Environment experts say the prizing of private interests over public benefit is the main reason why urban green spaces — which are essential for air quality and the regulation of temperatures — are being replaced by concrete buildings.

This phenomenon is on the rise in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, where the concrete jungle is spreading, robbing the city of its green cover. This, coupled with climate change, means that summers in Belgrade are becoming unbearable. 

In fact, Serbian meteorologists expect weather conditions in the city to be similar to those in Egypt's capital, Cairo, by 2050.