Environment day sees UN call for ‘greener’ cities

FROM Japan to Jamaica, millions marked World Environment Day yesterday by planting trees or staging rallies as the UN urged better “green” city planning to cope with runaway urban growth.

By 2030, more than 60% of the world's population will live in cities, up from almost half now and just a third in 1950, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said. Growth poses huge problems ranging from clean water supplies to rubbish collection.

"Already, one of every three urban dwellers lives in a slum," Mr Annan said in a statement. "Let us create green cities," he said, adding the UN goal of halving poverty by 2015 would not be met unless city planning was less haphazard.