‘Growing urbanisation will have significant implications’

With the world’s urban area set to triple during 2000 and 2030, growing urbanisation will have significant implications on biodiversity if the current trend continues.

According to a new assessment made by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, over 60 per cent of the land projected to become urban by 2030 is yet to be built. This presents a major opportunity to have resource-efficient urban development that can reduce adverse effects on biodiversity and improve quality of life.

The report “The Cities and Biodiversity Outlook” released today at the event here seeks to make first such global analysis of how projected patterns of urban land expansion will impact biodiversity and crucial ecosystem.

By 2030, the urban population is set to double to around 4.9 billion causing significant pressure on water and other natural resources, impacting the prime agricultural land.

The Executive Secretary of the CBD, Braulio Dias, “The way our cities are designed, the way people live in them and the policy decisions of local authorities will define future of global sustainability.”

The urbanisation is occurring fast in areas close to biodiversity hotspots and coastal zones. This is where scientific planning for future will make a difference, according to Kobie Brand, Regional Director, ICLEI Africa.

India is experiencing a massive trend towards urbanisation with about 30 per cent population in urban areas, accounting for about 11 per cent of the world’s urban population. By 2013, India’s urban population is projected to be 600 million people, working out to about 15 per cent of world’s population.

Most people who live in urban areas lack awareness with regard to biodiversity as they are totally cut off from nature.

>rishikumar.vundi@thehindu.co.in

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