UBS Group AG launched “Climate change: a risk to the global middle class” – its first report measuring the impact of climate change and its effects on the global middle class. Estimated at around one billion people worldwide, and with substantial assets and political influence, the middle class is key to social order and economic growth.

This issue explores the extent of children's vulnerability and resilience to climate and disaster risks in several Asian cities. Specific institutional arrangements, programmes and projects that aim to promote children's welfare in these cities are examined.

According to the Census 2011, the urban population in the state was 17.0 million with a total of 297 towns including 184 municipal towns. Since then three more municipal towns have been added making the number 187.

The 2015 China Sustainable Cities Report examines the performance of 35 big and medium-sized cities according to 12 human development and environmental indicators. It also looks at the efficiency of the cities’ environmental inputs relative to their human development outputs.

Madhya Pradesh second largest Indian province has enough reasons to be concerned about the impacts of climate change as it has a large population depending on its natural resources for livelihood.

Cities, states, regions, companies and investors are taking actions to address climate change. The scope of these actions is broad, covering hundreds of jurisdictions and encompassing a significant fraction of the global economy. Citizens, too, are mobilizing through signed petitions and climate marches.

Climate change is one of the greatest threats to human rights of our generation, posing a serious risk to the fundamental rights to life, health, food and an adequate standard of living of individuals and communities across the world.