in cities, with this number expected to exceed 70% in the coming years. He emphasized that while urban areas are often the starting point for development, they are also significantly affected by climate change. Ali stressed the importance of implementing preventive measures in urban planning to mitigate these impacts effectively.