There is huge potential for an increase in urban forests, trees and green areas to counteract the negative effects of rapid urbanization and improve livelihoods in the major cities of Asia and the Pacific, a regional meeting on urban forestry heard today.

The First Asia-Pacific Urban Forestry Meeting is co-convened by FAO in Zhuhai, China, where experts from 20 countries have gathered to consider ways to improve the lives and livelihoods of millions of urban inhabitants through the greening of cities.

The Asia-Pacific region is home to 53 percent of the world’s urban population and is projected to have one of the largest urban growth rates during the next 20 years, especially in developing countries.