Extreme heat is having its moment in the sun. This year’s headlines have been as relentless as the temperatures: “Spain endures record heatwave,” “Devastating heatwave in South Asia,” “Texas shatters heat record,” “Can you even call deadly heat ‘extreme’ anymore?”This worldwide coverage has called attention to a massive challenge that will only grow in scope and seriousness.
With a whopping 70 percent of humanity predicted to be living in urban areas by the middle of the century, United Nations (UN) climate experts see a huge opportunity to create ideal cities that are walkable, leafy and energy efficient.Urban areas currently account for around 70 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, notes a comprehensive report on climate change solutions from the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released this week.We are in the "urban cent
With cities facing disastrous climate stresses and shocks in the coming years, one would think they would be rushing to implement mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Cities around the world were turning off their lights on Saturday for Earth Hour, with this year's event highlighting the link between the destruction of nature and increasing outbreaks of diseases like COVID-19.Starting off the event, at 8:30 pm the skylines of Asian metropolises from Singapore to Hong Kong went dark, as did landmarks including Sydney Opera House. The annual event calls for action on climate change and the environment, and this year, organisers said they want t
Last month, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey announced that the company would allow its employees, currently working from home in accordance with social-distancing protocols, to stay there for good. Several other big businesses – from Facebook to the French automaker PSA – have followed suit with plans to keep far more employees at home after the COVID-19 crisis ends. Will the office be yet another casualty of the pandemic?In a sense, the death of the office has been a long time coming.
Southeast Asia is rapidly developing its cities in anticipation of increasing urban populations by 2025. A report by Knight Frank, a real estate firm, showed that in 2018, Metro Manila added an additional 1.5 million square metres of office space, whereas Bangkok’s general supply of new office space in the same year was at least five million square metres while Phnom Penh, in Cambodia, had 110 new condominiums towers.
Southeast Asia’s population will reach 740 million by 2035, according to the United Nations Population Division (UNDP).
Be it the neighbourhood wet market that sells fresh food and produce, street festivals that deliver a dose of art or music, or parks which provide fresh air and a chance to reconnect with nature – public spaces are the cornerstones of thriving communities.But mass urban migration and rapid development are putting untold stresses on ASEAN’s cities, placing even greater emphasis on the way public spaces are designed and utilised.Almost half of the region’s total population now
Think City, a Malaysian-based social purpose organisation focused on urban rejuvenation, is jointly hosting the first ever regional placemaking conference with UN-Habitat and other partners. Targeted at ASEAN city makers and managers, the inaugural conference aims to promote knowledge surrounding placemaking best practices and encourage discourse on innovative solutions for the future of communities and public spaces.
In the 19th century, the world was Europeanized. In the 20th century, it was Americanized. Now, it is being Asianized – and much faster than you may think.Asia’s rise has been swift. Home to more than half of the world’s population, the region has climbed from low- to middle-income status within a single generation.
Southeast Asia is rapidly developing its cities in anticipation of increasing urban populations by 2025. A report by Knight Frank, a real estate firm, showed that in 2018, Metro Manila added an additional 1.5 million square metres of office space, whereas Bangkok’s general supply of new office space in the same year was at least five million square metres while Phnom Penh, in Cambodia, had 110 condominiums towers.
Dense housing settlements and high-rise blockades without sight of green is one of the disadvantages of urbanisation. While urban living continues to offer many opportunities such as jobs and services, urban green is a vital component in any urban ecosystem.
