About the Event

The United Nations (UN) projects the global population to reach 8.5 billion by the year 2030, 9.7 billion by 2050, and over 11 billion in 2100. For the Philippines, the UN estimates the country's population to grow at a rate of 1.45% – reaching 123.6 million in 2030, consequently to 148.3 million in 2050, and nearly 169 million in 2100.

Furthermore, the UN estimates that 55% of the global population resides in urban areas, and this is expected to increase to 68% by 2050. Rapid urbanization, combined with the growing global population, is expected to increase urban population by as many as 2.5 billion by 2050. UN data also shows that 90% of this urban population growth will be in Asia and Africa, with global urban population estimated at 4.2 billion in 2018, 54% of this in Asia alone.

By 2030, the UN projects that there will be about 43 megacities existing with more than 10 million inhabitants with most of these cities in developing countries. These put pressure on both existing and future cities as they face problems with crowding, traffic, inadequate infrastructure, energy and water shortages, waste management issues, flooding, congestion, expensive housing, increasing slum areas, growing crime and accidents, and urban hunger/poverty.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched in 2015 that aims to transform the world by 2030 will have to start in cities as it is in urban areas where the problems are intense and pressing. In particular, cities need urgent support for achieving SDG goals relating to poverty, hunger, health, education, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production, climate change, industry, innovation and infrastructure, among others.

Sources:

World Population Prospects 2019​

2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects​

10 cities are predicted to gain megacity status by 2030​

The Future Cities Forum 2019 will be a two-day event on 13-14 November 2019 at The Tent at Solaire with the theme "Building Smart and Sustainable Cities" that that provides stakeholders and participants an opportunity to engage in a discussion that cuts across several important key areas relating to the proper planning, management and development of future cities.

The European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) is organizing this event to initiate an annual dialogue of stakeholders covering the following key areas that are essential to building future smart and sustainable cities in the Philippines.

● Energy Efficiency and Conservation

● Renewable Energy

● Green Buildings

● Mobility and Connectivity

● Information and Communications Technology

● Water Efficiency and Conservation

● Waste Management Solutions

● Sustainable Living and Urban Development

This event brings together high-level representatives of government, business, academe as well as international and non-government organizations who serve as the driving

The specific objectives of the event are:

1. To engage the national and local government executives to share information on the latest update on policies, plans, projects and their implementation that are help build smart and sustainable cities;

1. To involve the business sector in their interest to support the creation of smart and sustainable cities by investing and providing innovative technologies and services; and

1. To give access to the experiences and lessons learned of the academe, international and non-government organizations to enhance knowledge and best practice sharing in the goal to achieve the sustainable development goal on sustainable cities.