Citiscope
Public Sector Can’t Deliver New Urban Agenda Alone, World Economic Forum Warns
United States of America
When New York City decided to offer public Wi-Fi kiosks on city streets, it turned to Sidewalk Labs, whose parent [...]
How Will We Monitor the New Urban Agenda?
United States of America
Capping a year in which the United Nations debated and agreed upon a 20-year urbanization strategy, in late December the [...]
Want Sustainable Urban Development? It’s Time for Local Agenda 2030
Key will be moving beyond aspiration to focus on specific implementation mechanisms and road maps for action.
What Is Habitat III?
“Habitat III” is shorthand for a major global summit, formally known as the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable [...]
Migrants Are Agents of Development
"Migrants Are Not Perfect. But Neither Are Nationals. Migrants Are More Often Than Not Young, Dynamic. They Are Potentially Tax-payers. [...]
With Habitat III Finished, What Are Cities’ Next Steps Toward Implementation?
As COP 22 begins, three recommendations on how to get from good documents and commitments to work plans on sustainability — and [...]
The Quito Papers: An intellectual counterpoint to the New Urban Agenda
United States of America
Just as nations adopt the Habitat III outcome strategy, four towering figures in urbanism announce a treatise on cities and [...]
Lighting up Homes and Streets, One 2-Liter Bottle at a Time
QUITO, Ecuador — Lighting up streets and homes, and all the health and safety benefits that come from it, doesn’t [...]
Quito Highway Plan Pits Need to Move Traffic Against Sustainability
Ecuador
Verónica Ninahualpa stands on the side of a windy mountain road and looks out at the houses and community [...]
Fund Seeks to Strengthen Climate Action in Cities
USD 2.3 million announcement addresses key gap in mayors’ ability to access climate finance for resilience planning in cities.
Is Building With Bamboo the Housing Solution for Tropical Cities?
QUITO, Ecuador — The two-story bamboo house on display in Quito’s El Ejido Park this week is shining a spotlight [...]
Can Habitat III Mark a Watershed for Women Informal Workers?
United States of America
The informal sector is here to stay. It is expanding. And increasingly, in many cities across the world, its face [...]
Private-Sector Role Is Discussed at Habitat III But Few Businesses Show Up
As the summit marks the start of implementation of the New Urban Agenda, everyone is interested in financing. But the [...]
So How Do We Implement the ‘Right to the City’, Anyway?
Many were surprised last month when negotiations on the New Urban Agenda kept the term in the final document. Now [...]
Nations Adopt Global Strategy on Sustainable Cities, Capping Two-Year Process
Finalization of New Urban Agenda by 167 countries comes as discussion has turned to implementation.
The Quito Papers: An Intellectual Counterpoint to the New Urban Agenda
Just as nations adopt the Habitat III outcome strategy, four towering figures in urbanism announce a treatise on cities and [...]
Is Building With Bamboo the Housing Solution for Tropical Cities?
An indigenous building material common in the tropics, bamboo is often used to build huts in Asia and even in [...]
Fund Seeks to Strengthen Climate Action in Cities
USD 2.3 million announcement addresses key gap in mayors’ ability to access climate finance for resilience planning in cities.
The Quito Papers: An Intellectual Counterpoint to the New Urban Agenda
Just as nations adopt the Habitat III outcome strategy, four towering figures in urbanism announce a treatise on cities and [...]
Nations Adopt Global Strategy on Sustainable Cities, Capping Two-year Process
Nearly 170 countries on Thursday unanimously adopted the New Urban Agenda, the United Nations’ 20-year strategy on sustainable urbanization, at the [...]
So How Do We Implement the ‘right to the City’, Anyway?
This week’s conference included several side events on the issue. Many of these have offered specific examples of how [...]
Private-sector Role Is Discussed at Habitat III but Few Businesses Show Up
As the summit marks the start of implementation of the New Urban Agenda, everyone is interested in financing. But the [...]
Can Global City Innovation Overcome National Dysfunction?
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
The informal sector is here to stay. It is expanding. And increasingly, in many cities across the world, its face [...]
At Habitat III, Ngo Makes Major Commitments to Strengthen Access to Housing
United States of America
Habitat for Humanity will seek to secure housing for 40 million people by 2020, among other pledges on land tenure.
Lighting up Homes and Streets, One 2-liter Bottle at a Time
That’s the lesson of a project called LIter of Light, which is on display here this week in a [...]
At Habitat III, Architect Aravena Lobbies for ‘Bamboo and Mud’
United States of America
The Pritzker Prize winner also elaborated on his ‘half a good house’ concept, outlining the five elements — and no more — [...]
How Quickly Will Governments Respond to the New Urban Agenda?
As Habitat III draws to a close, opinions are mixed on whether the framework on sustainable cities is gaining political [...]
News Platform Needed to Provide Scientific Input on New Urban Agenda Implementation, Researchers Say
Mechanism seen as critical following Habitat III negotiations’ removal of proposed Multi-Stakeholder Panel on Sustainable Urbanization.
News UN-Habitat’s Joan Clos and Architect PK Das Honored with Jane Jacobs Medal
QUITO, Ecuador — Former Barcelona Mayor Joan Clos and Indian architect PK Das were honored yesterday at the Quito Contemporary Art [...]
Journalism Project Marks Rise of Emerging Cities
United States of America
Quito, Ecuador — The world has heard enough about booming megacities like Shanghai and Mumbai, say a trio of Dutch journalists [...]
Official Commitments to New Urban Agenda Off to a Slow Start
Halfway through Habitat III, few countries have made pledges on the official Quito Implementation Plan platform.
Habitat III Prompts Hope for More Inclusive View Toward Informal Settlements
‘It’s impossible to think the next 20 years could be like the last 20 years,’ said the U.N. official tasked [...]
Urban Policymaking Overlooking Medium-Sized Cities, Researchers Warn at Habitat III
‘Intermediary’ cities host 70,000 new people a day, a trend expected for decades. But lawmakers have yet to fully recognize this [...]
Grassroots Quito Group is a Laboratory for Local Self-Governance
Change happens in myriad ways. In La Mariscal, Quito’s entertainment district, the trigger was an abandoned house.
Of Long Security Lines and Other #Habitat3 Social Media Notes from Day 1
Once every 20 years, city lovers of all ages come together to debate and discuss all things city-related. This time at # [...]
Does the New Urban Agenda Boost Efforts at Achieving Healthy Cities?
The Habitat III strategy is being adopted as global recognition is picking up that health should be at the heart [...]
Equitable Access to Services is Key to Moving Forward the New Urban Agenda
Progress on implementing the Habitat III strategy can be driven by equitable access to five basic services — land, housing, water [...]
Nations Set to Adopt 20-Year Strategy on The Future of Cities
At the centre of this week’s Habitat III conference on sustainable urbanization is a strategy that has been negotiated [...]
How the New Urban Agenda Fits — and Doesn’t — With Global Climate and Anti-Poverty Agreements
The Habitat III strategy was meant to provide a roadmap for implementing recent global accords in cities. But analysis is [...]
How Quito Spruced Itself up for Habitat III
Quito wants to look its best for Habitat III, which runs this week from October 17 to 20. For months, work has [...]
Question of the Day: What is the Most Transformational Idea in the New Urban Agenda?
This week, presidents, ministers and others are gathering in Quito, Ecuador, for the Habitat III conference, where they will formally [...]
50,000 Gather in Quito for Habitat III, a Once-In-A-Generation Summit on The Future of Cities
United States of America
The future of cities will be shaped this week high in the Andes mountains, as nearly 50,000 people converge for a [...]
What Can Habitat III Learn from Habitat I?
So, let’s look at a few common perceptions of Habitat I and how Habitat III, which takes place next [...]
Alternative Forums to Offer Urban Visions Outside of Habitat III
United States of America
From a mock trial of the perpetrators of forced evictions to academic conferences with leading urban scholars, Quito also will [...]
The Indigenous Demand for Habitat III? Territoriality
This story is part of an occasional series on the General Assembly of Partners (GAP), the main vehicle for civil [...]
Gay Community Sees New Urban Agenda As Opportunity for Historic Acknowledgement
United States of America
Habitat III negotiations see new flash point around idea of the ‘family’.
Learning the Language of Cities in Crisis
United States of America
With the world increasingly urban, towns and cities tend to dominate today’s discourse on politics, economics and culture in [...]
Finding a Truly Common Vision for African Cities
This week’s Habitat III regional meeting for Africa will be a key indicator of whether the continent’s leaders [...]