Business Assembly

Urban Sustainability: The New Business Agenda

In order to achieve sustainable and resilient urban development, the implementation of the New Urban Agenda requires an unprecedented level of collaboration between all stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental.

As an important source of innovation and technology, the private sector is a key implementation partner for cities and urban settlements that have long sourced business solutions to design, build, operate, and maintain major infrastructure and services. Against the backdrop of an increasingly complex and interconnected urban landscape, business has a critical role to play in the partnerships required to match the scale of the sustainability challenges we face.

Guiding Questions

• How can business be positioned as a key provider of solutions and facilitator of broader multi-stakeholder collaboration for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
• What can be learned from cases of  early city-business engagement in addressing urban challenges? What benefits can result from establishing and nurturing linkages to cities?
• What are the enablers of succesful collaboration and accelerators for scale up? Which barriers need to be addressed and how?
• How can businesses and industries support sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban development through a holistic approach to urban sustainability?
• What are examples of new strategic themes and partnerships that will help to scale up strategic collaboration models among different stakeholders to support national, sub-national, and local governments in addressing sustainability challenges?
• What are some of the mechanisms and tools that can support the creation of  sustainable value through accountability and transparency?
• How can businesses and industries  contribute to social cohesion and inclusive growth? What is the role of social entrepreneurs and impact investors?

Assembly Follow Up

• How do you propose to monitor the outcomes of this session in order to report back on progress at the 9th Session of the World Urban Forum (2018, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)? 

PROGRAMME

Urban Sustainability: The New Business Agenda
In collaboration with Global Cities and Business Alliance, C40, ICLEI, World Urban Campaign and GAP 

Setting the Scene 

09:00 – 09:05 Welcome
Welcoming remarks by the Master of Ceremony

09:05 – 09:15 Opening Keynote
The Role of Business in implementing the NUA

A Holistic Approach to Urban Sustainability

09:15 – 09:25 Keynote
Building Liveable Cities

09:25 – 10:10 Panel discussion  
Ingredients for urban sustainability – the recipe for success

10:10 – 10:25 Keynote
Measuring urban development and impact

10:25 – 10:40 Keynote
Benefits of Early Strategic Collaboration & Sustainable Cities Framework (Launch)

10:40 –11:00 Coffee Break

Partnering for Urban Sustainability

10:55 – 11:00 Film
WBCSD Collaboration Movie

11:00 – 11:15 Keynote
Building Sustainable Cities through Collaboration

11:15 – 11:30 Keynote
Partnering for Urban Sustainability

11:30 – 11:40 Presentation
Successful partnerships – Human Cities Coalition

11:40 – 11:45 Film 
Sustainable Mobility video

11:45 – 11:55 Presentation
SMP2.0 Winning Approach for Urban Sustainable Mobility Planning

11:55 – 12:40 Interactive debate/discussion  
Urban Partnerships Enablers & Barriers:

• Finance
• Policy
• Technology
• Market acceptance/behavior  

Building Resilient Cities in a Changing Climate Main Challenges and Shared Interest in Building Resilience in every sector

12:40 – 14:00 Lunch

14:00 – 14:15 Presentation
Innovative and resilient cities – a European contribution

14:15 – 14:30 Presentation
Business solutions for resilient cities – best practice

14:30 – 14:45 Presentation
Business solutions for resilient cities – best practice

14:45 – 15:30 Panel discussion  
Scaling up climate action in cities with a focus on enablers & barriers  

15:30 – 15:45 Keynote
Urban Food Security – Transforming Challenges into Opportunities

15:45 – 16:15 Coffee Break 

Business: Driver of Economic Growth & Social Cohesion

16:15 – 16:30 Presentation
Creating sustainable, prosperous, inclusive and secure cities – examples from busines

16:30 – 16:45 Presentation
Creating sustainable, prosperous, inclusive and secure cities – examples from busines

16:45 – 17:30 Panel Discussion/ Debate  
Engaging communities and civil society in delivering the New Urban Agenda - the role of social entrepreneurs and impact investors

Building on Habitat III

17:30 – 17:45 Keynote
Looking ahead – cities of the future

Closing

17:45 – 18:00 Keynote  
Key Takeaways & Closing Remarks