Some 2,8 billion people in the world are poorly housed, according to UN-Habitat

Among these poorly housed people, 1,1 billion live in slums or informal settlements, "the main challenge for sustainable urban development," according to the report. Some 90% of slum dwellers are in Africa and Asia, where there is a shortage of 170 million housing units.

"Climate change, conflicts and natural disasters continue to displace millions of people, forcing them to leave their homes in search of safety, stability and better living conditions," said Anacláudia Rossbach, executive director of UN-Habitat, quoted in the report.

The UN agency estimates that 318 million people are homeless, almost as many as the population of the United States.

Across the globe, "one in four people live in conditions that harm their health, safety, and prosperity," reports UN-Habitat.

In detail, 14% of urban dwellers and 40% of rural dwellers do not have access to drinking water and two out of five people do not have sanitation services.

"Managed and safe sanitation is fundamental to human development and is often used as a measure of progress in the fight against poverty, disease and premature death," the report said.

Anacláudia Rossbach calls for "rethinking urban policies, land use, legislation and financing to prioritize housing and basic services as essential levers for climate action and sustainable development."

By 2040, 2 billion city dwellers are expected to be subject to significant temperature increases.

The UN-Habitat Assembly of Member States on Friday adopted the programme's strategic plan for the period 2026 to 2029, which focuses on access to housing, land and basic services, such as drinking water and sanitation.