Developing countries facing rapid urbanization and rising housing demand can draw on China's experience with green construction and low-carbon development, United Nations officials say.

Speaking at a media briefing on Wednesday ahead of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum, to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, between May 17 and 22, UN Environment Programme officials warned that rapid urban growth, particularly in Africa and Asia, is piling pressure on countries to expand housing and infrastructure while also cutting emissions and improving climate resilience.

Martin Krause, director of Climate Change Division at UNEP, said many developing countries are confronting a "dual challenge" of expanding infrastructure while reducing emissions, particularly in regions where housing shortages and inadequate living conditions remain widespread.

He highlighted China's large-scale urban development over recent decades as an example worth studying.

"The work that China has done in this particular sector is certainly impressive," Krause said, adding that African countries facing growing housing and infrastructure needs could learn from such experiences through international platforms that share best practices on sustainable construction and climate action.

Krause said buildings are increasingly becoming central to the climate crisis because they sit at the intersection of emissions, affordability and resilience.

Inefficient buildings lock in high energy demand and increase household costs, while climate-smart buildings can reduce energy bills, strengthen energy security and provide protection against rising temperatures and extreme weather, he said.

Energy efficiency

China's urban expansion demonstrated how countries can pursue large-scale infrastructure development while improving building practices and energy efficiency, lessons that the UNEP said are becoming increasingly relevant as urban populations continue to grow worldwide.

Over the past decades, China has invested significant resources in its transition to an inclusive green economy, and it has proved that the shift would be beneficial for economic growth, climate change mitigation, job creation and improving people's living standards, according to a previous UNEP report.

The nation has been a major innovator and producer of renewable energy, producing the world's largest amount of solar panels and wind turbines, which have been extensively adopted in urban development nationwide.

The UNEP officials also presented the findings of the Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction 2025/2026, to be released next week. The report provides a comprehensive assessment of how the sector can reduce emissions, manage climate risks and maintain affordability while expanding rapidly to meet growing global demand for housing and infrastructure.

Oliver Rapf, executive director of the Buildings Performance Institute Europe, said global building floor space continues to expand rapidly, but efforts to decarbonize the sector remain far behind what is needed to meet international climate goals.

Operational emissions from buildings have increased by 6.5 percent since 2015, even though emissions would need to decline by more than 30 percent to stay aligned with the Paris Agreement pathway, Rapf said. "The world is building fast, falling short as climate risks rise and cities grow."

Hanane Hafraoui, program management officer at the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, said governments must move from climate pledges to implementation by making low-carbon and resilient buildings central to national climate plans.

"The task now is to move from pilots to scale, from commitments to implementation, and from climate ambitions to having better homes and better lives for people," she said.

"We cannot solve the climate crisis without making homes more affordable, more climate resilient, and energy efficient."

sharon@chinadailyafrica.com