Better urban planning urged in China

Rapid urbanization takes a toll on the livability of Chinese cities, which have been left vulnerable to natural disasters and environmentally damaged, said a new report.

The Green Book, released on Thursday by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pinpointed the consequences caused by hasty urban planning.

The report called for attention to rainstorm-triggered floods, which affected 62 percent of Chinese cities from 2008 to 2010, with Beijing's deadly flood on July 21, 2012, being one of the worst.

The haze and smog that cloaked Beijing last year became the embodiment of air pollution in cities. Higher environmental standards and more public participation are required to bring fresh air back to the cities, said the report.

Affordable housing also matters in what makes a city livable, according to the report.