Table 1 Impacts of global urbanisation and mitigation strategies

High traffic density

✓ Efficient public transport

✓ Compact city design

High amount of waste

✓ Recycling

Urban warming

✓ Increasing green space,

✓ Using reflective materials

Increasing Air pollution

✓ CO₂ capture,

✓ Filtering exhaust gases,

✓ Increasing efficiency of industrial processes/vehicles

Increasing energy consumption/sinking resources

✓ Using renewable sources,

✓ Achieving low energy buildings,

✓ Increasing efficiency of devices/processes

Lack of biodiversity/natural habitat

✓ Increasing green space,

✓ Developing animal/plant protection areas

Sinking water resources

✓ Water purification

✓ Desalination

✓ Rainwater harvesting

Rising food demand/poverty

✓ Vertical farming

✓ Artificial food production

✓ Greening the deserts

Land shortage for housing

✓ Constructing multifunctional buildings,

✓ Creative architectural designs

Weak Social cohesion

✓ Improving sociocultural environment

✓ Increasing the number of organisations-events that bring people together