The International Grassroots Academy in preparation for the Habitat III Conference is a tool developed by the Huairou Commission for organizing, collectively building knowledge, and defining strategy with the end goal of achieving effective advocacy on the priorities and perspectives of grassroots women in global policy spaces on sustainable development.
The Future Cities exhibition will take you to the urban heart of three of world’s most exciting emerging cities: Kinshasa, Lima and Yangon. Into the lives and dreams of pioneers, visionaries and young talent who are turning the tide in their cities. Through photos, videos, audio and in-depth information you will hear the city, meet the people and feel the energy of the global cities of the future.
Future Cities shows the approach of Dutch Journalists Stephanie Bakker, Yvonne Brandwijk, and Lisette van Rhijn to three “world” cities that show profound inside stories from different continents using multimedia, enabling people to “feel” the current process of urbanization.
The Urban Fabric is a public intervention in which people participate by marking significant places into a hand-embroidered map of their city. They mark both positive and negative places by sewing symbols onto the map, guded by questions like "Where is the heart of the city?", "Where do I feel unsafe in the city?" Participants are also free to embroider personal images and words freely into the borders of the map.
Opening of three special exhibitions:
The International Grassroots Academy in preparation for the Habitat III Conference is a tool developed by the Huairou Commission for organizing, collectively building knowledge, and defining strategy with the end goal of achieving effective advocacy on the priorities and perspectives of grassroots women in global policy spaces on sustainable development.
The World Urban Campaign consists of more than 163 non-governmental partners, and is organizing a social get-together/dinner on the evening of 14 October 2016.
Reservations: wuc@unhabitat.org
Women and the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda
The Women’s Assembly was designed to celebrate the contributions to and leadership of the Women and Human Settlements’ movement in championing sustainable and women inclusive urban development. The Assembly followed a participatory framework that promotes dialogue and engagement through ten thematic breakout sessions complimented by two plenary sessions. The Assembly ended with consolidation of participants’ recommendations and commitments for insuring an empowerment-focused, gender-responsive New Urban Agenda.
The two opening plenary sessions highlighted the diversity of the women’s constituency and showed the different development priorities across the women’s movement. The session engaged women from local authorities, parliamentarians, professionals, research and academia, civil society organizations, youth, indigenous, grassroots women leaders, business and industries, farmers, and older persons. They helped to set the context for the thematic afternoon breakout sessions by providing a review of the gender-responsive recommendations within the final New Urban Agenda Draft and addressing the prevalent gaps for women’s equality against the backdrop of the Sustainable Development Goals framework.
The afternoon breakout sessions engaged participants in dialogue over actionable recommendations and successful partnership building strategies for the New Urban Agenda implementation in all of the areas essential for women’s equality: women’s political leadership and participation, women’s economic empowerment in formal and informal economy, cities safe for women and girls, grassroots women’s leadership in informal settlement upgrading, the urban-rural nexus, access to and control over land and property, environment and resilience, gender responsive city design, women’s lives in post conflict context.
Guiding Questions
Assembly Follow Up
Programme
09:00 - 10:00 am Grand Joint Opening
10:00 - 10:30am Women’s Assembly Opening
10:30 - 11:00am Celebrating Diversity of the Women's Movement
11:00 - 12:15pm Plenary Panel: Our Leadership in Engendering the NUA & SDG Policy Framework
12:15 - 1:30pm Lunch
Optional Regional Caucusing
01:30 – 03:00pm Fields of Practice Breakout sessions
03:30 - 04:00pm Coffee Break Extended Discussion
04:00 - 04:30pm Report Back from the Breakout Sessions
04:30 - 05:15pm Consolidation of the Action Agenda
05:15 – 05:50pm Closing – Moving Forward
Celebrating Rural Women’s Day – Mildred Crawford
Children and Youth Assembly and the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda
The Children and Youth Assembly is a one-day inter-generational and inter-stakeholder forum which aims to provide a platform for young people to share experiences and knowledge, showcase solutions and initiatives, and develop partnerships to make cities and human settlements more equitable, inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The event aimed to change the perception of the role of young people in shaping sustainable urban development, and to explore opportunities for them to play meaningful roles in the implementation, follow up, and review of the New Urban Agenda.
The Assembly consisted of plenary sessions, roundtables, and break-out sessions for group discussion and training. Participation in the Assembly was split into two sections: one for child participants (under 16 years old) and the other for youth and other stakeholders.
The “Children’s Section” focused on urban issues and solutions impacting urban children, and featured art and design, technology, and debate. The “Youth and Other Stakeholders Section” was divided into three streams: “Science, Technology and Innovation,” “Children and Youth in the New Urban Agenda,” and “the Stakeholder Stream,” which enabled a diverse range of youth activists, young scientists, and urban experts to network, exchange ideas, and to develop partnerships toward the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Ultimately, this Assembly highlighted how -- as leaders of today and tomorrow -- young people should be empowered, included, and recognized as agents of change in fostering a more sustainable urban future for all. The key recommendations and outputs of the Assembly informed a “Children’s Charter” and “Quito Youth Commitments,” to be shared at the Habitat III Conference.
Objectives of the Assembly
Guiding Questions
Assembly Follow Up
PROGRAMME
9.00AM - 10:00AM Opening Ceremony (Joint Opening with Women Assembly)
Agora
10.00AM - 5:00PM Children’s Section
National Library
10:00 - 11:00 Youth + Others Section
10.00 - 11:00 Inter-Stakeholder Plenary
R17 (2/F)
11.00am Break
11.15AM - 3:45AM Science Technology & Inovation
11:15AM - 12:00PM Introduction
R9
12:00PM - 1:00PM Health
R9
12:00PM - 1:00PM Movement of People
R10
1:00PM - 2:00PM Lunch
2:00PM - 3:00PM Urban Resilience
R9
2:00PM - 3:00PM Infrastructure for Inclusivity
R10
3:00PM - 3:45PM Closing Session
R9
11.15AM - 3:45AM Children & Youth in the New Urban Agenda
11:15AM - 12:00PM Right to the City
R11
12:00PM - 1:00PM Follow Up and Review Mechanisms
R11
1:00PM - 2:00PM Lunch
2:00PM - 3:45PM Sustainable Urban Development Youth Initiatives
R11
11.15AM - 3:45AM Stakeholders
11:15AM - 1:00PM Civil Society Dialogue
R17 (2/F)
1:00PM - 2:00PM Lunch
2:00PM - 3:45PM Young Mayor's Roundtable
R17 (2/F)
3:45PM - 4:00PM Break
4:00PM - 5:00PM Closing Plenary
R17 (2/F)
5:00PM - 5:30PM Closing Ceremony
Teatro Nacional
5:30PM End of Event
Further detailed information from the corrdinating partners attached.
On 17 October 2016, tens of thousands of international delegates, mayors, media, stakeholders and urbanists are expected to descend on Ecuador’s capital for the UN’s major urbanisation conference - commonly known as Habitat III. For this occasion, UN Environment has teamed up with Art of Change 21 to organize a creative Maskbook workshop in Quito, Ecuador. This workshop open to everyone will be about creativity, using the imagination of Quito's citizens under the motto: Dreaming up the city we want to live in. The workshop will encourage people to show their vision of a healthy, liveable city that is low-carbon, resource efficient and resilient; to show their ideas to reduce impacts from key areas such as mobility, housing, food, and leisure.
What? Maskbook is an artistic initiative which uses the original pollution mask, changing it from a symbol of fear to a symbol of hope. Chinese artist and photographer Wen Fang, a member of Art of Change 21 gave the activity its name when she referred to the question of pollution in China: “In China, since we all wear masks to protect us against the pollution, we say that Facebook for us should be renamed Maskbook.”FromBeijing to Nairobi and Paris, more than40 workshopsand 6 exhibitionshave already been held and have mobilized thousands of visitors. Its website Maskbook.org, gathers an international gallery of portraits of masks in three languages (French, English and Chinese) with more than1500 participants from over 30 countries.
How? Create your mask using the emblematic anti-pollution mask. First of all, it is about creating a mask with recycled objects. Then, you and your mask will be photographed by a professional photographer. You will have the option to create a digital mask too. Finally, share your mask in Maskbook's international portrait gallery.
When? Saturday 15 October 2016.
Where? Parque Navarro, Quito, Ecuador
https://www.google.fr/search?client=firefox-b-ab&q=navarro+park+quito&oq=navarro+park+quito&gs_l=serp.3...5531.6137.0.6519.5.3.0.0.0.0.418.591.1j1j4-1.3.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..3.1.417...30i10k1.M90bEY1lLpU
The World Urban Campaign is an advocacy and partnership platform to raise awareness about positive urban change in order to achieve green, productive, safe, healthy, inclusive, and well planned cities. It is coordinated by UN-Habitat and driven by a large number of committed partners - currently more than 160 partners and networks - from around the world. The partners meet on a regular basis at Steering Committee Meetings, and the 16th Meeting will take place in Quito/Ecuador, back to back with the Habitat III Conference.
With the aim of familiarizing people to the principal concepts to be discussed during Habitat III Conference, the 7th World Urban Forum exhibition of UN-Habitat in Medellín, april 2014, was adapted as a street exhibition of 8 monumental cubes at United Nations Avenue in Quito, during september 2016,previously to the Conference and organized together with the Cultural Department of the Municipalidad de Quito.
The World Urban Campaign is an advocacy and partnership platform to raise awareness about positive urban change in order to achieve green, productive, safe, healthy, inclusive, and well planned cities. It is coordinated by UN-Habitat and driven by a large number of committed partners - currently more than 160 partners and networks - from around the world. The partners meet on a regular basis at Steering Committee Meetings, and the 16th Meeting will take place in Quito/Ecuador, back to back with the Habitat III Conference.
Cities are growing and becoming the primary habitat for the world’s population. The character and livability of a city is very much defined by its streets and public spaces. Public space takes many spatial forms, including streets, sidewalks and footpaths that connect, parks, playgrounds for recreation, marketplaces, but also edge space between buildings or roadsides which are particularly important for the urban poor. The adoption of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and particularly Goal 11 and target 7 with the ambition to: “by 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, particularly for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities” provides a key milestone. It provides significant recognition of the importance of public space in sustainable development agenda. Until 2030, all countries in the world will be required to take public space into consideration by developing legislation, policy, norms and practices, towards a holistic and integrated approach to the planning, design, development, creation, protection and management of public space. Considering that public space is a multi-sectorial topic which is very relevant for many United Nations agencies and programmes, the purpose of the meeting is setting up a joint implementation framework on public space in relation to the SDG 11.7 and the New Urban Agenda.
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
Assembly Follow Up
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:
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
Hacer un intercambio de experiencias entre los diferentes presidentes de las Redes Locales del Pacto Global. Compartir estrategias de los empresarios frente a la Nueva Agenda Urbana a través de la implementación de los ODS.
Habitat+Social Good is a one-day event co-hosted by the United Nations Foundation and IMPAQTO (Social Innovation Lab and Coworking Space in Quito). The day will host a series of conversations, panels, and showcases of innovations that make cities more inclusive, prosperous and sustainable with a diverse audience of entrepreneurs, activists, community leaders and educators. With the objective of fostering dialogue, collaboration and action on the intersection of social entrepreneurship, sustainable cities and the SDGs during the Habitat III Habitat+SocialGood will be a fantastic way for urban innovators to network and connect ahead of the Habitat III week. Through the participation of social media influencers, bloggers and online activists, Habitat+Social good will bring some topics of the agenda happening in the formal, main conference to the broader public online and offline.
Open to the Public, only through prior registration and commitment of participation. To register - https://tiny.cc/HabitatPlusSocialGood
A smart sustainable city is an innovative city that uses information and communication technologies (ICTs) and other means to improve quality of life, efficiency of urban operation and services, and competitiveness, while ensuring that it meets the needs of present and future generations with respect to economic, social, environmental as well as cultural aspects . - By utilizing the full potential of ICTs to support urban operations and participation, smart sustainable cities can be key enablers for achieving the main objectives envisioned in the New Urban Agenda and the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) addressed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Smart sustainable cities aim to drive inclusivity, accessibility, safety, innovative labour mobility, increased production and resiliency. - This event intends to bridge the gaps in the understanding of what is a smart sustainable city, demonstrate how international standards and KPIs can facilitate the incorporation of ICTs to effectively deliver on the objectives of the New Urban Agenda. - Coordination between governments, private sector and citizens is essential to create an equitable systems to augment their understanding of the city ecosystems and also provide essential inputs to the design and planning process.
Urban areas, especially in rapidly urbanizing countries, contain a disproportionate number of young people, who are seeking new opportunities yet are also exposed to new risks. The face of the new urban agenda is a young person in a rapidly urbanizing country (where all future population growth will be contained), and the success of this agenda depends in large part on whether these young people realize their capabilities or are left behind.
This event is organized by OHCHR’s Regional Office for South America and will bring perspectives from different groups within the region. The side-event will discuss the importance of adopting comprehensive human rights-based approach policies that not only put people at its center but create an environment in which all groups of the population, and in particular marginalized and vulnerable groups, are able to claim their rights and meaningfully participate in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, an agenda that aims at leaving no one behind. In this context, this side event aims at including the voices of marginalized and vulnerable groups in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in Latin America and to trigger a discussion on the diverse challenges faced by them, and in particular on how a human rights approach can be an important instrument to overcome those challenges. The event also aims at identifying concrete recommendations for an effective, inclusive and integrated implementation of the New Urban Agenda at the national, regional and international level.
The nature of cities is heavily impacted by the paradigm changes in the production and consumption patterns and the mobility of capital, people and goods. In recent decades, “global” and “local” are connected in such a way that cities have not only become a dynamic vector for development and growth but also as the locus for change. Tourism in cities is considered as an economic activity with a high potential to stimulate local economic growth because of its complementarity with other economic activities, its contribution to Gross Domestic Product, job creation, foreign exchange and services exports. Tourism is a powerful engine for the local economic and social development of cities through improving infrastructure, creating a skilled labour force, stimulating local business entrepreneurship, developing public-private partnerships and attracting other industries and services. Tourism in cities creates spatial dynamics for transforming the urban landscape through the rejuvenation of public space, public infrastructure and connectivity, development of local amenities and recreational facilities – a process that not only builds a quality visitor experience but also safeguards and enhances the quality of life for the local communities. The WTO side event during Habitat III will create a platform and share a common vision for the local authorities and other city stakeholders on how to position tourism in the overall sustainable urbanization policies (economic, social, cultural and spatial), in the land-use plans and the city governance/management strategies and actions.
The aim of the Forum is to engage policy makers, the United Nations system, expert communities and other stakeholders to discuss the implementation of an inclusive, accessible and sustainable New Urban Agenda. The forum provides an innovative space to exchange experiences and new ideas for taking practical action for future steps to realize the goal of the Habitat III Conference for persons with disabilities and others who face vulnerabilities and exclusion. The forum also promotes the "participatory decision making" through various means, including new technologies for inclusive development processes.
Food security and nutrition are placed at the centre of the urban and territorial sustainability within the New Urban Agenda, emerging as a historical crucial change that calls for addressing food-related concerns in cities, a clear understanding of their food system and food environment, commitments for action, and multi-stakeholders partnership at all levels. This side event will re-inforce the importance of acting towards integration of sustainable food systems into urban planning. The event will feature welcoming remarks from the Major of the city of Medellin, who will provide insights on the importance and challenges of integrating food systems to meet urban needs for nutritious food. Further, diverse inputs in the side event will serve for raising awareness, sharing knowledge on difference experiences for improving food systems for cities and will establish a discussion on future challenges. FAO’s work on urban forestry, sustainable food systems for healthy diets and urban agriculture will be discussed. Networking and partnership with relevant stakeholders, research activities, publications and field projects will also be highlighted.
The aim of the Forum on is to engage policy makers, UN system, expert communities and other stakeholders to discuss the implementation of an inclusive, accessible and sustainable "New Urban Agenda". The forum provides an innovative space to exchange experiences and new ideas for taking practical action for future steps to realize the goal of the HABITAT III Conference for persons with disabilities and others who face vulnerabilities and exclusion. The forum also promotes the "participatory decision making" through various means, including new technologies for inclusive development processes.
This event will identify urban policies that can promote healthier cities with clean air, water and streets and in that way reduce heart and respiratory diseases and cancers. It will also consider the ways in which planning can include health in implementing the New Urban Agenda, providing examples of good practice, and propose a way forward for integrating health protection and promotion into the IGUTP.
Planners today have a central role in the prevention of the diseases of the 21st century, including obesity, heart disease, strokes and diabetes, as urban policies define the air we breathe, the buildings we use, the modes of transport available as well as access to healthy foods and public space for physical activity, leisure and social interaction. All of these factors are important determinants of diseases, and guidance for planners that informs and enables them to consider health in urban planning is one main mechanism to ensure that the New Urban Agenda delivers healthier cities. Evidence on health benefits from urban policies drawn from WHO science-based reviews and guidelines (e.g. on housing, household energy, noise, air quality, sanitation) will be linked to the planning and related guidelines, facilitating the identification of synergies across urban and health policies and the achievement of objectives of different sectors operating in the urban environment. The updated guidelines will advocate for health being a central goal of urban planning policy and practice, highlighting the role of planners in tackling the social, economic and environmental determinants of health.
The New Urban Agenda addresses the need for prioritizing food security and nutrition in urban and territorial planning. While this can be considered as an important step towards improving food security and nutrition in urban areas, the challenge ahead is how those ideas can get implemented. It is expected that governments, especially at local and regional levels, will need support on directions for implementation. FAO, in collaboration with the Bartlett Development Planning Unit of the University College London, is developing the book “Integrating food into urban planning”, based on the evidence from over 20 city-based experiences from across the global North and South. A chapter of this publication overviews lessons from the United States of America, particularly on the major advances that have occurred since early 2000s in planning for food systems in urban areas. This side event organized jointly by FAO and the University of Buffalo, The State University of New York will be a training session that will provide information and tools on how the planning systems is mainstreaming food systems into Urban North America. The event will provide lessons for future FAO activities on "implementing food systems in the New Urban Agenda” that will focus on food systems planning for the Urban South.
Over the past decade, new town development in developing countries has grown exponentially. More and more governments are using the new town as a way to accommodate the increasing urban population moving from rural areas and resolve the overcrowded metropolitan cities’ problems by decentralizing existing cities’ function and employment facilities. But, wrong location, lower densities and absence of efficient public transportation plans shown in some new towns cause criticism by increasing living costs and exacerbating social segregation. Nevertheless, lack of attention and public debate initiated by international organizations keep regenerating same problems in other places. Therefore, development of a policy guide, which is in accordance with new urban agenda, is essentially required through global discussion. The seminar, Pre-Quito event, will be the best opportunity for discussion about direction of New Town development and a policy guide development. The policy guide will be developed from a policy makers’ point of view and used for assistance in decision-making of following policy makers and stakeholders.
• National Governments & Local Authorities (regional, metropolitan, city)
• Civil Society and its associations including business community
• Planning Professionals and their associations
• Developers and investors
The Third Session of the Second World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments
Over 300 local and regional leaders, representing different global networks of local and regional governments, will gather at the Mayors Assembly: the Third Session of the Second World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments, to submit their joint statement to the Habitat III Conference and to commit to contribute to the achievement of the New Urban Agenda. The Mayors Assembly will consist of three elements, running in parallel:
Guiding Questions
Assembly Follow Up
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Health risks of unsustainable urbanization and health benefits of sustainable urban development makes health the "pulse" of the New Urban Agenda. Health-focused strategies, tools, and awareness raising can help drive fast action in cities that care about the health of their citizens. Improving urban air quality -- which fails WHO guidelines standards in 80% of large cities worldwide, is one critical ''nexus'' point for sustainable development. Improved air quality can reduce the death toll from stroke, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory illnesses. Many sustainable transport, housing, energy and green space measures that improve air quality also reduce traffic injury, foster more physical activity, healthier diets, and more gender equity. Presentations will set the stage for launch of the new WHO-led "BreatheLife - Clean Air, Healthy Future" Campaign at Habitat III (www.breathelife2030.org).The campaign, in collaboration with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, aims to raise public awareness about air pollution's health impacts, and how cities can take fast action to reduce air pollution for health and climate benefits.
The event has the world premiere of the documentary 'Urban Labs: Urban Planning at work in Ghana, Myanmar, Philippines, Gaza, Mexico'. During one year five Urban Labs have been followed in their international collaborations across different continents. The documentary shows the impact of Urban Labs in actual urban planning projects on the ground. It reveals how principles for sustainable planning and participatory processes are applied and how approval processes are accellerated. After the 25 minute documentary there will be a discussion among the countries where the Urban Labs have been active. This discussion will revolve around the impacts of the Lab and on how to scale up these international collaborations in order to create an international community of practice.
The event focuses on the localising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in cities in order to meet national and international targets and draws lessons for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (post-Habitat III). It will present a framework for public policy monitoring and communication with the citizenry, supported by smart city platforms, data collection, indicators and monitoring mechanisms. The event will also discuss how accountability mechanisms and initiatives can ensure citizens' role in monitoring progress of public policies that deliver the SGDs within their jurisdiction. The session will discuss innovative tools and online platforms for communication and visualization, city-level data and indicators, as well as on the importance of city-to-city cooperation and knowledge sharing. All of these dimensions will be keys for local level implementation and monitoring of both the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the New Urban Agenda. The event addresses all the five components as accountability, monitoring, and evidence-based policymaking are issues that are important elements of sustainable urbanisation. The event will also be particularly relevant to the discussion on how to monitor the New Urban Agenda. It will also bring together a number of local organizations focused on urban accountability.
The event has the world premiere of the documentary 'Urban Labs: Urban Planning at work in Ghana, Myanmar, Philippines, Gaza, Mexico'. During one year five Urban Labs have been followed in their international collaborations across different continents. The documentary shows the impact of Urban Labs in actual urban planning projects on the ground. It reveals how principles for sustainable planning and participatory processes are applied and how approval processes are accellerated. After the 25 minute documentary there will be a discussion among the countries where the Urban Labs have been active. This discussion will revolve around the impacts of the Lab and on how to scale up these international collaborations in order to create an international community of practice.
Local governments and the associations that represent them have actively participated in the design of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, which has shown the important role of cities to ensure an effective implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (ODS). The fact that, for the first time sustainable development is considered "urban" in its particularity, is certainly very good news for local governments around the world, because it increases visibility of the local dimension of development that has often been absent from their priorities. Habitat III will be the first major global conference since the Agenda 2030 came into force in January 2016, providing an opportunity to discuss on the development challenges for the implementation of the ODS. Latin American local governments, also the European, are in a position to address together the many challenges of Agenda 2030 and the New Urban Agenda. Cooperation between local governments in Latin America and Europe has decades of experience that has paid off in a single model of cooperation characterized by concrete results that impact on strengthening sectorial public policies.
Urban management is decentralized in almost in every country in the world. Basic services such as water and sanitation or licensing, among others, are in the hands of local governments, which play an increasingly important role in the design of urban policies and the benefit of essential public services role. In this sense, the development and promotion of policies and initiatives of transparency and accountability are key to improving the living conditions of citizens through provision of efficient and effective services and an open, competitive and fair manner.
To achieve this objective and fight against urban sprawl, particularly at the local level, many policies and strategies for sustainable urban development have been designed, where rehabilitation, regeneration and urban renewal and citizen participation play a decisive role.
Bearing in mind the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its pledge that no one will be left behind, the event will address challenges faced to provide adequate spaces and housing for all to live with dignity and to promote inclusive, fair and equitable cities for all. In this regard, the Human Rights Framework offers a valuable contribution to the current debate on designing, developing and implementing “userfriendly” public spaces and adequate housing standards for its citizens. When meeting the human rights standards of accessibility, affordability, habitability, availability and quality of public and living spaces, municipalities and local governments are able to ensure to its citizens the full enjoyment of their civil, political, social, economic and cultural rights. In her 2015 Annual Report to the UN General Assembly (A/70/270), the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing presented key reflections and recommendations on the centrality of the right to adequate housing that have contributed to the shaping of the “New Urban Agenda” from a human rights perspective. The report identifies five key priorities: 1) Social exclusion: stigmatization in the field of housing 2) Migration 3) Vulnerable groups 4) Land and inequality 5) Informal settlements. The report emphasises the importance to connect the New Urban Agenda to the Human Rights Framework to promote urban and housing models based on people’s needs and dignity The human right to the city, to adequate housing should be the heart of the New Urban Agenda. It is essential to rethinking cities and housing through a holistic approach that promotes social justice, integral human development, full enjoyment of human rights, participation and inclusion of all citizens – local authorities and communities, especially marginalised and vulnerable groups, including indigenous people.
However, conventional land readjustment does not necessarily operate in favour of the poor: too often, the municipal government, working only with formal landowners, imposes decisions on local communities. Participatory and inclusive land readjustment, or PILaR for short, is a way of reorganizing the ownership of land in and around cities in a pro-poor way. PILaR differs from conventional land readjustment in that it is participatory. It involves all stakeholders – landowners, tenants, informal residents, the municipal authorities, land professionals and community organizations – in planning and making decisions. It is also inclusive in outcome: it ensures that the poor and disadvantaged also benefit. It aims to achieve broad agreement among all stakeholders and avoid forcible removals or evictions. A key feature of PILaR is that it puts stakeholders at the heart of planning city extensions and redevelopment throughout the project cycle. This book describes how to implement PILaR. It guides the reader through the various aspects of this complex process: governance, land management policies, planning and design, collecting and analysing data, engaging with stakeholders, legal issues, finance and communication. It will be of interest to urban managers, land professionals, landowners, representatives of residents and other stakeholders who are considering or are involved in land readjustment projects.
Ecuadorian representatives from the Academy and the Government will present their regard about National Planning and Multi-Level Governance in Ecuador. They will have a constructive discussion which will analyze the main challenges to create a strong multi-level organization in our country. Through the legal framework in Ecuador, the National Decentralized System of Participative Planning proposes an institutional and technical structure in the planning cycle for development ends. This National Planning System and its instruments are a complete source of strategic lineaments, which generates public policies for all the State structure, including local governments.
Recognizing the opportunities of urbanization and committing to urbanizing as a tool for development, the Government of Ghana in collaboration with development partners and local authorities is extensively implementing various urban interventions. The event is intended to showcase the planning and implementation experiences of the Ghana Urban Management Pilot Programme being implemented in four (4) secondary cities (Ho, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi-Takoradi) in Ghana and the National Priority Planned City Extension of Ningo-Prampram as regards practicalizing the New Urban Agenda. The focus will be on sharing experiences with Developing Countries. Presentations to be led by Urban Specialists in Financing Infrastructure and Project Management. The event will include plenaries, Q&A Session and opportunities for networking among participants. The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct Feasibility Studies towards scaling up GUMPP to five secondary cities will involve the Minister and Development Partner; Agence Francaise Developpement. The Ningo Prampram District Assembly will also recommit to the planning and implementation of the City Extension Project with the UN-Habitat’s Urban Planning and Design LAB.
According to figures from the 2016 World Cities Report, more than 100 million people live in informal settlements in Latin America. 1 in 4 people in cities now inhabit a territory where the violation of rights and inequality directly affect those living in settlements, who cannot access basic services such as potable water, electricity, and education among others. In short, an absence of the rights and benefits of living in a city. Urbanization has made these settlements largely invisible in official figures, as well as within the discussion and generation of programs and policies. Favelas, shantytowns, slums, or settlements known locally by other names are manifest in each of the countries in Latin America. One of the big issues is that there is only a limited, deficient understanding of where settlements are, what features they have, and how local residents relate to one another. This information is key to the development of solutions from the perspective of those living in these territories, so that policies and national and local programs meet real diagnoses for effective and coherent designs. When projecting the new global urban agenda, it is essential to identify progress and experiences that have evolved from selfmanagement, mobilization and grassroots organization of those territories where public policies are absent, those spaces which remain unknown by society in general. From informal settlements there are experiences, knowledge, voices, challenges and opportunities that should translate into Habitat III agreements. Faced with this reality, social production of habitat, such as construction and transformation of spaces by citizens, is a reality that determines concrete actions in settlements in the region. Community leaders, from their experience, work and opinions, are those who can describe and reflect from their own paths, which have transformed territories and lives.
Former ports of air and water in various parts of the world in search of their new identity experience uncertain states of a gradual or abrupt transition. Some are being imagined as metropolitan spaces or parks, while in times of economic recession, others are facing privatization and speculative development and from being public assets, they get absorbed by private enterprises at the detriment of the communities and cities they serve and belong. But both approaches are lacking in something. The ontological nature of these transient urban voids in the midst of the urban fabric remains problematic because of the arbitrariness to decision-making about their future, as long as citizens remain absent from it. By switching scales from local to global and by overcoming national frameworks, we attempt to understand horizontally such processes in development. We overcome the immediate questions that each of the case studies raises, in order to develop a sense of the big picture. We then go beyond the public vs private dilemma and examine the challenges of alternative forms of governance and policy development, through large-scale participatory planning and peer-to peer urbanism, as timely and fruitful for developing global futurity. Several workshops, research projects, presentations, and activist actions involve partners and collaborators in the process of forming a global transnational research network across a number of cities in Europe and Latin America. The representatives of these workshops and research initiatives are inspired by the richness of P2P production between individuals, collectivities, movements and institutions, and attempt a transfer of that experience into the realm of physical space and the global nomos, specifically using the concepts of 'metropolitan’ and ‘cosmopolitan commons'. Members of the network in Quito with livestreaming connection with researchers from other cities including Berlin, Hamburg, Gdansk, La Plata and Athens address their research case studies.
This event will report on the proceedings of Placemaking Week, an international gathering held a month before Habitat III where practitioners proposed, debated and learned how the New Urban Agenda can be implemented through the community-led design and management of public space. This discussion will not only explore the role of public space itself in the New Urban Agenda, but also how so many other issues converge in our public spaces, from inclusion to safety to governance to economic development to resilience. Because of this convergence, public spaces are one of the most important leverage points—or linchpins—for sustainable urban development. Reflecting the many voices brought together at Placemaking Week, this panel of internationally renowned placemakers will share their thoughts on how best to fulfill the promise of the New Urban Agenda.
Due to the recent rapid urbanization combined with a high rate of economic development, cities are experiencing degradation and depletion of natural resources, including water and related ecosystem services. Moreover, extreme weather events due to climate change are leading to increased incidents of flooding, water shortages, heat stress and disease outbreaks. Consequently, ecosystems within and around cities are reaching the limit of their capacity to withstand the anthropogenic changes in the biophysical processes of the Earth. This suggests an urgent need for cities to adopt innovative and creative approaches to sustainable development and resilience building. This is especially true in relation to the water related challenges that urban areas face in the Anthropocene: challenges which point to a clear need to develop new strategies and innovations to curb degradation of the water environment and to build resilient water systems. A number of cities are investing in measures designed to strengthen water resilience and reduce the degradation of water environments. However, without an understanding of the medium to long-term risks and impacts of these measures, short-term resilience measures could have unintended consequences. Moreover, while policy debates on resilience often focus on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, they often lack a specific reference to water issues in the urban environment. This side event represents an opportunity to exchange views and experience on issues pertaining to water resiliency in urban environments. The side event will explore science-based concepts and approaches related to strengthening resilience in the context of the urban water environment with the aim of generating specific proposals or ideas leading to action oriented results. The discussion will consist of panel presentations by leading scientists to be followed by an interactive dialogue among all event participants.
Large green spaces and urban forests are the backbone of urban green infrastructure, interconnecting a complex mosaic of large and small green spaces. Furthermore, they are the prerequisites for safeguarding the health and functioning of such infrastructure in city planning. Green infrastructure include a wide set of components, from city parks, to large urban parks, urban forests and peri-urban parks plus the greenery of cemeteries, gardens, street trees etc. Special emphasis is given to the large urban parks and urban forests and their strategic role in green infrastructure planning and in city governance. At present, the pressure of land conflicts in growing cities worldwide, and particularly in industrializing and developing countries, threaten both the existence of large city parks as well as the implementation of new urban parks and forests, vital for the future quality of life of citizens. This situation is alarming and the issue tremendously urgent in view of the prospect that city population will double in the coming decades. The importance of large green spaces is viewed from different perspectives: the social (health, recreation, equitable meeting places, food supply), the ecological (biodiversity, climate mitigation) and the economic (clean water, city attractiveness, development and finances). The value of preserving heritage landscapes for the identity of the inhabitants of the city is still another important aspect. Speakers: Patrica O'Donnell, WUP, Large green spaces, key public infrastructure for equitable, health and sustainable cities, Fabio Salbitano and Giovanni Sanesi, SISEF, The strategic role of Public Green Spaces and Urban Forests in Latin America and the Caribbean for a new inclusive urban agenda, Andrew Potts, ICOMOS, Connecting natural and cultural heritage, the role of large urban parks in achieving SDG target 11.4, Jeet Mistry, WWF, Large Green Parks as Urban Solutions, Simone Borelli, FAO, Urban parks - balancing city and nature, Raquel Penalosa, IFLA, The role of a large park in a large city - the case of Montreal. Concluding the event, a set of recommendations for city planners will be presented and discussed.
The European Commission's Directorate-General for International Cooperation and Development is committed to sustainable urban development finance by leveraging domestic and international public and private finance through the EU blending mechanism: a combination of EU grants with loans or equity from private or public financiers, such as the European Investment Bank (EIB) or the Agence Française de Développement (AFD). This approach complements the provision of official development aid and supports domestic revenue generation. Over the past eight years, around EUR 2 billion worth of EU funds have financed over 240 blended projects. 24% of these funds were invested in social infrastructure related to access to clean water, waste treatment, housing, health, urban development, as well as preserving the environment. The EU blending framework is a prime example of how to mobilise resources through partnerships – based on the principle of equity and solidarity with people in vulnerable situations. The event will explore how both traditional and more innovative forms of blending could be applied in the context of urban challenges faced in the Africa-Caribbean-Pacific and Southern Neighbourhood countries, by drawing on several examples from both within and outside the European Union. It will underline the importance for national urban policies (which set legal and policy frameworks) to integrate and streamline financial strategies (funding and financial management aspects) for sustainable urban development in line with territorial approach to local development. It will also demonstrate how public grants can be used more strategically, and in a catalytic way, to mobilise other means of implementation and maximise their impact. Finally, the event will showcase concrete examples of co-financing with the EIB and the AFD illustrating innovative possibilities for local authorities to be directly benefitting from operations financed by international sources.
Public engagement is a key component of planning sustainable places: from an economic, social and environmental perspective. There are many ways to engage the public meaningfully and continuing to engage them in the implementation. This session focuses on practical methods and examples from varying situations to help the attendees after Habitat III implement the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals along with other objectives. The Global Planner’s Network outreach model promotes community engagement and emphasizes long term quality of life through a threefold program: engaging national policy makers, training for local leaders and collaborative demonstration projects. Often a barrier to healthy and inclusive communities is social and political. This session will highlight experience engaging citizens and stakeholders in the planning process. The New Urban Agenda is poised to improve quality of life for millions to enjoy the benefits of urbanization and inclusive development. Planning uniquely embeds the technical aspects of place-making within a participatory framework to build social and political support. This is particularly important in tackling issues of social exclusion and cultural diversity and conflict occurring in many urban areas. It is also essential to empower communities in decision making by harnessing non-technocratic lay knowledge. The members of the Global Planners Network will share community engagement expertise in the Americas, Europe, Australasia and elsewhere. The GPN promotes community engagement and emphasizes long term quality of life by engaging national policy makers, providing training to local leaders and collaborative projects that reinforce these objectives in a real-world setting. Our engagement with governments and stakeholders at all levels promotes transparency, ethical standards, community-driven plans and managing the development process. This session will highlight the elements of GPN's successes in implementing engagement methodology through several examples to inform participants implementing The New Urban Agenda. We will highlight our recent efforts in communicating planning to a wide range of stakeholders and viewpoints, especially reinforcing the economic benefits of planning. In addition, the session will look at specific outcomes of our three part approach.
This session will bring together local authorities, community leaders and researchers from Brazil, South Africa and the United Kingdom to address how comparative research findings and methods in the planning process can facilitate the implementation and monitoring of the 2030 urban agenda. City planning has increasingly included different stakeholders, but multi-level governance and dialogue have not always led to inclusive planning and outcomes. Building on Sustainable Development Goal #11, and as demonstrated by the zero draft of the New Urban Agenda, there is currently a renewed discussion on the importance of new skills in city planning for shaping equitable and sustainable cities. In this event, participants are invited to imagine new ways for academic research to inform and be informed by planning interventions. Supported by the UK Economic and Social Research Council’s Urban Transformations Network (https://www.urbantransformations.ox.ac.uk) — a premier urban research funding body working through bilateral government partnerships across global north and south to direct comparative analysis — it aims to promote lasting partnerships between researchers, community organizers and policy makers. Centrally, speakers will debate what institutional support is needed to facilitate knowledge co-production and multi-level governance, as well as identify key challenges for the communication and sharing of ideas. Making research part of urban policies and local practices is crucial for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the New Urban Agenda post-Habitat III, and new approaches to effective synchronization between science, policy and practice are timely. The discussions, focusing on pressing thematic areas of housing, gender inequality, urban sustainability, mobility and health, include the following speakers: Councillor Parks Tau (former Executive Mayor of Johannesburg), a representative from the Prefecture of Rio de Janeiro, Vanessa Castán Broto (UCL-DPU - Environment), Cathy McIlwaine (Queen Mary - Gender), Ramin Keivani (Oxford Brookes - Mobility) and Beth Chitekwe-Biti (Slum Dwellers International, Zimbabwe).
This is a panel dedicated to the parliamentarians of the world in order to debate the importance of developing a legal framework on each country with the purpose of meeting the commitments that will come out from the Habitat III Conference through the New Habitat Agenda. The panel will also promote the exchange of knowledge, successful experiences, and best practices of legislators that can add value to a sustainable and inclusive urban development agenda.
The event will include presentations by the Gulf Cooperation Council, Dubai Real estate Institute, selected Housing Authorities of the Gulf and other developing countries of the Arab region on lessons learnt from planning, financing and managing energy efficient housing programs and lessons learnt from the implementation of such programs by the gulf Countries Funds in both the Gulf and elsewhere. The idea is to bring relevant experience to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda
Afghanistan's urbanization has largely been informal. Cities have expanded rapidly over the past decade without special plans and limited access to formal land and housing. The result has been informal, low density sprawl; increasing social-spatial inequality; and significant infrastructure deficiencies. This is also based on the fact that in Afghanistan, basic information for urban areas does not exist, is updated, or not shared. As a result, MUDA (Ministry of Urban Developement Fairs) has been challenged to proactively guide the growth of Afghan cities and harness urbanisation as a driver of development. The stage of Afghan cities 2014/15 (SoAC), developed and implemented by 3 lead partners: MUDA, Independent directorate of local governance (IDLG), and Kabul municipality (KM), is the first ever comprehensive and reliable assessment of Afghanistan's 34 Provincial Capital Cities. It used recent and high resolution satellite images to extract key land use in dwelling data. This was combined with field checks MCT workshops to engage local stakeholders, improve data accuracy, and build human institutional capacities for improved urban data monitoring and use.
These dataset are now providing essential inputs to the new national enabling framework for urban development: the 'URban National Priority Programme' (U-NPP) and associated comprehensive urban development programme. Together these will lay the foundations for sustainable urban future in Afghanistan. Another important achievement of SoAC is improved capacity, transparency and coordination among central governments, like ministries and municipalities. The collborative approach is bein followed in the ongoing Urban-NPP Programme as a national and subnational governments continue to leverage the common forum established under SoAC
Wider dissemination of the information regarding RDD vol. 35, "Urban-rural linkages in support to the New Urban Agenda" and encourage dialogue around the key concepts and key findings for the journal issue. Highlight the relevance and rationale of urban-rural linkages and regional and territorial approaches in promoting sustainable urbanization. Highlight relevant policies and tools, including city-region food systems and integrated regional development planning. And build a coalition/partnership of actors to strengthen urban-rural linkages and operationalize regional development approach. This event will attempt to go beyond highlighting key tools or concepts, which are found in the New Urban Agenda, but rather will work to connect them. Through the presentation of the papers in the Journal and other effective tools and policies, the session will attempt to connect how Urban-Rural Linkages can promote sustainable urbanization, rural urbanization and rural transformation and provide a more integrated approach to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
This event aims to present the results of a coordinated audit conducted by nine Supreme Audit Institutions (Court of Accounts, Clerk’s office) of the following Latin American and Caribbean countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Mexico and Paraguay. The audit objective was to review whether the most economically and/or socially relevant housing programs of each country was according to the standards stated by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (Unece/UN) in the document “Guidelines on Social Housing”. The rules and the results of the programs were reviewed. The reviews have included major steps of the programs, from the beneficiary’s selection process until the mechanisms to guarantee the social inclusion of them, also dealing with aspects related to the integration with other public policies (e.g.: sanitation, public transportation, education, health) and the grade of adoption of sustainability and accessibility criteria by the social housing projects. The good practices identified in these programs will be presented, along with the most common fragilities and the indicated improvements that might be implemented. For these reasons, we invite all policy-makers, public managers, researchers, learners and every one interested to join us.
244 million persons were living outside their countries of origin in 2015. A large share of migrant populations lives in urban areas. Concentration of population in urban areas is forecasted to considerably increase in the decades to come and so will the number and diversity of international and domestic migrants. Their social, economic and cultural impact is significant. Uncatered for in the environment they live in alienated populations may negatively impact social cohesion and represent factors of instability. Provided with human rights based consideration and supported by proper inclusion policies and services, their potential represents a key factor of sustainable urban development and prosperity. That is why the multidimensional reality of migration at local level demonstrates that cities must develop effective migration governance policies and capacities to complement and strengthen international and national ones. In this context, the side-event will provide the opportunity to reflect on the issue and place of migration in the New Urban Agenda. Exchanges will certainly highlight that this multidimensional reality of migration in cities is not only worth understanding, but also that the price of not addressing it would be far too great. To support the discussions, the side-event will draw on preliminary results of the Mediterranean City-to-City Migration (MC2CM) project. Bringing together the cities of Amman, Beirut, Lisbon, Lyon, Madrid, Tangiers, Tunis, Turin and Vienna the project aims to contribute to improved migration governance at city level through dialogue, knowledge and action. Funded by the European Union and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the project is implemented by ICMPD, UN-HABITAT and UCLG. The event will also be supported by the complementary EU-funded MIgration EU eXpertise (MIEUX) initiative, offering short-term expertise upon requests from partner countries’ administrations, regional organisations, as well as cities and other actors involved in migration and mobility.
Foundations have the attributes and assets – independence, longterm view, appetite for risk and flexibility – to support the processes, capacities and innovations, both at the local level and across geographic boundaries, that are essential to building a more inclusive, equitable and sustainable urban future. Whether they are place-based funders, or international players, foundations have a strong footprint in cities – these represent key spaces for philanthropic investments, impact and innovation across all spheres of life towards advancing well-being. Foundations and collaborating partners have the ability to bridge gaps and create safe environments for collaboration where it is strongly needed and not yet in place in order to develop cities for the common good. The sessions will be framed around the following questions: · What is the specific and niche role that foundations can play in the implementation of the new urban agenda? · How can we convince and support foundations to join efforts with other stakeholders to work towards a shared vision, which is the new urban agenda?
For the last three years, the NYU Stern Urbanization Project has collaborated with the local governments of several intermediate, fast growing cities in Colombia, and with the national government of Ethiopia, supporting their efforts to face their urban expansion in an orderly and sustainable way. We call these collaborations the Colombia Urban Expansion Initiative and the Ethiopia Urban Expansion Initiative; we also have launched an exploratory phase in Mexico. The main objecitve of these initiatives is simple: to assist cities in formulating plans of action to address long term growth, using the framework of their existing planning and managerial tools, but with a radically simplified program that also lengthens the planning horizon, allowing for the creation of implementable 30-year plans. The work of NYU does not stop at the production of a paper plan, but continues with the cities through the development and implementation of a process for securing needed lands for a network
of arterial roads and the protection and preservation of large public open spaces.
At this event, experts from New York University will explain the basis of the concept. Mayors from Colombia and Mexico will discuss their work and results. Officials from Ethiopia will discuss their work in making urban expansion a pillar of the National Growth and Transformation Plan II, and implementing urban expansion on the ground.
This event will present preliminary results of a 3-year collaborative project called ISULabantu (https://www.isulabantu.org/), started in February 2016 and led by the University of Westminster (UK) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal (SA), in collaboration with uTshani Fund (SA) and University College London (UK). The overarching aim of this study is to develop and test an integrated “Collaborative environmental and construction management Toolkit” to enhance community self-reliance in South Africa. This interdisciplinary project reconciles social science with built environment participatory action research, to co-produce integrated approaches for community-led upgrading in informal settlements. It seeks to enhance skills, explore indigenous knowledge and share lessons between communities and local and national authorities and research institutions. An interactive presentation (including audio-visual material) will be followed by a panel discussion with selected experts in the areas of Environmental management, community participation and construction. This event seeks to critically discuss the preliminary results of the Phase 1 (Local context and Gap Analysis) of this project. This phase, led by the School of Built Environment & Development Studies of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (Durban, SA), aims at uncovering barriers and drivers impacting on existing bottom-up upgrading of informal settlement and revealing factors that have enhanced self-reliance in informal settlements in the Durban Metropolitan Area. Fieldwork activities (based mainly on focus groups and interviews) in selected case studies in the eThekwini Municipality, have been conducted in collaboration with a local NGO, uTshani Fund. The core vision is to re-examine informal settlements through the lenses of the community and co-producing inclusive approaches for the upgrading of informal settlements. A comprehensive definition of Community-led approach and the existing gaps between local government and informal settlement communities revealed by this study, may be used as a platform for developing a new grassroots-based framework for upgrading informal settlements in South Africa.
Presentation of the outcomes of the Baseline Study on Informal Settlements targeted for Upgrading undertaken by the Human Sciences Research Council and the Department of Human Settlements of the Government of the Republic of South Africa and its recommendations for impact indicators, programme design and institutional arrangements. The study addresses several areas of the New Urban Agenda, and includes Demographic Information, History, Age and Location of the settlements, Security of Tenure, Access to Basic Services, Physical Environmental Vulnerabilities, Health Food and Nutritional Security, Safety, Economic Activities, Social Capital and Community Empowerment, and Attitudes Towards Foreigners. The presentation of the Study and its recommendations, and the subsequent discussion by participants and discussants will identify globally pertinent recommendations with regard to programme design, implementation and institutional arrangements, in particular for community empowerment in informal settlements upgrading. The side event will also share suggestions for relevant data to be collected, as well as appropriate methodologies for data collection, and recommend indicators for future impact assessment of informal settlements upgrading. This will greatly assist both practitioners from government and the community, and academics in implementing and assessing the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. The side event targets practitioners from national, sub-national and local government, academics and researchers, planners, and community organisations, with the intention of creating awareness and proposing practical solutions to the implementation of informal settlements and slum upgrading and the measurement of the impact of such programmes.
The side event aims to present The City We Need as well as the Urban Thinkers Campus process, and then allow for panel discussions on the role of these processes in the post-Habitat III architecture and in particular the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. It furthermore aims to bring to one table private sector entities and civil society organization to exchange views and ideas on the above, as well as to discuss selected Urban Solutions. Adopted on 16 March 2016 by the World Urban Campaign (WUC) Steering Committee in Prague and endorsed by the WUC Special Initiative towards Habitat III, the General Assembly of Partners, The City We Need (TCWN) 2.0 is a manifesto prepared by a wide range of stakeholders in a global consultation organized through a series of 26 Urban Thinkers Campuses (UTC’s) in 2015 and 2016. The recommendations made by the UTCs were compiled and distilled by a Drafting Committee consisting of WUC partners. TCWN vision is vision driven by 10 principles and 10 drivers of change and will be followed by a set of urban solutions to which partners will commit to before the Habitat III Conference. The side event will introduce TCWN principles and drivers of change from the different perspectives of the different stakeholders engaged in the process. The speakers will also present a set of urban solutions that address TCWN and debate with the participants in order to identify the most relevant levers of change in the New Urban Agenda. The participants will also express key joint commitments to The New Urban Agenda through the implementation of urban solutions engaging different types of stakeholders.
Regional governments have the capacity to create and foster synergies that lead to the development of land management and urban policies. Indeed, with specific and vast competences on a broad range of areas required for the sustainability of territories, regions will be fundamental actors to ensure the success of the New Urban Agenda in the post-Habitat III scenario. In the framework of this side event, regional institutions from Latin America and Europe will showcase good practises that exemplify their role as crucial enablers for a holistic and integrated territorial approach. With this aim, the session will focus on two concrete and relevant areas of intervention that serve regional governments to address the complexity and diversity of territories. Firstly, policies of urban regeneration that intervene over consolidated city fabric are currently being implemented. Through recycling, refurbishment, transformation or endowment intervention tools, cities have the capacity to adapt to new needs. At the same time, they can evolve while reducing soil consumption, keeping their compactness, strengthening their socioeconomic mix and avoiding social segregation. In addition, the ecological footprint is reduced, leading to a more efficient and environmentally sustainable territory. Secondly, as the urbanization process does not end at urban boundaries, the interdependences and impacts of urban areas over rural, peri-urban and natural areas need to be taken into account. In this context, regional governments, as intermediate levels of governance, have vital competencies in assuring equitable and sustainable access and management of the resources, providing social security and services. At the same time, regions should foster the creation of bodies and institutional frameworks, based on coherence, coordination and cooperation to enable multi-level governance. Overall, the will is to share and discuss with attendees the role of regional governments in line with the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
The event will launch the new version of ITDP’s tool “Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Standard” that seeks to define a way forward for inclusive urbanization. Beginning with a presentation of its main conclusions and methodology used to measure the integration of land use and transport and how well places promote inclusive and accessible urbanization. Representatives from different stakeholder groups will discuss what inclusive and equitable urban development means to their particular context. Representatives from the “women” and “children and youth” will discuss safety issues while “older people” and “people with disabilities” will address issues of access. Representatives from “grassroots”, housing advocates and slum dwellers will discuss upgrading infrastructure and neighborhoods while ensuring inclusive and affordable development. A conversation will be facilitated to seek to understand the commonalities of inclusive TOD that all groups can move forward on. This event seeks to understand what do we mean when we say inclusive urbanization and how we can achieve it by using TOD as a tool for implementation and building a broader coalition of action agents. TOD is a solution to the unsustainable, car-dependent, exclusionary and transit-poor urban sprawl that has characterized the growth of cities around the world in the last half-century. It contrasts with transit-adjacent development that fails to foster the strong walking and cycling environment needed to complement and actively support the use of transit and non-motorized mobility options. The TOD standard is a powerful tool to help define, understand, and assess urban development. It focuses on maximizing the benefits of public transit and non-motorized mobility while placing emphasis firmly back on the users: the people.
La Asociación de Municipalidades Ecuatorianas (AME), en el marco de la cooperación descentralizada, presentará la propuesta del primer “Concurso de Buenas Prácticas Locales para el Desarrollo Sostenible”, mediante el cual se busca identificar, reconocer y fomentar el intercambio y la réplica de buenas prácticas enfocadas en la territorialización de los ODS y la Nueva Agenda Urbana como mecanismo de generación del conocimiento. Lo que permitirá construir un espacio de conocimiento, intercambio y fortalecimiento de capacidades para promover el desarrollo sostenible desde la gestión municipal. Para ello, la AME desarrollará este concurso mediante alianzas estratégicas con los actores que impulsan el desarrollo sostenible a nivel nacional. Este evento es relevante especialmente para el área de “cohesión social y equidad- ciudades habitables”. La presentación del “Concurso de Buenas Prácticas Locales para el Desarrollo Sostenible” busca generar la participación activa desde los gobiernos subnacionales, así como de actores de la sociedad civil, academia, cooperación y sector privado, en la definición de las categorías y mecanismos de aplicación del concurso. El enfoque central de esta propuesta es aportar a la implementación local los ODS, mismos que están alineados a la Nueva Agenda Urbana.
In 2005, President Clinton started the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) in order to create a different kind of community built around the new realities of our modern world, where problem-solving requires the active partnership of government, business, and civil society. We’ve brought organizations with the resources to make a difference together with people who have the knowledge and experience to turn good ideas into action and to commit publicly to actually do something about them. Within our community - via our global network of activism - corporations, governments, and non-governmental organizations combined their strengths and found entirely new approaches to old problems. This partnership model, which may seem self-evident today, was simply not how philanthropy and corporate responsibility worked over a decade ago. Today, members of CGI have made more than 3,500 commitments that are improving over 430 million lives in more than 180 countries. These projects will continue to make an impact around the world and the idea that working together beats going it alone has caught on well beyond our CGI community.
This side-event is organized on behalf of the French presidency of the International Leading Group on Social and Solidarity Economy (ILGSSE) which promotes SSE internationally and integrates it into a new development model, with a view to contributing to the achievement of the SDGs. Indeed, SSE is a core issue and one of the biggest challenges for cities to overcome a sustainable inclusive development. SSE seeks to meet social and environmental objectives above profitmaximization. It can take various forms, ranging from cooperatives, social enterprises, mutual societies and businesses or associations. These innovative and alternative forms of production, finance and consumption are growing in response to the social, economic and environmental crises and must be promoted in cities. The organizations of SSE guarantee social balance providing answers to the problems of exclusion, poverty and unemployment. They also have proven their capacity to be more resilient than traditional companies (social link within urban areas marked by inequalities; local job with no risk of being relocated). They often involve new urban business models for the New Urban Agenda based on coalition of partners. Questions about SSE in cities have been discussed at various international events: in July 2015, at Addis Abeba FFD Conference and every year since 2014, during the United Nations General Assembly namely in 2016 when a communication on the contribution of SSE to sustainable urban development has been adopted by the ILGSSE.
In Latin America and Caribbean, over 100,000 people die each year as a consequence of road incidents. Road traffic injuries are a public health problem that affects us all, although pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists -the so called vulnerable users- are the most affected in developing countries. Road traffic injuries are predictable and preventable, but tackling this problem isn’t an easy task. The only way to effectively reduce their prevalence and severity in a sustainable way is by implementing multisectorial and comprehensive interventions in our cities and roads. This event will bring together a panel of high profile international personalities to discuss the importance of road safety and its relationship with public transport policies and people-centered urban and transport planning. Our speakers will explore new approaches to build on the actions and goals detailed in the Decade of Action for Road Safety and targeted by the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): to halve deaths from road traffic injuries and provide safer, inclusive and accessible transportation for all. Furthermore, this event will also address the need to support cities in developing new financing instruments to improve urban mobility, which will be critical to address road safety in the coming years. This event will illustrate the potential consequences of not acting decisively to prevent road traffic injuries and present concrete strategies to address the current problem through a panel discussion between the Heads of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the Iberoamerican Federation of Associations Against Road Violence Victims. The panel will be moderated by Luis Alberto Moreno, President of the InterAmerican Development Bank and will also include the presentation of the “Gobernarte” Road Safety Contest winners.
Abordar la problemática de la construcción de la agenda urbana permite reflexionar acerca de los factores que inciden para que a nivel de los gobiernos ciertas demandas de la población escalen hasta convertirse en problemas públicos. Considerando que el Ecuador es un país líder por su reconocimiento del Derechos a la Ciudad, el objetivo del foro es presentar contribuciones de la academia y de la redes de incidencia a la construcción de la agenda de políticas urbanas. Se generará un espacio de intercambio y de diálogo entorno a la construcción la agenda de políticas de vivienda, sobre la agenda local ambiental, y sobre el derecho a la ciudad. En particular se trata de visibilizar la influencia que las redes de incidencia política y las coaliciones promotoras de causa han tenido en la gobernanza urbana.
Join us for a collaborative workshop that will stretch your creativity and call on your experience with cities! Craft actionable tools to aid our communities in tackling urban challenges once we return home from Quito.
How might we operationalize the principles of the New Urban Agenda to assist local actors in devising and implementingeffective, appropriate, and creative solutions? The broad values promoted at international summits can be made more relatable to practitioners through the thoughtful design of practical toolkits.
Our central question: What makes for a useful toolkit?
We want your voice to be heard! HABITAT III offers a crucial opportunity to harness the brainpower and ingenuity of participants from cities around the globe to help answer this.
Participants in this “advocacy‐to‐action” session will discuss local challenges and jointly craft strategies to “localize” international best practices that require discrete action plans. The event includes case studies and interactive workshop activities, using design thinking strategies developed at the Stanford d.school.
The event will be facilitated by Stanford University instructors in Urban Studies and International Policy Studies, who have used design thinking to tackle urban issues around the globe, in collaboration with practitioners and scholars from the International Climate Development Institute (ICDI) in Taipei and the Sustasis Foundation in Portland.
Also featuring the voices of SDSN Youth, ICLEI Kaohsiung Capacity Center and the Kaohsiung City Government. Summary of workshop outcomes will be shared with all participants following HABITAT III. More info at humancities.org/habitat3
This side event aims to explore and identify concrete ways to realize sustainable urban development through the effective mobilization of resources, focusing on the role of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs). Through an interactive panel discussion, the event will provide insights from initiatives that members of the International Development Finance Club (IDFC) have supported, featuring panelists from IDFC institutions alongside government representatives. The IDFC has brought together 23 national, bilateral, and regional development banks from Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America to pool their global expertise, best practices, and in-depth local knowhow on strategic topics of mutual interest, including sustainable urban development. Recognizing that financing is a core issue of the New Urban Agenda and one of cities’ biggest challenges, this event – led by CAF on behalf of the IDFC, and organized in collaboration with the World Resources Institute – aims to spark dialogue and foster a shared understanding among DFIs and other capital providers, government actors, and civil society of the key challenges and opportunities in financing sustainable cities.
This event aims to explore the current state of research on active transport (cycling and walking) in developing countries. Given current challenges in urbanization and sustainability, designing and implementing sustainable and efficient transport systems in developing cities is of vital importance. In this context, non-motorized transport plays a critical role, as it represents a sustainable, accessible and efficient mode of transport for people in cities. Yet inexplicably, active transport has received marginal recognition in developing countries – whether in policy and legislation, or in budget, resource and space allocation. These same countries have the worst safety rates (between 40‐80% of fatalities in low‐income countries are active transport users) and the highest rates of poverty, unemployment and health. In order to implement and develop policies and strategies oriented to improve conditions for non-motorized transport on cities, governments in emerging countries need to understand and evaluate their current situation, analyze the impacts of different policies and learn from research conducted on these same countries. In this event, the Global Report & Index on Non Motorized Transport developed by the UNEP and the University of Cape Town will be launched, presenting key results from the assessment of different NMT policies. Similarly, RuedaLAB will be promoting exchange of knowledge, tools and support between researchers focused on NMT, in order to encourage better practices among developing countries as well as promoting the development of a permanent platform focused on this exchange. Finally, Ciudad Humana will present the results of a study conducted on five cities in Latin America, which evaluates the state of cycling in each of them and illustrates the reasons for cycling, characterizes the population who cycle and evaluates the problems faced by cyclists in Latin America.
This side event, co-hosted by WRI and ICLEI, will discuss the important role of the New Urban Agenda in creating the sustainable, equal cities of the future. Featuring a discussion of the forthcoming World Resources Report and several case studies of transformative actions on the ground, city decision-makers and thought leaders will connect the dots between identifying good practice solutions for creating more equal cities for all and the pathways to implementation
The National Housing Profile Series are one of the most successful practical tools for housing policy making which have been conducted in more than fifteen countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia since 2010. A Housing Profile is the first step within the overall framework of UN-Habitat Global Housing Strategy which aims to reposition Housing at the Centre of national and urban development, as an imperative for a future of economic, environmental, cultural and socially inclusive cities. Housing profiles have been published in Lesotho, El Salvador, Ghana, Nepal and Liberia (amongst many others); with the aim of this slot at the urban library to show-case the upcoming publications of Housing Profiles in Afghanistan and Guyana in 2016. These Housing profile are essential for the adequate understanding of the urban environment and are crucial in drafting any national urban policy as they bring a holistic depiction of the factors influencing housing provision in the country - from housing finance, land and construction to institutional, regulatory and cultural settings. Attendees interesting in urban related publications will profit from the knowledge behind the Housing Profile from UN-Habitat, as it is a fundamental tool in influencing the development of sustainable and inclusive urban and housing development strategies as well as to contribute to poverty reduction efforts. During HIII, the steps undertake by countries in improving access to adequate housing will sum up to the efforts of UN-Habitat and partners at the global level to reposition Housing at the Centre of the new Urban Agenda for the 21st century.
The Global Knowledge Sharing Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC) aims to provide cities a strategic opportunity to leverage global knowledge and operational expertise to advance the urban sustainability agenda. Participating cities of GPSC will have access to a comprehensive suite of support services ranging from indicators, planning tools, credit worthiness diagnosis and potential investment.
The GPSC is a joint effort from five organizations – Global Environment Facility, World Bank, World Resources Institute, ICLEI and C-40. Habitat III is an opportunity to announce the effort and attracts more cities on board to advance the urban sustainability agenda.
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
On May 30th, 2016, the EU ministers responsible for urban matters have adopted the Pact of Amsterdam with the support from cities, the European Commission, and other European organizations. The Urban Agenda for the EU (EAEU) is the key EU delivery instrument of the New Urban Agenda. The close relation between the two agendas is the topic of an interactive debate with key actors involved in the making of the two agendas.The Pact of Amsterdam was the result of a deliberative process involving all key urban stakeholders, both governmental and non-governmental, including civil society, private sector and knowledge institutions. The result is an innovative governance approach based on partnerships urban actors jointly addressing major societal challenges. This partnership approach embodies the governance model of the New Urban Agenda.The interregional debate will formulate lessons to cross-fertilize the two strategic urban agendas focusing on four thematic areas: Affordable Housing, Air Quality, Inclusion of Migrants and Refugees and Urban Poverty.
We hope to spark a global conversation about leap-frogging past legacy service provision models and thereby change the basic trajectory of urban planning (or lack thereof) towards more integrative localized systems servicing the most vulnerable urban communities.
This event launches the forthcoming WIEGO publication "Inclusive Cities Work Better" and provides a unique platform to bring together important findings and recommendations for policymakers, urban activists and city planners on engaging with organizations of urban informal workers. In most cities in the global South, the majority of workers work in the informal economy. Cities that recognize informal workers and involve them in planning help create cleaner, greener, more socially responsive (i.e. inclusive) cities. Reducing urban poverty requires fundamental rethinking and reshaping of urban spatial planning and zoning, urban regulations and laws, and urban policies to incorporate the working poor. To achieve this, representatives of the working poor must have a voice in urban planning processes. Starting in 2008, WIEGO coordinated a five-year project that operated in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The project supported membership-based organizations (MBOs) of the urban working poor in their efforts to help build inclusive cities. The project strengthened MBOs in organizing, policy analysis, and advocacy so that urban informal workers had the tools necessary to make themselves heard in urban planning processes. The book "Inclusive Cities Work Better" pulls together project highlights of 12 case studies from 10 cities in order to discern lessons for both grassroots organizations and municipal authorities in best practices for building Inclusive Cities. This event will include research presentations and informal workers’ presentations sharing lessons learned on how to build more inclusive cities based on WIEGO and partners' collaborative five-year project. Representatives of both local and national governments interested in how to create and manage participatory processes will find this a very useful event. Event attendees will receive a sample booklet highlighting a handful of the most compelling case studies.
Panel discussion with presentations of case studies illustrating projects, tools, instruments, and guidelines for action. “The Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe Project and Historic Cities" by Dr.-Ing. Claus-Peter Echter, Secretary General ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Historic Cities and Villages; Vice-President, EUROPA NOSTRA Germany. “A Clear Connection: Heritage and Creative Industries,” by Mr. Donovan Rypkema, Heritage Strategies International; Expert Member, ICOMOS International committee on Economics of Conservation; Washington, DC. “Participatory heritage management for sustainable tourism in Turkey: some recent case studies,” by Dr. A. Ege Yildirim, Heritage Planner, ICOMOS Turkey; Istanbul, Turkey. “Vernacular heritage as a driver for sustainable development of rural creative entrepreneurship: case study Kikinda Dray Mill in Serbia” by Ms. Hristina Mikic, Creative Economy Group Foundation Serbia.
“Ciudad del Saber: Gestión del Paisaje Histórico Urbano en la Ciudad de México” by Dra. Graciela Mota, Presidenta Consejo Directivo, ICOMOS Mexicano. “El Corazon de San Antonio: Uniting a World Heritage City through Participatory Engagement “ by Shanon Miller, Director and Historic Preservation Officer, City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation & Colleen Swain, World Heritage Director, City of San Antonio; Claudia Guerra, Cultural Historian, City of San Antonio, Texas, USA. "Intermediary Cities: Culture as the resource for local economic development in the territory-The example of Cehfchaouen” by Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of the City of Chefchaouen, Morocco. “Preventive conservation of heritage as a stimulus for the cohesion of society in both cities and towns: The case of southern Ecuador” by Professors Fausto Cardoso Martínez and Veronica Heras Barro, Faculty of Architecture, University of Cuenca.
“Expanding the Socio-economic Potential of Cultural Heritage inCaribbean Cities and Towns” by Ms. Celia Toppin, Project Manager
(Cultural Heritage), Organization of American States (OAS).
The twin evils of cities. Presented by Richard Sennett, Saskia Sassen, and Jean-Louis Missika. This session looks at the forces isolating social classes in the city or driving these groups out. The speakers will present both concrete data and analytic models.
Can smart technologies make our cities safer for everyone, or are they too challenging for city authorities attempting to manage complex strategic outcomes? This action-oriented workshop from the City Leadership Initiative and the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) explores how digital technologies can give voice to women’s experience and contemplates the role of government in responding effectively. As a starting point the session will present findings from the UNHabitat’s Technical Working Group on Safer Smarter Cities, exploring practical examples of how digital technologies are promoting safety outcomes in cities across the world. WAGGGS will also present data gathered through U-report (a platform designed to aggregate and amplify the voice of young people to speak out on issue that matter to them) on girls’ and young women’s experiences and perspectives. Through our global U-report poll, we will be able to develop a clearer understanding of the challenges girls and young women face in navigating urban space and gain insight into what they consider to be the best solutions. As an interactive session we will allow space for participants to reflect upon and share how they plan to use digital technologies to promote safer cities for women in their own organisations. Participants are also invited to join an on-going community of organisations, governments and institutions who are interested in developing knowledge and action in this area.
Densely‐populated urban centres are often exposed to multiple climate‐related hazards. Floods, heat waves, cyclones, landslides and other events often have significant impacts on people’s lives and livelihoods, particularly those of the poor. Risks are exacerbated by the changing climate and unplanned urbanisation. If unmanaged, these risks can undermine hard‐won development gains. Many national and local governments are resettling people who live in areas affected by climate‐related disasters. Resettlement can occur as part of national level programmes to move people out high‐risk areas, or as part of a local government development plan. This is often accompanied by the upgrading of vacated areas to reduce risk, change land use, with implications for those left behind or still living in the surrounding area. Relocation and resettlement (R&R) may reduce a region’s future climate‐related disaster risk, but can also increase people’s poverty and vulnerability. The processes for making and implementing decisions on post‐ disaster relocation, pre‐emptive resettlement and on‐site upgrading play a large part in determining whether outcomes are socially just, and whether they actually reduce future risks for individuals, urban regions and society as a whole. While urban resettlement programmes widespread, the social and economic impacts of resettlement and relocation on individuals, society and urban regions are not well understood either by experts or by those enacting them. The research carried out in the last 18 months examines the various social and economic implications of climate‐risk related resettlement and relocation policies in cities across three geographies: India in Asia, Uganda in Africa, and Peru, Mexico and Colombia in Latin America. It seeks to understand the political, economic and institutional contexts in which resettlement takes place; the costs benefits of resettlement from both the government and individual’s perspective; and how resettlement impacts people’s well‐being and resilience over different time frames. The research has compared approaches and attempted to identify climate‐related resettlement policies and practices deliver the most beneficial outcomes. The framing and approach to policy engagement is tailored for each country and informed by a steering committee including relevant government representatives. This event will share the findings from this research and urge the participants to reflect based on their own experiences towards more holistic and sustainable development planning.
This event connects housing practitioners with research to support informed implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Researchers will present key findings and recommendations for the practices that contribute to increasing access to land, housing, and finance for poor and vulnerable populations. Implementing partners will address this research, share its value for informing policy, and link to tangible impacts in the field. Event attendees will be equipped with information and cross-sector connections to provide support throughout the NUA implementation process. Three key themes will be addressed: 1) Access to adequate and affordable housing: Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), Cities Alliance and the IDB have sponsored a Global Housing Research Initiative. The Urban Institute is analyzing the current state of research into housing initiatives that benefit the poor in this region, and will report on the first phase of research, as it relates to the NUA. 2) Access to land for housing: households operate in complex informal arrangements, making them vulnerable to displacement, evictions, and loss of livelihoods and property. The GLTN of UN-Habitat and its members are conducting scoping studies of such land issues around the world. Presenting this research from LAC will further the understanding of land governance, tenure, land tools, and entry points for supporting countries with capacity development and coalition building to strengthen inclusive, equitable, and sustainable land policies for increased tenure security. 3) Access to finance: HFHI’s Center for Innovation in Shelter and Finance surveyed almost 90 microfinance institutions around the world and drafted the Global State of Housing Microfinance report, which will be presented at the event. The study includes analysis of the product features, portfolio performance, non-financial technical assistance for housing, and a business case for housing microfinance. This will give practitioners valuable information for creating strategies to improve and expand housing microfinance programs
The New Urban Agenda calls for an urban paradigm shift. The scope and rhythm of urban expansion, 40% of which is informal, call for renewed thinking and policies about the future city. Popular neighbourhoods show many examples of adaptation to climate change or innovative urban forms. Inner resources, skills and capabilities of the residents to improve living conditions and spatial justice are a source of inspiration for new urban interventions, beyond the references to the “classical” city used by most policy makers, experts or donors. Finally, precarious neighbourhoods should not be reduced to homogeneous groups of residents, to be “treated” identically while diversity is key to integrated urban development. Each neighbourhood is unique and has an original urban pattern and social and economic features. Shared knowledge of these diverse areas is a considerable challenge for local authorities, residents, professionals, NGOs and researchers. It opens up the way for recognition of these areas’ potential for inspiring the future city. The possibility of managing urban development depends on a co-produced understanding of social and spatial realities. It is a key to grasp new paths for participatory upgrading strategies. This requires using adequate methods, tools and co-training dedicated to professionals, researchers, CBO’s and city dwellers. The event will explore innovative approaches of coproduced knowledge ; It will provide focus on better spatial interactive cartography and planning involving communities (Takween Integrated Community Development Egypt); In-depth diagnosis of existing situations and their links to policies and action (GRET Haiti, Agence Perspectives Burkina Faso) ; Challenges towards recognition and adapted policy (Yangon City Development Committee, Myanmar); Inflexions revealed in the categories of thought from field researches and applied research (IRD and LAVUE/CNRS, two main French national research institutes). A new book will be launched, Rethinking precarious neighbourhoods, by the French Development Agency (AFD).
The event “Women and the cities: theories and practices for new visions” aims to show the researches’ lines implemented by women, which innovate the vision for new gender oriented urban planning and to present a special issue of TRIA, that has been completely dedicated to the gender issues within HABITAT III. TRIA is an International Journal focused on the themes of territorial planning and urban design. It is published by University of Naples Federico II and the special issue has been realized in collaboration with the Cordoba University and has gathered also articles from PhDs who belong to the Gender Hub of UN‐Habitat. The event will provide new perspectives at scientific and research level about the geneder oritented urban planning. Indeed, the event will both promote a debate on the new vision of gender oriented urban planning, and present the new issue of TRIA called: "Towards Habitat III. A gender perspective". The added value of the event will base on the new and innovative perspectives and the new research lines for a new gender oriented urban planning, basing on the following topics: housing policies; urban spatial strategy; landmark and segregation; right to the city and the city for all; safer city
We will present information on the growth factors of AndeanAmazonian cities across South America, the impacts on the urban infrastructure and the challenges they face to make the most efficient and environmentally sound use of their territory, in a context in which national government attention has not been sufficient, highlighting the need for subnational governments to take action. In Peru, Ecuador and Colombia, many Andean and Amazonian cities have not yet reached the size of coastal and capital cities, but they have the potential to become strategic in each country. It is important to enhance an adequate urban planning specific to these cities, because they are in a region of the world that holds a great amount of the planet's biodiversity and carbon storage. Their vulnerability to climate change, and the role they play in its mitigation, should ensure these territories are considered a priority in our Governments’ new urban agenda. We aim to identify strategies and mechanisms from subnational and local initiatives. We will present the case of Ibagué, an Andean-Amazon city in Colombia that is promoting the relation between the ecosystem services and their land planning toward its sustainable development in line with the UN’s SDO. Similarly, from Loreto, largest region in Peru, we will present the various planning instruments it has developed to switch their oil-based economy toward a sustainable development based on green growth strategies. From Ecuador, we will present the regional study done in Pañacocha’s Millennium City, an initiative that aims to provide Amazon communities with a smart design that responds to all the basic needs of its inhabitants. Also from Ecuador, we will discuss the challenge of providing affordable housing for different indigenous peoples while preserving their environment, showcasing their traditional architectural styles and taking into consideration their unique amazon identity.
El evento se lo realizara a través de presentaciones en diapositivas, información adicional de material impreso trípticos, material POP, videos entre otros, se explicara las buenas practicas en Seguridad Ciudadana como por ejemplo Recuperación del Sector Mariscal, Zona H, 10/10, Cerro las Cabras, entre otros
By gathering representatives of the major global and regional city networks, as well as representatives of international active global cities, the event will launch development of an action plan to encourage network-to-network collaboration on global challenges, develop a roadmap to an index of city diplomacy efforts, and roll out a training program in negotiation and diplomacy for cities (between December 2016 and July 2017) in order to further enhance the capacity of city diplomacy linked with major other processes such as the Sendai Framework and the Addis Ababa Agenda. The side event will be followed by additional international meetings of the commission, specifically at COP22 in Morocco, the C40 bi-annual summit in Mexico City, a two-day commission UCL retreat at the University of Oxford, the WHO Healthy Cities summit in Rotterdam, and the Chicago Forum on Global Cities.
Urbanization issues in Bangladesh are addressed by two major Ministries namely, (01) Ministry of Housing and Public Works (MoHPW) and (02) Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives (MoLGRD). The first one, MoHPW is the focused ministry for physical planning of Bangladesh, especially concentrated on all cities and towns. The second one, MoLGRD is the key ministry for providing all kinds of basic services and management for all urban and rural centers in Bangladesh.Urban Development Directorate (UDD) under the MoHPW is the central physical planning agency of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh. The major functions include prepare and co-ordinate regional plans, master plans and detailed layout plans and site plans for the existing as well as new urban centers.Considering the framework of Comprehensive Disaster Management Programme (CDMP)-II under Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief, a pilot project on preparing a module for mainstreaming disaster risk preventive measures into comprehensive landuse development planning and management for Mymensingh Municipality and its surrounding ten unions (lowest tier administrative unit) entitled“Mymensingh Strategic Development Plan (MSDP), 2011-2031”has been prepared. Both the natural (earthquake, flood, cyclone, tidal surge etc.) and man-made (fire, urban flooding, building vulnerability etc.) disasters have been considered while preparing the plan. The eco-sensitive regional planning approach was considered as a planning principle for this project. Besides, social space was also framed and adopted as a fundamental guiding principle for human settlement planning. The Participatory planning approach has been followed at all stages of plan preparation as well.It is one of the best demonstrative examples in Bangladesh to show how the implementation of the New Urban Agenda of Habitat III may perform successfully by creating inclusive employment opportunity, conserving the ecology, selecting new growth centers, and good governance ensuring participation from all strata of the society. This project would create a platform for urban dialogue to achieve the objectives of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015- 2030.MSDP project has achieved “2014 Asian Townscape Jury’s Award” for its outstanding contribution to Risk Sensitive Landuse Planning in Bangladesh. As a subsequent action, UDD has started a new project for mainstreaming Disaster Risk and Climate Change Issues into National Urban related Policies, Plans, Acts, Rules etc. It is noteworthy to mention that Mymensingh will be the piloting city for the new project.
In an urgent call for a transformation of our societies, 800 delegates from local governments and civil society adopted The Basque Declaration at the 8th European Conference on Sustainable Cities and Towns in April 2016. Organised in the Basque Country from 27- 29 April 2016, the conference gathered city leaders, urban decision makers, stakeholders and civil society representatives from 40 countries all over the world to discuss the future of urban sustainable development. Since the conference, the declaration has been endorsed by many more cities and organisations. The Declaration presents 15 pathways in order to achieve a socio-cultural, socioeconomic and technological transformation on the local and global level, and will instigate new and impactful collaborations that will undoubtedly help shape our future. It is a strong call for social justice, inclusion of all citizens, a focus on marginalised groups and a liveable planet for these and future generations. Organisations, governments and civic society are invited to join the movement and endorse the Declaration at: www.basquecountry2016.eu The Basque Declaration is the next step in a movement that started over 20 years ago. In 1994 Mayors of European cities and towns approved the groundbreaking Aalborg Charter and kicked-off the European Sustainable Cities & Towns Campaign. Inspired by the results of the 1992 UN Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro and the results of the EU Urban Environment Expert Group, the Campaign developed into the first large scale local government movement based on clear commitments and with a strong supporting structure. In 2004, following the UN Rio+10 Summit in Johannesburg the Aalborg Commitments were created to support cities to develop their commitments and discuss indicators and management systems for their implementation and monitoring. In 2016 the Basque Declaration will trigger the transformative actions necessary to make those commitments a reality.
Panel discussion and open debate focused on sharing knowledge and policy and strategy ideas on the role of young people in the process of exploring new, collaborative and technology enabled methods to develop housing and mobility solutions and become active participants in urban development in Australia, India and Europe. The event will focus on offering examples of successful approaches of: engaging young people in urban development, adopting co-creation as a fundamental approach to inclusive development and using experimentation and technology as tools for better mobility planning The event will briefly present successful case studies and show how these concepts have been applied in different regions of the world. The debate will encourage an exploration of the approaches from a practical but also policy and strategic perspective. We believe that there are no blanket solutions that can be applied across the world but embedding concepts that are flexible and sustainable in the process of policy making and implementation can actually yield the desired results irrespective of geography, planning systems and regulations. The event will encourage a debate among the participants regarding the interdependencies between these three main pillars and lead them to explore ways of integrating the approaches presented into their daily practice as urban professionals either at an implementation or policy level. The side event will also represent a way for interested parties from these sectors to network and explore new possibilities of collaborating.
The successful implementation of the New Urban Agenda will require innovative ways of networking and partnerships amongst urban stakeholders and this side event will highlight the necessity of inter-governmental and inter-agency coordination on urban resilience, across various scales of interventions and levels of governance.
The ability of a city to bounce back after environmental shocks and cope with routine stresses is determined by the resilience of its urban systems and not just the robustness of its infrastructure. This is particularly true for critical services such as transport, communications, water supply, power and waste management. The conventional approach that various actors took to supporting cities was to work on the scales at which they had a comparative advantage. However resilience thinking requires integrated action across sectors and scales and requires a convergence of actions that are not just coordinated but synergic. Furthermore, access to planning and financing resilient infrastructure investments remains a challenge for local governments.
This side event will look at how the Urban Climate Change Resilience Trust Fund (UCCRTF) is working on shifting the paradigm from asset-based thinking to system based thinking, to ensure that infrastructure and services can respond adequately to shocks and stresses. UCCRTF with its Financing Partners (DFID, USAID, Rockefeller Foundation and SECO), collaborators (Asian Cities Climate Change Resilience Network (ACCCRN) and ARUP) and implementation partners will share emerging lessons on how to better plan for systemic resilience that delivers projects which reach across sectors and scale.
The expected outputs of the side event are:
- Build evidence and tools on system based urban resilience approach and support that cities require in planning, financing, implementing and maintaining infrastructure.
- Foster new forms of cooperation and networking amongst urban stakeholders to identify knowledge gaps on financing urban resilient infrastructure.
Urban challenges in Africa are being exacerbated by vulnerabilities and threats associated with climate change. Small and intermediate-sized cities in sub-Saharan Africa - localities with the highest absolute urban growth as well as often weak governance capacities - are most susceptible to shocks and stresses. This panel session aims at presenting and discussing operational tools and approaches for small and intermediate cities to understand, plan and act for improving urban resilience, with a focus on the main challenges and opportunities linked to unprecedented urban growth as well as vulnerability to climate change. To that end, UN-Habitat will present the City Resilience Action Planning (CityRAP) Tool, a phased process based on participatory methodologies that leads to the development of a Resilience Framework for Action that provides a path for mainstreaming resilience and adaptation in urban management. The tool has been implemented in 5 small and intermediate sized cities in sub-Saharan Africa, and also within a district of a capital city. The session is expected to promote a debate on how cities and partners can take advantage of urban growth and translate ideas and information into concrete actions for reducing vulnerabilities.
The Growth Dialogue’s Urban Development team has produced two seminal policy papers linking inclusion, inequality, and sustainable city growth. These topics and the role local and national strategies can play in sustainable urban development are rigorously addressed. The discussion of challenges and opportunities of understanding and fostering inclusive growth in cities will include an outline of effective policies for equitable urban development opportunities for all. Participants will come from East Asia, Africa, and Latin America and top universities to provide regional perspectives and relevant lessons learned for inclusion in the CAF’s 2017 flagship report.
Over the years, we at UNDP have seen how urbanization has influenced development in countries around the world. The progressive movement of populations to cities and towns represents a fundamental change in global development. Two aspects in particular are directly relevant to UNDP’s work and mandate. First, as the majority of developing country populations move to urban areas, poverty in the developing world has become increasingly urbanized. Relative and multidimensional poverty will increasingly be concentrated in urban areas, and the drivers and characteristics of poverty determined by urban conditions. Second, many of the other development challenges that UNDP addresses have increasingly been found in urban areas – energy use, GHG emissions, climate change impacts and disasters, diseases outbreaks, myriad forms of pollution, gender and social, economic and political exclusion and lack of access to basic services including justice and security. UNDP recognizes that, to help countries implement the 2030 Agenda, we need to support governments, businesses and communities to respond to these aspects of urbanization using an integrated approach to promote sustainability, inclusiveness and resilience.
The event will officially launch UNDP’s strategy to promote sustainable urbanization and sustainable communities to support countries in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It will focus on community empowerment, gender equality and inclusion. To achieve the SDGs, we need to support governments, businesses and communities to respond to challenges and opportunities of urbanization by promoting sustainability, inclusiveness and resilience.
In order to providing an effort to advance on the implementation of sustainable urban development in scheme of better urban and spatial planning and design, Tehran Municipality are holding two events for several years. These events are including 1- Tehran International Award and 2- Professional Techno-Market of Urban Management. The discipline of urban and spatial planning is underrepresented in Iran, therefor Tehran International Award aimed to introduce urban related studies to the public and private sector and to the Tehran Municipality staff by reflecting critically on the current dynamics in the field of urban planning and management and to explore the various practical and theoretical challenges of contemporary urban research. So in the 8th Tehran International Award (2015), more than 6500 entries from 30 countries has been received, analyzed and distributed amongst different deputy of the Tehran Municipality. Another challenge of delivering integrated and well-connected urban planning system and use of urban innovations and creativities for better urban life in Tehran is the gap between knowledge based companies and different parts of Tehran Municipality. Professional Techno-Market of Urban Management tasked to bridge this gap. Mediating more than 2100 memorandum of understanding between knowledge based companies and Tehran Municipality is the main output of holding two Professional Techno-Market of Urban Management by TUPRC. Implementing Local Economic Development principle, use of modern urban technologies and growth in productivity ratio of Tehran Municipality are only some outcomes of the Techno-Market. Both event respect inclusiveness in terms participation of stakeholders namely governmental bodies, academia and NGOs. Tehran International Award have special attention to the South-South Cooperation and participation of Least Developed Countries.
During the last decade smart city has become an umbrella concept bringing together strategies for reinventing cities utilizing ICT. Until now, smart cities have revolved solely around technology. However, this approach has begun to show its limitations. Problems faced by Songdo or Masdar clearly exemplify them. In contrast with this we can witness how projects that put citizens at the center have prospered. The city of Medellín for example, once one of the most dangerous cities of the world, is now one of the celebrated examples of on-going citizen-centric urban transformation. Today we find a wide range of examples where citizens are situated at the center of planning or development process. Now open data enables apps to be developed by an ecosystem of developers instead of being commissioned; co-design methods allow urban services to be developed directly with citizens; and participatory budgeting gives inhabitants entirely new possibilities to influence how their environment develops. These and many other practices hold a great promise: cities can become not only smart but also humancentric at the same time. Despite the diversity of projects that follow this approach, we know little of how to provide structure, governance and incentives to encourage and scale up these bottom-up, citizen-centric projects. And once started, many of them fail because of the lack of feasible business models to support them. This session will discuss these aspects with knowledgeable experts and bring real life examples of how some of the most successful projects around the world – from Nordic countries like Finland to Latin American cities such as Medellin or Puebla, and also European cities like Bologna or Barcelona – managed to succeed. A brief introduction of participants followed by a series of panels will provide the grounds to advance in our knowledge on how to make smart cities also citizen-centric.
In June 2016, the City of Johannesburg adopted its Spatial Development Framework, 2040. The framework is an ambitious plan to transform the city into one that is spatially just, efficient, resilient and sustainable. This event will present both the innovative collaboration process through which the plan was developed, and the vision and content of the plan. The plan was developed through a broad collaboration group and intensive and thorough public participation process. Collaborators on the plan included The City’s Development Planning Department, UN-Habitat’s Urban Design Lab, The Urban Morphology and Complex Systems Institute (France) and Iyer Urban Design. This group shared experience, expertise and knowledge to form a truly collaborative document. The group also facilitated the thorough process of public participation and participatory design that spanned the entire process. This included a wide range of stakeholders including (to name a few) politicians, real estate developers, investors, designers, various government spheres, communities and environmental and heritage interest groups. The Spatial Development Framework has been developed for the population of Johannesburg which is estimated to reach 7 million residents in 2040. The plan seeks to to build a compact, connected and socially inclusive city. To ensure gradual and successful implementation, the 25‐year plan lays out a clear vision for a sustainable future. It focuses on and prioritises investments in defined transformation areas supported by spatial and city‐wide policies, as well as site‐specific recommendations involving multiple agencies and organisations. This multi‐stakeholder meeting will demonstrate how a comprehensive city plan for a world class African city can be an all‐inclusive, empowering and transparent process. The SDF 2040 is available to view at https://bit.ly/SDF-Habitat3.
Habitat III is focused on developing inclusive, prosperous, ecologically sustainable societies that leave no one behind. Creating suitable, affordable, and sustainable living spaces represents an unprecedented opportunity to ensure equality for citizens today and for generations to come. Canada recognizes that the benefits of adequate housing extend beyond bricks and mortar; they contribute to improved quality of life, and to the conditions for broader social and economic success. Canada also recognizes that ensuring the social and economic well-being of our citizens goes beyond merely providing access to adequate shelter. It must also include a collaborative approach on addressing the broader social, economic and environmental longer-term outcomes such as reducing poverty to provide better outcomes for all. When these issues are not addressed, there is a risk for persistent social problems that overwhelmingly affect underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, older persons, newcomers, youth, and women. These individuals often face complex issues that require innovative solutions. Canada is of the view that leveraging partnerships with all orders of government, across civil society and stakeholders, including citizens, will help encourage thoughtful discussion and action that puts people first. The Government of Canada will highlight some of its upcoming initiatives to improve the social and economic wellbeing outcomes of our citizens. Canada is actively engaged in building stronger, healthier communities, helping Canadians access housing supports while increasing economic and social security that leaves no one behind. This side event would therefore invite panelists from all orders of government, academia and civil society, to bring forward ideas on how these strategies can come to life and lay the ground work for building a better future.
Urban informality is one of the primary problems faced by countries where urban development has taken place at a very fast pace. Most of these settlements are located in areas vulnerable to disasters, are very inefficient in terms of quality of construction and land use, and often are located in peripheral areas. Today, eight out of ten people in LAC live in cities and one out of three live in a slum lacking basic services and infrastructure. The households living in illegal dwellings have accessed land by irregular means, whereupon they have gradually started self-building homes without complying with the technical and planning regulations. The South Korean development model is an example of successful replacement of informal settlements that in the mid-1960s amounted to 38% of the residential stock in Seoul and posed a substantive challenge for the country’s urban development. South Korea’s model promoted a drastic substitution of informal housing by new higher density units, a process that effectively redefined urban form and land use patterns in existing informal areas. The event will present the current informal housing issues and relevant housing policies in LAC. It will also show the evolution of the housing situation in Korea over the past 40 years and the housing policies that have been promoted to improve the housing deficit and informal settlements, including their achievements and limitations. Additionally, it will offer a comparison between the cases of LAC and Korea that will serve to draw implications for future policy options for LAC to solve housing informality issues.
As urbanization and increasing urban affluence will continue to drive growth of energy demand in cities, technology and behavioural changes in urban energy systems will be strategic for achieving long‑ term sustainability of global energy use – including the carbon emission reductions required to meet the climate goals reached at COP21 in Paris. In fact, cities hold the key to the global low-carbon transition: They can provide 70% of the cost-effective opportunities for carbon emission reductions in a low-carbon scenario. Deployment of clean energy technologies and behavioural changes in urban areas can also enable cities to reap significant non-climate benefits like increased energy access for urban citizens, lower air pollution, and greater resilience of urban energy grids. Local and national energy policies can be effective drivers of urban energy transitions only if informed by solid analyses, sharing of bestpractices on successful policy and finance mechanisms as well as business models, and the use of adequate planning tools, among others. This side event aims at increasing confidence in local and national policy makers, particularly in least developed countries, that it is possible to meet the demand for energy services of urban citizens while at the same time effectively pursuing sustainable development. The event will consist of three presentations covering themes relevant to the implementation of more effective policies for urban energy sustainability. In the first presentation, the International Energy Agency will discuss the findings of the Energy Technology Perspectives 2016 report, which carries out an in-depth analysis on the role of cities in the low-carbon energy transition. The second presentation, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, will discuss best practices and experiences on the role of national governments and international cooperation. The World Resources Institute will finally present on innovative business models for sustainable urban services delivery
El 16 de abril, Ecuador sufrió un terremoto con magnitud de 7.8 en la escala de Richter, siendo las provincias más afectadas Manabí y Esmeraldas. Durante desastres naturales, emergencias o conflictos, las personas con discapacidad se afectan de manera desproporcionada debido a que las medidas de evacuación, respuesta y recuperación, les resultan de difícil acceso o inaccesibles, no existen rutas de evacuación accesibles y la mayoría no puede desplazarse entre los escombros. Se han identificado aproximadamente 356 personas con discapacidad y sus familias, de las cuales 248 personas con discapacidad se encuentran en albergues y 108 se encuentra casas de familias de acogida, sin contar con las familias desplazadas a otras zonas del País. Todas ellas perdieron sus viviendas y enseres básicos y se encuentran en espacios temporales de acogida y refugio. Una vez concluidas las labores de pronta respuesta en las zonas de emergencia se deberá evaluar si en la actualidad se cuenta con una gestión de desastres con inclusión de discapacidades, la cual se puede lograr por medio de la eliminación de barreras a la participación, asegurando el acceso a las infraestructuras, adoptando un diseño universal y ofreciendo servicios dirigidos exclusivamente a las discapacidades. Más importante aún, las acciones en estas áreas se deben llevar cabo con pleno conocimiento de la discapacidad y el vínculo entre la vulnerabilidad agravada y las personas con discapacidad en situaciones de desastres. La finalidad del proyecto es la dotación de viviendas accesibles para personas con discapacidad y sus familias que cuenten con equipamiento de muebles y enseres básicos; indirectamente se reactivará la economía de las zonas afectadas contratando mano de obra local, adquiriendo materiales de construcción, acabados y enseres para las viviendas.
The event is co-organised by Nairobi City County, the World Bank, UN-Habitat, and Project for Public Spaces (PPS).The event will take stock of best practices from various cities, showcasing innovations on building urban safety, and city resilience through public spaces, and sharing experiences and strategies on how to provide, improve and secure safe, inclusive, vibrant, and accessible public spaces.It draws from the experiences of Nairobi’s Public Space Revitalisation Program, World Bank’s Urbanscapes initiative, UN-Habitat’s Global Program on Public Space’s work across the world, Project for Public Spaces work across the world and the city of Bogota’s experience in enhancing quality of life through a people-centred approach to urban development and the transformation of public spaces.This side event is envisioned as a learning exchange that brings together city leaders and the new players in the urban agenda including but not limited to academia, private sector and development partners, Civil Society Organizations and youth organizations.It will provide a unique opportunity for cities, learning, implementing, and development partners to share their experiences so they can learn from each other and possibly find solutions from the challenges they face in implementing urban safety and city resilience policies and practices, with a special focus on public spaces.The key outcomes of the side event are:Formation of a network of learning and implementing partners– This is envisioned to be an inclusive team including cities & local governments, research institutions, NGOs, CSOs and CBOs from across the world. This is aimed at fostering knowledge exchange, leveraging resources and sharing ideas, lessons, and best practices, and importantly lobbying for theprioritization of public spaces in the agenda of cities.Innovative low cost high impact practices, and experiencesacross policy, legislative, regulatory, financing and planning aspects on the creation, protection and management of public spaces from cities across the world, particularly the emerging economies.Recommendations for implementation of the New Urban Agenda, particularly focusing on public space, and importantly, a list of good practices that can be shared and replicated among cities.
The side event will explore challenges, partnerships and strategies to support cities in fostering equitable economic growth. The group will share experiences from their unique fields of work in cooperation with national and local governments, organizations of informal workers, non-governmental organisations and academic partners in rapidly urbanising cities. In the discussion with the audience, the side event will collect recommendations that will inform the Joint Work Programme in the context of the New Urban Agenda. The discussion will be facilitated by William Cobbett, Director of the Cities Alliance.
This event is the one-stop shop for sustainable mobility and innovation in urban development. To put words into action the event will involve the official launch of the “Transformative Urban Mobility Initiative” (TUMI) – a joint effort by Germany and its partners to contribute to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda by enhancing urban mobility worldwide through scaling up financial cooperation and capacity building. Cities all over the world face tremendous challenges due to congestion, air pollution and traffic fatalities. This affects the quality of life of all citizens – especially those who live in vulnerable situations. Despite the potentials of agglomerations and their economies for providing infrastructure and services more efficiently, a great portion of urban dwellers lack access to basic urban services, experience social and economic exclusion and are highly vulnerable to environmental hazards and changes. Subnational and local governments are best placed to provide solutions to these problems and therefore have to be empowered and enabled in their role as development actors. Improving access to urban basic services through affordable, safe and clean mobility is a key enabler for the equitable and low-carbon development of cities. This is especially relevant for the inclusion of low-income dwellers which often live in peri-urban and surrounding areas with poor infrastructure and service connection. This event will highlight new, innovative solutions for people-oriented development through equitable public mobility services – including approaches based on information and communication technologies (ICT) – and outline the necessary financial mechanisms to put these solutions into practice. To round off the event, experts and practitioners from diverse backgrounds, cities and local governments, development banks, international cooperation, businesses, think tanks and civil society, will pitch their challenge and solution to kick-off a vivid discussion on the urban mobility of tomorrow among panellists and audience.
The event will provide participants with an overview of the process of construction of the long term Vision of Quito (QUITO 2040). It will focus on the process carried out by the Metropolitan Institute of Urban Planning (IMPU) of the city of Quito to develop an integrative approach to sustainable urban planning, combining urban design, land use, mobility, environmental, social, economic development and resilience, through a joint effort with the academia, experts in urban planning and a participative process with the local community. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is supporting the Municipality of Quito with technical assistance for the development of the vision, methodology and processes for community participation. The event will host relevant local and international authorities and experts discussing experiences of integrative approaches to urban planning and their relation with the process carried out in Quito. The participants will know more about the process of sustainable urban planning carried out by IMPU, in the city of Quito, host of the event Habitat III. It will provide the participants with an idea of how the city, host of Habitat III, will look like in the future as a result of an integrative and participatory approach to urban planning. The main subject of the event directly relates to the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs, as it shows how the city of Quito, is preparing its long term vision incorporating the concepts of the HABITAT III Conference in its urban planning process.
Creating inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities has been recognised as a critical global ambition (SDG #11). Making progress toward this objective will require a solid evidence base, targeted public policies, strong leadership, and effective implementation at all levels of government and with diverse partnerships. It is in this spirit that the Ford Foundation and the OECD have joined forces since 2012 to address the global trend in rising inequalities, helping to bring the Inclusive Growth agenda to the fore of the global policy debate. In March 2016, OECD and Ford jointly launched the Inclusive Growth in Cities Initiative (www.oecd.org/inclusive-growth/about/inclusive-citiescampaign), a global coalition of Champion Mayors who are leading the fight against inequalities. The Initiative launch released the New York Proposal for Inclusive Growth in Cities as a symbol of Champion Mayors’ commitment to advance more inclusive cities. This side event will convene mayors, national and local policy makers, international organisations, NGOs, and other leaders who are committed to reducing urban inequalities and achieving more inclusive cities. We will present emerging evidence on urban inequalities, drawing on the OECD report, Making Cities Work for All. The second segment will feature a panel of Champion Mayors, who will share insights on the keys to moving from ambition to implementation in the Inclusive Growth agenda. The discussion will build on the New York Proposal by focusing on several key policy areas (education and skills, labour markets, housing and transport, and public services) and will inform the Paris Action Plan, the main output of the second meeting of Champion Mayors, to be hosted by Mayor Anne Hidalgo (November 2016). While discussions will focus on social cohesion and equity, the event will also make links to related topics, including spatial development and segregation, urban economy, urban housing and basic services.
Cities are where real progress is made for sustainable development and where the New Urban Agenda will be successful. Urban areas are where governments are closest to their citizens and where essential public services like education, health and transport are delivered to people. However, with this proximity comes a responsibility for cities to be more transparent, accountable, and responsive to their citizens’ needs. More open government practices at the city level can directly improve quality of life for all while advancing the NUA. This network launch of open government leaders in cities will focus on the importance of innovation in open government and transparency for addressing urbanization challenges. City and civil society pioneers in open government will share specific examples, such as participatory budgeting at the neighborhood level or opening up municipal transport data to improve the quality of service. This will lead to a discussion amongst participants about how open government innovations can help achieve the New Urban Agenda. The event will conclude with a plan for how they can work together to pioneer this.
Housing is a central driver for social, environmental and economic development. When housing policies fail to meet the growingdemand on urban housing, various challenges evolve; most importantly growing areas of informal settlements. In Egypt, the 2014 Amended Constitution refers to the right to decent or “adequate” housing in Article 78. The housing stock in Egypt is produced by three main sectors: The public sector under various programs and agencies as monitored by MHUUC, the formal and informal private sectors. For the Public housing, the State implemented a number of projects aiming at providing youth and low-income groups housing such as the Free Housing Project, Family Housing Project, Youth Housing Project and Future Housing Project. During the period from 2005 till 2012, the MHUUC had implemented the National Project for Housing. Currently, The Egyptian government is adopting the Social Housing Program, in addition to another part for the families of medium income “Dar Masr”. Also there is a promotion of sites and services schemes for moderate income families “Ibni Beitak”. On the informal production side, Informal Settlements Development Facility (ISDF), in cooperation with Egypt's governorates, has counted and categorized informal areas during the period 2009-2013. In April 2010, the Cabinet approved the National Plan for Upgrading Unsafe Informal Settlements. Many pilot projects had been implemented in cooperation with international organizations such as the World Bank, GIZ and UN organizations. The session will align to the Arab Housing Strategy as a regional perspective, where additional experiences from Jordan, Iraq and Sudan will be presented to provide a comparative analysis and general recommendations on a successful housing policy. The session will additionally draw on the Egyptian Experience in addressing the challenge of unmet housing needs, and how the new housing strategy suggests to interfere with the current and new housing stock.
In the recent decade, Tehran has witnessed extensive evolution in different urban areas particularly in development of city infrastructures and services. The high speed of growth and urban development such as public transportation, green spaces, information and communication technologies, waste management, social and cultural services and also improvement and promotion of quality of citizen's life has been appreciated by main important international and professional entities. Recently Tehran ranked "The First" among the cities of the world for the fast improvement of urban life quality by Economist institute. Therefore in this Networking event the efforts will be made to analyze Tehran urban evolution during the recent decade in theory and practice and to share Tehran experiences with the cities which are interested in knowledge sharing and collaboration.
The event would include research reports from Columbia University and Ericsson on how Information and Communication Technology can accelerate the achievement of SDGs. The event will also include peer reviewed research reports from Ericsson on how ICT can reduce carbon emissions. The event will also include reports from projects on water resilience as well as social research impact studies on how ICT supports urban planning in Nepal. The event will end with concrete recommendations on how ICT can be implemented dependent upon ICT maturity (infrastructure, accessibility, affordability).
The Regional Commissions are uniquely positioned to facilitate regional commitments from Member States and other regional actors towards the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. As the regional representatives of the United Nations Secretariat, the Regional Commissions act as platforms, in cooperation with governmental and non-governmental actors as well as international and regional organizations, to support governments in evaluating regional trends, facilitate the exchange of national policy experiences, develop national and local capacities and help Member States translate global commitments into policy action. The Regional Commissions pursue such work in collaboration with the United Nations system, including the regional offices of UN-Habitat. This event will highlight the ways in which regional processes can promote the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, according to each region’s specific priorities and within the context of the COP21 agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Apart from underlining the role of the United Nations Regional Commissions in this process, it will also provide an opportunity to share the implementation strategy of each region, including the possibility of regional agreements on implementation. The side event is an opportunity to present these strategies to a broader base of stakeholders and participants and to promote the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
National and city officials will launch t he World Health Organization and Climate and Clean Air Coalition's Breathe Life: Clean Air, Healthy Future campaign. This global campaign will raise awareness about air pollution as a threat to both public health and the climate. Indoor and outdoor air pollution kills 6 million people worldwide and contributes to global warming. A key nexus for action is cities. The Breathe Life campaign aims to mobilize and empower city leaders, individuals and the health and climate community to take action to reduce air pollution and climate emissions to improve human health today and in the future. Cities that commit to the Breathe Life campaign on the Urban Stage will showcase success and inspire others to act.
Housing at the Centre of the New Urban Agenda for the Realization of the Right to Adequate Housing without Discrimination
The Special Session on Housing will focus on following three elements in relation to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda:
· Exchange perspectives and expert assessments on the global state of adequate housing;
· Discuss possible alternatives forward in repositioning housing to the center of the New Urban Agenda through integrated urban planning; and
· Promote the realization of the right to adequate housing for all.
Guiding Questions
· What is your appraisal of the state of adequate housing in your country/community/global?
· What steps are required to effectively secure access to adequate housing for all in the New Urban Agenda?
· What is your commitment to ensuring the effective implementation of the right to adequate housing for all in the New Urban Agenda?
Revenue Generation from Local Sources, Intergovernmental Transfers, and Mobilizing External Resources to Finance Urban Infrastructure
There needs to be a coherent and internationally supported national process to implement the New Urban Agenda with financially sustainable urban systems. The system must integrate municipal finance, legal frameworks, and spatial planning and design to promote urban development in the area of governance, endogenous resources, financial management, infrastructure systems, and exogenous sources of finance. In this context, the session advocates for:
a) Governance reform: a national process to clarify responsibilities for, and build institutions to deliver and finance urban infrastructure and other services across different levels of government in an efficient, transparent and accountable manner.
b) Expanding endogenous resources: national and local reform processes to provide opportunities and incentives for increasing the local resource base and efficiency in the use of these resources and of government assets, including enabling local government to access the capital markets and to leverage its funds with private sector resources.
c) Strengthen financial and asset management: strengthening national and local institutions to encourage more effective management by national/local governments of local revenues and expenditures, and of their assets.
d) Improving urban finance systems: a nationally facilitated process to expand sources of, and instruments for, financing for capital investments and the recovery of costs from the beneficiaries of such investments.
e) Developing systems for effective use of exogenous sources of finance: national governments providing the opportunities and incentives for effective use of exogenous resources on the one hand and the conditions for the prudent supply of such resources on the other.
Guiding Questions
· Discuss initiatives for: Revenue Enhancement, Finances of Urban Expansion, Local Infrastructure.
· Intergovernmental Transfers: Describe relevant initiatives
· What are the instruments available to guide the design of policies for municipal finance aligned to the New Urban Agenda?
· How can available tools be scaled up at local and national level?
· What are the challenges to ensuring adequate resources and technical expertise at the local level?
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Urban Resilience: Environmental Sustainability and Resilient Urban Development
This Special Session will bring together high-level representatives from national and local governments, international financial institutions, private sector, and other stakeholder groups to discuss practical approaches to urban resilience. It will discuss the three key drivers for action as identified in the Issue paper (15) and the recommendations made by policy unit 8 on Ecology and Resilience. This special session will complement the Policy Dialogue on resilience (scheduled Wednesday, 19 October) and will provide the overall picture of resilience in cities and with a wider range of stakeholders. The session will touch upon the finance aspects of urban resilience. It will recognize the role of the New Urban Agenda in supporting the achievement of the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The session will highlight the importance of local leadership towards the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and identify critical aspects to achieve these by improving the quality and coverage of local data and information, in particular of local systems, hazards, shocks, and stresses. The session will identify how current methods of measuring resilience can inform local stakeholders in order to finance resilient building efforts typically channeled through national government entities and local governments and cities. The session will discuss the way funds are allocated to cities and analyze coordination between national and local governments, and stakeholders including vulnerable communities. The session will also underscore how tapping into the knowledge and resources of the private sector through public/private partnerships can help accelerate further development of new technologies and strategies to support city resilience.
Guiding Questions
· How can we ensure proper financing for resilient urban infrastructure especially at the local level?
· How can we support cities in substantially increasing development and implementation of integrated policies towards resource efficiency and resilience to disasters?
· How can we identify safe land sites on which low-income citizens can build and upgrade informal settlements?
· How can we better include local stakeholders into the discussion, particularly those from the more marginalized sectors of society?
· How can we effectively build the capacity of local governments to respond to disasters, conflicts, shocks or stresses?
· How can public-private partnerships help to develop urban resilience? What would be the role of the private sector in fostering resilience?
The New Urban Agenda recognizes Urban and Spatial Planning strategies as having the power to positively transform cities and promote economic growth, social development, and environmental sustainability and resilience. The International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning, approved by the UN Habitat Governing Council Resolution 25/6 in 2015, promote twelve global principles on urban planning. Furthermore, research and practice demonstrate the benefits of well-planned and designed urban patterns, densities, and urban extensions. From the economic perspective, urban planning fostering land value increases and improves productivity, generating capital gains which can be captured and shared as public revenue and investment. Socially, urban and spatial planning has a profound impact in shaping more integrated and equal cities and fairer distribution of resources amongst different social groups. From a political perspective, the existence of a clear vision and inter-sectorial integration of planning generates positive dynamics that city leaders and government officials can leverage to achieve development goals.
While the positive impacts of urban and spatial planning are widely accepted, the main challenges arise in the transition of principles into strategies and plans.. Materializing sustainable principles in cities is the challenge of the New Urban Agenda’s implementation, and while a wide range of tools are available to support principles of sustainable development, specific transformative tools need to also be identified.
The Special Session will focus on the strategic means of implementation to address the issues in the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of urban and spatial strategies. The session will focus on analyzing critical tools, including the International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning and the Urban Planning Lab approach, and their contribution to the translation of planning principles into a reality. In particular, three transformative elements will be explored:
· The relevance of the tools for the operationalization of effective spatial patterns, for example the reversal of the car-centric planning models and land consumption trends, social segregation and creation of adequate public space, and more mixed and compact communities. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach, across all sectors and administrative boundaries, flexibility of planning frameworks, inclusivity and equity, and specific planning solutions, such as Planned City Extensions and Infills.
· Governance frameworks as the structuring element of decision making processes establish the rules of the game as well as the rights and obligations of the parties involved. Governance frameworks should articulate the legal, political, economic, financial, and social dimensions of the city, provide participatory and collaborative platforms, and support innovative financing for implementation.
· Capacity development of governments, institutions, and human resources at the different levels of planning to articulate decision-making processes that are responsive to community needs and integrated national planning frameworks. The New Urban Agenda recognises a variety of means through which the capacities of various stakeholders can be strengthened. These can include innovative forms of peer-to-peer learning, south-to south collaborations, collaborative actions, such as inter-municipal cooperation on a global, regional, national, sub-national, and local scale, including the establishment of practitioner networks for innovative learning by supporting the co-production of urban and spatial strategies.
Guiding Questions
· Which spatial issues need to be addressed and what challenges do they pose?
· How can spatial planning frameworks be adjusted and improved?
· What are possible challenges that will be met in the process?
· What can be done at local level?
This high-level event, co-organised by UN-Habitat, OECD and Cities Alliance, convenes national and subnational governments and civil society to launch the National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP): a multi-year, multi-stakeholder global programme to support the design and implementation of National Urban Policy (NUP) and a key implementation tool of the New Urban Agenda.
A NUP has been recognized internationally as a tool for the implementation and monitoring of global urban agendas, such as the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement and Sendai Framework. Its selection as one of ten thematic Policy Units, in preparation for the Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), is demonstrative of the recognition on the international stage of the relevance of NUP. The Draft of the New Urban Agenda proposes NUPs within local-national partnerships as one of the fundamental drivers of change. In order to provide the transformative change to support sustainable urbanization globally, the development of NUPs requires a coordinated approach across different policy sectors and among all levels of government and all the relevant stakeholders. In many countries, however, there is often a lack of the supporting national and subnational policies and frameworks that can leverage the urbanization process for increased development gains and guide it towards sustainable patterns. Furthermore, despite the clear benefits of an effective NUP, the process of policy formation is complex. Often, governments and other stakeholders may have inadequate capacity and the specialized skill to be able successfully to undertake this process independent of outside guidance. Additionally, governments often lack the data, knowledge, and tools needed to develop complex policies and plans like a NUP.
The National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP) will aim to bridge these gaps. The Programme will endeavor to solve the problem of lack of data, knowledge, and tools by providing a forum for knowledge creation, knowledge exchange and knowledge management and therefore build up a foundation of knowledge and evidence on urban policy and planning. The Programme will work to bridge the capacity gap by working with national and local governments as well as relevant stakeholders in order to allow them to build the specialized skills required to develop a coordinated approach to development of NUP. In addition, the Programme will increase governance coordination through the provision of technical assistance and advisory services on the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of NUP and its associated processes. Finally, the NUPP will provide a platform for all levels of government and relevant stakeholders to network and engage amongst themselves regarding the processes of developing and implementing NUP. This platform will also facilitate the broader engagement of stakeholders, outside of participating members of the NUPP. The development of a NUP is an advocacy opportunity that can be used to communicate to stakeholders about important urban issues in their communities. Accordingly, the NUPP will work to disseminate knowledge and instigate dialogue on NUP, and in turn, on urbanization more broadly.
This launching event aims to present the NUPP to diverse audience, including all levels of government, the private sector and civil society, and call for their active participation and support to various activities proposed in the Programme.
Planning and Development of Urban Infrastructure and Basic Services in the Context of the New Urban Agenda
Infrastructure and basic services are the foundation and delivery vehicle of a functional and resilient urban environment. Equitable basic services such as water, sanitation, drainage, energy, and transport are key ingredients for the economic and social development of urban areas. They also sustain and improve the health, livelihood, and general living environment of urban residents. Equally important, basic services are the cornerstone for a government’s compact with its citizens, and are the most tangible issue for which communities hold their elected officials accountable. Every day, almost 180,000 new urban dwellers need access to energy, water, sanitation, waste management services, healthcare, education, transport, and need to earn a living in cities in the developing world. To meet this growing demand, at least $70 trillion of global infrastructure investment is needed between 2016 and 2030. An additional $14 trillion of infrastructure investments is required by 2030 to meet the minimum climate change targets set out in the COP 21 declarations. With large sections of the urban population living in informal settlements, the challenge is how to expand and upgrade these services to keep pace with urban growth, while ensuring access to an adequate and affordable level of services for the poor. There is also a need for a holistic approach to the understanding of long term planning for infrastructure and basic services, as opposed to a short-term sector-based approach. A long term national infrastructure plan anchored to a development vision is needed along with the understanding of the interdependence of assets, knowledge, and institutions across, and between, all systems of infrastructure.
During the Special Session, a panel of experts and participants will interactively discuss and share experiences on the key drivers for action in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, in the context of infrastructure and basic services.
These include:
· Understanding the linkage between availability, accessibility, affordability and adequacy of basic services for the realization of human rights.
· The need for a comprehensive reform of urban infrastructure policies.
· Building viable and well-managed institutions aligned with infrastructure systems knowledge.
· Effective legal and regulatory frameworks within which development can take place.
· Developing effective and integrated long term infrastructure planning.
· Enhancing coordinated implementation of urban infrastructure.
· Developing new business models and strategic partnerships in infrastructure planning, design, implementation, operation, and management
· Fostering and applying technological innovation.
· Adopting inclusive participatory processes and increased access to information for all residents.
Guiding Questions
· In the face of the challenges posed by rising demands for urban services, what are the policy reform priorities for infrastructure and basic services in the context of the New Urban Agenda?
· What should be done to ensure financial viability and effective management of the institutions responsible for the regulation, planning, and management of urban infrastructure?
· With large sections of the urban population living in informal settlements where infrastructure and basic services are severely deficient, what needs to be done to ensure access to affordable services for all?
· How can legal and regulatory frameworks be improved and strengthened to drive the effective governance of infrastructure?
· What new planning approaches are required for urban infrastructure and basic services?
· What new business models and strategic partnerships are required for effective provision of infrastructure and services?
Since the mid-1990s, over 100 new master-planned cities have been planned or are under construction. These mega-projects are located almost exclusively in the Global South, clustered particularly in China, Southeast Asia, India, both north Africa and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and most recently, Latin America. New cities are being constructed primarily as economic strategies with the hope of ‘leapfrogging’ economies from the production of raw materials into knowledge and high-tech economies.
Despite the proliferation of new cities, the vast public and private resources being spent on them, and the prioritization of new cities by governments in dozens of countries, there has been little systematic critical investigation into the successes, failures, and possibilities of new cities to engender a more equitable and inclusive future. Constructing new cities from a tabula rasa presents unprecedented opportunities to learn from past mistakes and to avoid the many environmental, social, and structural problems that increasingly plague cities. Builders of new cities have the potential to create new urban environments to ‘hardwire’ cities with features that promote walkability, reduce overcrowding and traffic congestion, enhance inclusion, and include features that reduce carbon emissions and the environmental impact. As the private sector increases its role in the planning and implementation of large-scale urban development, new cities also present an important opportunity to understand the prospects as well as limitations of private development meeting the needs of an urbanizing population. The session includes 5 presentations about new cities in major regions of the Global South (Southeast Asia, Middle East, North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America) and one case study of Yachay Knowledge City, Ecuador. The session introduces the current wave of new cities and concludes with some policy recommendations for new cities to help them be more equitable and inclusive.
In this session, practitioners and participants in successful “People Public Private Partnerships (PPCPs”) will diagnose and present practical advice on how this approach works by bringing public and private resources into alignment with community priorities through active collaboration among stakeholders. They will talk about the major ingredients for success and how barriers were overcome to help the communities and cities in which the PPPs were implemented become more equitable and livable. The focus will be on practical application as a way to build inclusion and leverage resources under the NUA. Presenters will include perspectives of civil society, private sector, local government and people from communities.
Pro-inclusion outlines a conceptual yet operative methodology where inclusion is a crosscutting agenda for the development of cities in the region. Aimed at being implementable, Pro-inclusion has a distinct territorial aspect that underscores the relationship between the spatial structure of the city, especially in slums, and inclusion. It also highlights the urgent need to make decisions based on evidence and information that is both available and systematized on a micro-local scale in the form of maps, which serve as indicators to measure improved access to opportunities and services and their effect on human development. Pro-inclusion places inclusion at the heart of planning, investment and implementation policies for local urban development. Integral to the agenda is the potential to serve as a connector of efforts by different levels of government, international financial institutions, donors, the private sector and non-governmental initiatives. Pro-inclusion advances concrete solutions that can be embedded in operative areas of city governments and their investment programs, thereby facilitating the structure of resource support and partnerships for financing and implementation. Pro-inclusion’s working agenda focuses on four axes comprised of specific actions that cities can undertake to reduce access gaps to the benefits of urban life. They are: · Increasing accessibility through public transport · Promoting cohesion through public space · Developing human capital through education and capacity building · Improving quality of life through basic services Actions along these axes are integrated and take advantage of synergies between them to use limited resources more efficient. CAF, the promoter of Pro-inclusion, has been a coordinating partner to the work under Policy Unit 1 – Cities for All. Beyond the evident thematic link between the unit’s output and the proposed event, Pro-inclusion aims to generate a practical agenda of planning and investment choices that enables all urban dwellers to participate productively in urban life.
The networking event will bring experts in planning, urban finance and legislation to debate and discuss the Saudi experience in implementing the New Urban Agenda and the three pronged approach in 17 Saudi Arabia Cities. The experts from both Saudi Arabia and other least developed countries will learn about the experience of the joint collaboration between UN-Habitat and Saudi Arabian government represented in the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs in cooperation towards the implementation of the future Saudi cities program new urban agenda along the Saudi localized model. The event will be an opportunity to bring lessons from a country that has started this experience prior to HIII and bringing its model during the debate about the agenda new approaches and its implementation. The future Saudi strategies to promote sustainable urban development across Saudi Arabia are; evidence-based and multi-dimensional analysis of cities using the City Prosperity Index.
Addressing urban sprawl and uncontrolled urban expansion in a well-planned manner. Understanding and providing actionable recommendations on the legislative and institutional context necessary for the proposed new approaches. Supporting vertical and horizontal sectoral integration and coordination between ministries and various partners through multidisciplinary planning led approaches and urban governance. Engaging and integration of the needs of the communities, particularly the youth and women as part of inclusive urban planning approaches to enhance the public awareness across the kingdom on the notion of prosperous and sustainable urbanization. Organizing forums for engaging Saudi urban issues both nationally and internationally. Supporting sustainable new planning practices through engaging national training institutions, creating youth and women urbanization networks among other strategies and actions.
Recognizing the realities of continuing rapid urbanization, which is one of the twenty-first century’s most transformative trends, urban policy and planning now embraces a scope that reaches beyond the traditional city-scale. In order to answer the challenges of such urbanization and to capitalize on its opportunities, territorial plans including city-region plans must address wide ranging questions, all of which require a higher level of vertical and horizontal coordination of urban policies. In this reality, it is necessary for Member States to enhance their mechanisms of coordination in establishing and implementing territorial plans with support of international organizations and other stakeholders.
The session will discuss key tools for the implementation of transformative NUPs that can aid with the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, including the development of the National and Regional Spatial Strategies (NSS/RSS) , the IG-UTP, and OECD Urban Policy Reviews. This will be followed by the presentation of experiences with NUP development and the use of other key tools by representatives from Member States, including Least Developed Countries.
Recent global changes, in particular the implementation of a new worldwide development agenda and the Paris agreement on climate change, have highlighted the close link between environmental and social issues. Galloping urbanization and demographic growth create tensions on resources and must incite us be more responsible, more efficient and more innovative. Urban challenge has to tackle both the issue of natural resources and the protection of vulnerable populations, either in terms of accessing quality services or in facing consequences from extreme weather events. Development and social innovation opportunities are part of urbanization. Urban density allows an economy of scale and more efficient management of urban services than in less populated areas, water and sanitation services in particular. Responding to these challenges means rethinking the relations between the city, its actors and the resources; it also entails developing new economic and social growth models through basic services that will be more efficient, better balanced and more sustainable. What kind of new cooperations must be considered for the regions and the cities to contribute to a more secure, open, resilient and sustainable city? As an historic partner of the World Urban Campaign carried by UN-Habitat, Veolia invites its partners of the initiative “The City we need” to debate possible solutions and initiatives at regional level to build a safe and easy-to-live-in city. Among them: French network of Urban Planning Public Agencies (FNAU), the Paris Region Planning and Development Agency (IAU Île-de-France), AdP – Villes en développement (association of professionals working for the benefit of developing countries in the areas of urban and rural planning) •100 Resilient Cities (global platform dedicated to helping cities around the world become more resilient to the physical, social and economic challenges) will provide concrete feedbacks on experiences led in differents cities around the world and tools set up. Representatives from municipalities, in particular from Latin America, will share actual concrete operations. Other partners in attendance: UCLG, Aquafed, ISWA, Representative of the Latino American cities Among the themes that will be discussed : - Urban Plan - Resilience - Short loops and circular economy, - Innovation
What will our cities look like during the next Habitat Conference (2036)? We tend to think about the future of our cities through a technological and futuristic approach, but we rarely think about a city’s future from the perspective of how individuals connect with their governments. Many local governments continue employing practices that date back to the 1970’s; meanwhile urban populations communicate using technology from the 21st Century. It seems as if governments have limited themselves to offering information to their constituents, dismissing the potential benefits of e-government interactive platforms.
At the IDB we envision the future of cities by having empowered citizens. We are keen in the 2.0 version of government, where there’s an active collaboration between institutions and citizens, and a bottom-up approach in decision-making. This new relationship is shaping our cities in an unprecedented way and should be empowered by gatherings such as Habitat III. Millennials are already leading this transformation, using social networks, the sharing economy, and access to information and data; all which inadvertently affect cities. Can city governments around the globe keep up?
This event will analyze in a first panel how technological breakthroughs will change the future of Governance. Renowned public sector leaders will come together to discuss best practices and the way in which local governments in the region can learn from these experiences. A second panel will turn to the challenges of Financing Urban Infrastructure and Climate Change– two issues that go hand in hand in today’s cities. With over half of the world’s population living in urban areas, there is an urgency to increase access to sub‐national infrastructure investments. In this session, experts will discuss what sustainable urban infrastructure is; what it will take for cities to increase capital investments; and how to create the right incentives to encourage private sector participation.
The Networking Event will be initiated by the Government of Jamaica and is aim at bringing the global PSUP network together. The event will provide a platform for PSUP partners to exchange on achievements, lessons learnt and a future vision of the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) implementing the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda. The Government of Jamaica as host will specifically share the country’s experience with addressing slum issues at policy and programme levels and the value of the PSUP approach and network in this process. Further, it will provide input into the HABITAT III follow-up process and the need for a stronger regional urban vision for the Caribbean for operationalizing the New Urban Agenda. This will be complemented by interventions from the other panel members on how PSUP can activate drivers of change for inclusive urbanization such as pro-poor urban and housing policies ""putting housing at the centre"", planning principles for sustainable neighbourhood upgrading, multi-financing mechanisms for slum upgrading, linking inclusive economic growth to slum upgrading, technology-based solutions contributing to the data revolution and participatory approaches and community-driven initiatives. Further the event will highlight the importance of international partnerships: 1) triangular partnerships 2) global learning and exchange and; 3) peer learning between urban practitioners, planners and universities. It will give the example of a strong tripartite partnership between the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, the European Commission and UN-Habitat and how this translates into a demand-driven country support. This will also include showcasing the city-to-city network consisting of Mayors from ACP countries and launching it globally. The event will close by further disseminating the message of the UN-Habitat global campaign “Up for Slum Dwellers – Transforming a billion lives” in particular to also highlight the role of private sector as a partner and as contributor to sustainable development to achieve sustainable change on scale.
Municipal managers (City managers) are the public employees of highest rank in the municipal administrations which are in charge of day to day administrative and operative management of the city. Major cities and metropolitan areas around the world are facing an increased complexity both at the governance and managing levels. But urban systems and cities are, as well, increasingly diverse with greater numbers of inhabitants and major challenges related to social cohesion, economic development and sustainability. Furthermore, cities have to assume the delivery of more services which puts pressure on the technical, financial and human resources that needed in order to better manage the municipal structures, to provide citizens with the appropriate services in an efficient way and to manage the relationship with the different stakeholders. In addition, the international agenda is having a growing impact not only in local policies, but also in its operation. The management of cities cannot be carried out without taking into account the new approaches that demand the Agenda 2030 (with its sustainable development objectives) and the New Urban Agenda that must result from the Habitat III conference. The priorities emerging from habitat iii will definitely have an impact on very operational questions that city managers need to sort out: - Issues affecting the structures and governance. - Questions affecting to resources, i.e.: a) externalization vs internalization of human resources, b) public- private partnerships, c) borrowing capacity, d) other funding instruments. - Issues affecting to everyday management, i.e.: a) public procurement, b) social clauses, c) managing the common goods. Metropolis, as a partner of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, advocates for the operational character of the New Urban Agenda to help our cities to face the unavoidable metropolisation process and guide them towards a more sustainable and equal growth model.
The Networking Event, entitled “Crises as an opportunity to rethink urban and housing policies” and will be a relevant example on how to the realization of the transformative commitments set out through the New Urban Agenda have been successfully implemented in Spain. The event will show how this implementation requires national, sub-national, and local governments collaboration to ensure an enabling policy framework, integrated by planning and management of urban spatial development, and effective means of implementation at all these levels. The event will present the example and evolution of urban and housing policies in Spain and a reflection on how the lessons learnt can be useful for other countries to be implemented in their own context.
Public space is more and more an emerging issue in our contemporary societies. On one hand we record the increasingly privatisation of the public domain in direct and indirect ways; on the other hand the lack of public spaces or facilities segregate communities and their freedom to engage in the public sphere. Around the world different tactics, project and researches are addressing this issue, but often access to knowledge is limited by current practices in the publishing industry, which requires scholars to pay not only to access resources, but also to share their own work. The discourse is often limited to specific national or linguistic areas. The dominance of exempla from the so-called global West or global North are limiting our knowledge about public space and often imposing an oversimplified view of public space design, management and use. The event is a discussion on public space in cities as a common good, meant to be open, inclusive and democratic, a right for everybody that belongs to everybody. Through the photo campaign “My favourite public space”, that will be launched during the event, we expect to collect experiences, stories, habits and activities, thus documenting public space and its users from different geographical contexts, for the definition of a new set of topics. Outcomes of the campaign will be published on a dedicated website and on a brand new academic journal, The Journal of Public Space, an international, interdisciplinary, open access platform intended to embrace diversity, inconvenient dialogues and untold stories, from various fields and all countries, especially from those that usually do not have voice. The event is open to scholars, students, professionals, public and private institutions, civil society organizations, city managers, artists, community members and citizens.
The State of African Cities 2017 report seeks to evaluate the role of foreign direct investment as a possible major tool for financing urban development in African cities. To this end, an analysis has been done on the roles of current foreign direct investment (FDI) flows with a view to identifying the interventions required for promoting diversification, growth and resilience of African urban economies. The project focuses on urban employment generation, improving urban food, water and energy security, strengthening rural-urban linkages and promotion of infrastructures that can enhance regional economic cooperation, as well as review channels to increasing municipal revenue streams for strengthening local level governance capacities. The research project is being realised under a partnership between the African Development Bank (AfDB), UN-Habitat, the Department for International Development (DfID), the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS), The University of Witwatersrand and the OECD Development Center. The research entails an Africa wide overview of FDI patterns and in-depth empirical research on the economic impacts of FDI flows to selected African cities, with a view to providing policy advice on how to attract new and additional investment flows for sustainable urban development. Ultimately, well-guided FDI should generate employment, knowledge and technology transfers; establish and reinforce global supply chain linkages; and enhance access to world markets besides many other catalytic benefits such as investments in infrastructure and the development of human resources and skills through knowledge and technological transfers. The networking event will outline the preliminary research outcomes of the State of African Cities 2017report, including policy recommendations. It will stimulate debate amongst stakeholders on the impact of foreign direct investment on sustainable urban development and last but not least contribute to knowledge building around financing sustainable urban development in Africa.
Traditionally, issues of governance, planning, and funding of cities are tied to a vision of “metropolis” as a canonical urbanity. Concomitantly, large networks are understood as the default mode for infrastructure service provision. However, data from e-geopolis and associated research indicates that in many countries, such as India, the nature of urbanisation is more dispersed and in-situ. Other research, e.g., CPR’s SCI-FI project, indicates that basic urban services are often accessed through non-network arrangements. In future many, possibly a majority, of prospective urban dwellers could be in smaller settlements and accessing services via non-network models. Given this, smaller urban settlements and non-network service models need more research, media, and policy attention. This networking event will attempt to bring smaller settlements to the forefront of contemporary cross-national urbanisation debates, highlighting, inter alia, alternate urban service models. This event will engage with: a) New methodologies to measure urbanisation, allowing more coherent cross-country analysis, based on the e-geopolis project, that uses satellite data to build a common global basis for settlement identification b) Role of smaller towns in the future of urbanisation and their characteristic challenges c) Non-network models of urban service delivery, highlighting urban sanitation, within small towns and metropolitan slums. It will explore the portability of service delivery models from one type of location to another and their ability to scale-up equitable provision in small towns and metropolitan slums To engage with the SDGs post-Quito, the event will launch a global network on small towns, new delivery models and informal settlements to create a collaborative platform to share knowledge, information, and resources, and solutions. The networking event is an ideal platform for researchers, practitioners, government representatives and policymakers interested in future urbanisation and basic service delivery and the role of small cities and informal settlements to explore partnerships and comparative cross-country analysis.
Ministry of Urban Development of Albania National Housing Agency Ministry of Transport, Construction and Regional Development DG Housing Policy and Urban Development Ministry of Regional Development of Czech Republic CECODHAS Housing Europe - Federation of public, cooperative and social housing UNECE Housing and Land Management Unit Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR) Development and Economic and Social Issues Branch UN-Habitat Housing and Slum Upgrading Branch
This networking event is based on a partnership between three of the largest networks of grassroots leaders in the world working together to advance priorities of organized communities through the 2030 Agenda and the Habitat III process. Translating global policy into real implementation requires substantial institutional shifts and new partnerships including innovative and additional funding mechanisms on all levels. Fundamental to this is the fortification of the role of organized communities and their representative movements/organizations of people living and working in poverty to plan, implement, and monitor development programs that affect their lives. Indeed, the formation of the Grassroots Partner Constituent Group (PCG) as well as the Women’s PCG of the General Assembly of Partners is a clear indication that these stakeholder groups are a critical element of the New Urban Agenda’s success. A central aim of the event is to lay foundations for a strong alliance between grassroots organizations, donors, and other stakeholders towards the implementation of the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda. As such, the event will feature achievements, lessons learned, and concrete strategies for implementable partnerships among grassroots networks and their allies within the context of sustainable and inclusive urban development. Representatives of grassroots networks and of leading development agencies and foundations will share their innovative methodologies and explore synergies and common challenges for advancing inclusive and collaborative urban development and governance in the years ahead. Furthermore, the event will serve as a joint platform for women and grassroots networks to propose concrete recommendations for Habitat III implementation and related pro-poor partnerships, including in the areas of urban development and financing in support of community-based work.
As the world’s population becomes predominantly urban, academics and practitioners are challenged to find sustainable solutions to increasingly complex urban problems. Sustainable cities require a balance between environmental protection and economic development ensuring equitable outcomes. Achieving such a delicate balance requires tackling complex urban problems that may lead to unsustainable development paths. This century will see a substantial majority of the world’s population living in urban centers. The Habitat III Conference therefore has, as its mission, the adoption of a New Urban Agenda—an action-oriented document which will set global standards of achievement in sustainable urban development, rethinking the way we build, manage, and live in cities through drawing together cooperation with committed partners, relevant stakeholders, and urban actors at all levels of government as well as the private sector. This networking event aims to gather policy makers academicians, local governments, professionals urban planners, practitioners and who study urban areas to create a space where ideas are exchanged and disciplines transcend their usual academic boundaries. Understanding today’s complex urban problems requires a variety of theoretical frameworks and methods. The Asian City-Regions have traditionally looked at urban planning problems from an intra-disciplinary quantitative perspective. The networking event welcomes innovative technical approaches, but also encourages diverse views, implementation and way forward of The New Urban Agenda. We seek to create a learning environment where participants can share their perspectives and discuss trans-disciplinary ideas to propose solutions to today’s increasingly complex urban problems. This high-level networking event is to gather relevant policy makers and government representatives to demonstrate on how The New Urban Agenda coming on the heels of the crystallization of the Post-2015 Development Agenda. We believe that your participation will contribute to fruitful discussions, and that the networking event will result in accelerating our actions sustainable urban development in the Asia City-Regions.
The key objectives of this discussion space is to analyze the evolution of malnutrition in urban settings in Ecuador, and its National Strategy to Accelerate the Reduction of Child Malnutrition and to identify the co-relation of urban inequalities and poverty with malnutrition. The professor Armando Barrientos Professor in Poverty and Social Justice from The University of Manchester will present the relationship between poverty, inequality and malnutrition in urban settings; and how implementation of public policies could promote food security to urban populations. Stefano Fedele, UNICEF Regional Nutrition Specialist for Latin America and the Caribbean, will present the Strategies and policies to combat chronic child malnutrition in urban context in the region. The Coordinating Ministry of Social Development, will present Ecuador’s National Strategy to accelerate the reduction of child malnutrition, with an emphasis in cities. An in-depth discussion will follow, with participation of the public. The event will have participation of local stakeholders, including representatives of the Health and Social Welfare departments of local governments, NGOs, citizen’s organizations, the National Assembly, universities, schools and youth organizations.
Since 2014 and as result of the networking event “Towards an Inter‐American Platform for Cooperation on Metropolitan Planning and Development” held in Medellin, Colombia during the World Urban Forum 7 (WUF 7), the metropolitan areas of Montreal (Canada), Guadalajara (Mexico), San Salvador (El Salvador), Medellin and Bucaramanga (Colombia) established the Pan‐American Network on Metropolitan Areas (RAMA) with the support of UN-Habitat. Since then, UN-Habitat and RAMA’s activities have been centered in technical interchanges of expertise and best practices on metropolitan development and metropolitan management, and in the permanent debate about challenges and opportunities to implement the New Urban Agenda in metropolitan areas of Americas towards and after Habitat III. However, the urban agglomerations are not only metro areas, but also urban regions, which due to the scale and the territorial fragmentation, can only be addressed by supramunicipal institutions like the state governments. The side event “Implementing the New Urban Agenda in Regions and Metropolitan Areas of Americas: a vision to balanced territorial development” will present experiences accompanied by UN-Habitat across the Americas on regional and metropolitan development, from the planning, financing and governance perspective.
This event is organized in two parts: (a) The Economics of the Three Pronged Approach: this will present a publication with an economic model for integrated urbanization, combining legal framework, municipal finance, and planning and design. The three are necessary components for sustainable urbanization. An economic model and case studies from cities and history will be presented by Serge Salat, and followed by a panel of senior economists. (b) Financing for Resilient and Green Urban Global Solutions: The event focuses on inclusive and sustainable financing in promoting housing and urban development, takes a rights-based approach to address the financing needs of the poor and vulnerable groups. It finances integrated and balanced urban development and strategically addresses challenges in financing cities. It takes a strategic and transformative approach to address the long term mobilization of financial resources for achieving the New Urban Agenda.
The United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth (UNMGCY), the official children and youth engagement platform in UN processes, will launch the Quito Youth Commitment (QYC), which is comprised of three pillars. The first revolves around meaningful engagement in the follow-up and review of the NUA within the Governing Council, World Urban Forum (WUF), and High-Level Political Forum (HLPF). The second pillar is the "Cities 2030 Young Professional Programme," which seeks to create synergies and partnership between youth and local governments for sustainable urban development. Finally, the third pillar is the "Sustainable Urban Development Youth Initiatives" programme, which seeks to showcase actions and campaigns undertaken by young people around sustainable urban development, as well as academic research conducted by young practitioners and scientists.
Leave No One Behind: Urban Inclusion and Prosperity
“Leave no one behind” has been the key concept in recent discussions and in the outcomes of global development frameworks. The New Urban Agenda recognizes it as a main principle and as a necessary commitment covering the social dimension of sustainability with interlinked impacts in a sustained urban prosperity for all.
Growing inequalities in both developed and developing countries have hindered development around the world, in some cases undermining previous societal achievements. The persistence of multiple forms of poverty, including the rising number of slum and informal settlement dwellers, is a sad reality in a number of countries, which makes urban segregation a spatially visible phenomenon in many cities. The challenges faced by vulnerable groups as well as the growing diversity of urban dwellers brought about by globalization and the concurrent massive movement of people displaced by conflicts or in search of a better life, further complicate in the quest of ensuring urban inclusion and prosperity for all.
The New Urban Agenda highlights the importance of spatial dimension of inclusivity and suggests a new model of progressive actions to avoid segregation at the policy and implementation levels. This will allow achievement shared prosperity through equal access to the opportunities and benefits that good urbanization can offer.
Supported by the provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and all international human rights treaties, the New Urban Agenda adopts a people centered approach to urbanization focusing on increased public participation, social cohesion and integration of cultural diversity. It combines this with the commitment to ensure equal access to urban infrastructure, basic services, and adequate housing for all, in a socioeconomically mixed environment where people can lead decent, dignified, and rewarding lives achieving their full human potential.
The High Level Round Table will discuss the underlining principles of urban inclusion and prosperity for all, identifying concrete actions to meet the commitments made within the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, and further strengthening global partnerships for sustainable urban development.
Guiding Questions
Launch of the 4th Global Report on Local Democracy and Decentralization (GOLD IV): Co-creating the Urban Future: the Agenda of Metropolises, Cities and Territories. This study, which has been carried out by international multi-disciplinary teams and informed the inputs of the local and regional government constituency throughout the Habitat III process, is the most comprehensive global reflection on the state of local and territorial governance. It has been drawn up as the legacy of local and regional governments in the Habitat process, building links with the overall global development agendas (SDGs, Habitat III, climate change). It voices the priorities of local and regional leaders and will guide the work of the local and regional government networks gathered in and around UCLG. The GOLD IV report makes a unique contribution by moving away from traditional sectoral approaches to a broader, territorial approach, based on an in- depth analysis of three different levels, namely: i) metropolitan areas; ii) intermediary cities; and iii) Territories (regions, small towns and rural areas). The report provides analyses, examples of local government innovation, and case studies from across the world to support many of the key recommendations that key mayors and governors will bring forward at the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments. In summary, the GOLD IV Report provides the underlying arguments and evidence to advocate for the essential role of local and regional governments in addressing many of the world's most pressing challenges and in supporting the New Urban Agenda.
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Presentation of the World Habitat Awards to 2016 winners: Cano Martin Pena Fideicomisso (Puerto Rico) and Self Help Housing in the North of England (UK) The World Habitat Awards, is the world’s leading global annual housing award. Established in 1985 by the Building and Social Housing Foundation as part of its contribution to the United Nations International Year of Shelter for the Homeless. Run in partnership with UN Habitat it rewards projects that provide inspiring, practical and innovative solutions to current global housing needs.
The event consists of the launch of ICPC’s 5th International Report (2016), to be made with ICPC partners UN-Habitat Global Network on Safer Cities and Women in Cities International. The three speakers will present concrete cases and examples for those involved in crime prevention, community safety and justice. Following the presentation, a discussion on the themes covered will be held with the event participants.
Parliamentarians for the New Urban Agenda
This is a panel that dedicated for the parliamentarians of the world to debate the importance of developing a legal framework in each country in order to meet the commitments that will come out from that Habitat III Conference.
The Roundtable session would begin with the speech of the President of the GPH laying out the objectives and expectations from the Roundtable and setting the tone of the discussion for the session. There would be a maximum of 10 speakers representing different regions of the world, with each speaker discussing the region he or she represents in relation to the areas indicated in the key interrogatives section. There will be a moderated question and answer session at the end of the Roundtable in which attendees and parliamentarians are encourage to participate and interact.
Guiding Questions
Roundtable 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) ?
This event will provide a platform for municipal governments to make commitments towards the Every Woman Every Child Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health to improve adolescent health and wellbeing in urban settings. There will be an interactive panel discussion between governments, civil society, United Nations agencies and the private sector to share lessons learnt implementing, measuring, and monitoring effective initiatives and policies in cities with regards to adolescent health and wellbeing. The panelists will raise awareness of issues related to adolescent health and wellbeing in urban settings, including their importance in addressing reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health. Finally the event will provide an important opportunity to share implementable solutions and discuss the role of cities in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
This event will begin by presenting a global perspective on National Urban Policies and the role of National Urban Policies as a tool for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, from the perspective of countries which have begun the National Urban Policies process. The event then focuses on the Arab States region and presents and discusses the regional programme on National Urban Policies in this area. In addition, the event provides other countries in the region with the opportunity to exchange experiences and lessons learnt from their ongoing processes and with those outside the region.
Urban law is the collection of policies, legislation, guidelines, decisions, and practices that govern the management and development of the urban environment. The New Urban Agenda reaffirms the importance to establish transparent and accountable processes, institutions, and legal and policy frameworks to enable governments to effectively implement national urban policies and empower them as policy and decision-makers. The New Urban Agenda recognizes that urban law is necessary to create a stable and predictable framework for both the public and private sector, action, in order to: leave no one behind and promote equality; guarantee inclusion of vulnerable groups; define conditions for access to land, infrastructure, housing and basic services; outline rules for planning and decision-making; push for improved livelihoods and living conditions; establish fiscal systems that capitalize on the increase in land value; and support municipal borrowing. Urban legislation in many developing countries has failed to guide and support sustainable urban development and to effectively implement urban policies. Urban law is in fact characterized by the lowest implementation rates ineffectiveness than any other field of law. In contrast to some literature that suggests that this situation derives from poor enforcement, we propose that, in large part, it derives from structural weakness of the legal frameworks and the rule of law. The challenge lies in the technical and political order that develops spatial planning frameworks, and is a question of the systematic perpetuation of that order, rather than the way people interact with these laws after they have been developed. There are also major challenges to the policy direction of spatial planning because it is generally poorly conceived and formulated.
In general:
a) Urban law frameworks are complex and fragmented and do not reflective of the capacity and resources that are locally available.
b) Planning frameworks are usually highly technocratic nature and designed without consideration of their feasibility, appropriateness, and local capacity.
c) Regulations are often inadequate to the challenges of urban development: they are rigid, inflexible, costly, and incapable of responding to on-the-ground needs and changes. Regulatory constraints on land supply, such as poor land allocation practices and arbitrary or discretionary normative regulations (densities, floor-area ratios, plots sizes), have limited urban productivity in the supply of affordable housing.
d) The international transfer of best practice, including the direct copying of legal instruments, remains the prevalent approach in developing urban law, often failing to reflect local practice and culture and providing limited or no opportunities for effective review and adjustment.
The New Urban Agenda states the need to readdress the way we plan, finance, develop, govern, and manage cities and a number of its commitments and implementation actions will need effective legal frameworks to be turned into reality. Effective urban legislation is backed by a clear urban policy, has a clear purpose, has a content that responds to the regulated problem, and takes into account the available evidence, existing situation, resources, capacity and views of stakeholders. Effective urban legislation has a clear and enabling structure; it is presented clearly, is user-friendly, easy to comply with; compatible with other legal instruments, and incorporates sufficient mechanisms to monitor implementation and measure results. Despite capacity development and more sustainable fiscal system can contribute substantially in increasing the implementation chances of legislation only regulations that are effective can guarantee a sustainable and predictable long term urbanization process, reduce corruption and enhance the rule of law. In these efforts, it is important to align with Sustainable Development Goal 16, which includes targets on effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
Guiding Questions
· The New Urban Agenda anchors the effective implementation of inclusive and participatory urban policies supported by national, sub-national, and local institutional and regulatory frameworks. One of the most frequent reasons identified for the scarce implementation and enforcement of planning regulations is the lack of human and financial resources. "We have good laws, the problem is the implementation" Do you agree? Would you agree that we have goodlaws, but the problem is implementation? Do you think cities in developing countries should wait until they have enough human and financial resources to start implementing their urban legislation? What do you think are the major challenges to the reform of current legal frameworks and enhancing their capability to deliver urban policies effectively?
· The New Urban Agenda reaffirms the need to eliminate legal and institutional barriers to access basic services, affordable land and housing for people and local communities in vulnerable situations. What do you think should be the role of urban law in promoting equity and inclusion?
· One of the commitments of the New Urban Agenda urges Member states to strengthen urban governance, with sound institutions and mechanisms that review, and thus provides predictability and coherence in the urban development plans and enhancing social inclusion, sustained, inclusive, sustainable economic growth, and environmental protection. Urban legal frameworks are characterized by their low effectiveness and implementation rate. Which governance, legal, and regulatory environment can support harnessing the full development potential of the cities?
· The New Urban Agenda stresses the importance of transparency and accountability in the definition and implementation of inclusive and effective urban policies and legislation for sustainable urban development. How should legal and institutional frameworks be reformed to improve transparency and accountability?
Managing Risks to Ensure Sustainable Urban Development in a Changing Climate
Special Session 17 will bring together key implementing partners of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) in order to discuss practical approaches and demonstrable examples from different regions and cities with particular reference to the five key drivers for action identified in the Issue Paper 17.
The session will help identify replicable approaches and promote peer learning among urban stakeholders foreseen to participate in the sessions: National and Local Governments, Academia, Businesses, Civil Society and the United Nations System.
The five key drivers for action in climate-proof and risk informed sustainable urbanization are:
· Urban Planning and Design;
· Urban Governance;
· Urban Economy, Finance and Investment;
· Inclusion & Participation; and
· Information, Data and Knowledge Management (incl. Multi-Hazard early warning systems and integrated City services).
The Session will bring together a range of stakeholders and organizations to share experiences and develop a partnership-based approach, it will:
· Highlight issues related to disaster risks and climate impacts to build the resilience of cities and human settlements;
· Discuss solutions for the implementation of the five key drivers for action outlined in Issue paper 17 and share replicable experiences from different regions and cities;
· Discuss experiences and recommendations linking the implementation of the New Urban Agenda with the Sustainable Development Goals, the Sendai Framework, and the Paris Agreement outcomes; and
Guiding Questions
· What are the key considerations – both in Climate Change and DRR - that have proven to be a catalyst for sustainable urban development?
· How can national level processes and mechanisms inaugurated under the SDGs/UNFCCC/UNISDR contribute to sustainable urbanization and development in a vertically integrated manner?
· How can we successfully link the recent international agendas, the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement on Climate Change, DRR and Resilience with the New Urban Agenda?
· What financing mechanisms can be adopted to ensure that cities, especially in least developed countries, have the resources they need for achieving climate/risk compatibility and sustainable urban development?
· What new technologies serve as effective disaster preparedness tools in high risk zones in developing countries?
· What are the positive benefits to be realized from resilient urban development (e.g. Health, planning and construction)?
Inclusion and Integration: Using the New Urban Agenda to Improve the Lives of the People Living in Informal Settlements
With nearly 1 billion slum dwellers around the world, this session aims at providing a practical guide on the approaches and actions that will help improve the lives of people living in slums and informal settlements through the the New Urban Agenda as a framework.
Using the guiding questions outlined below, the session will involve a group of experts offering their insights on the improvement of conditions of the people living in slums and informal settlemts within the New Urban Agenda. The Session will consider what challenges need to be addressed and offer recommendations on implementation and options for monitoring of the New Urban Agenda.
Guiding Questions
· What are the critical steps key stakeholders need to take to implement the New Urban Agenda for improving the lives of people living in slums and informal settlements?
· How can we operationalize the integrated approach of the New Urban to improve the conditions of informal settlements?
· How can we encourage and promote the participation of informal dwellers in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda? How can technology support this process?
· How can the progress and impact of the New Urban Agenda be monitored and measured?
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
UNIDO promotes the mainstreaming of eco-industrial parks (EIP) in developing and emerging economies and is currently implementing a comprehensive programme of seven (7) EIP pilot projects. Such parks have significant potential as they foster economic and social growth whilst safeguarding the environment. Thus, eco-industrial development integrates business and environment to create economic opportunities and improved eco-systems as well as innovative avenues for business.
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
UNESCO and the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, with the support of the municipalities of Quito (Ecuador) and Montevideo (Uruguay) are co-organizing the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities (ICCAR) panel within the context Habitat III. This panel discussion will consider the complex urban settings of the 21st century which remain a fertile terrain for unemployment, poverty and inequalities. Overpopulation within cities and peripheral urban spaces, coupled with increasing diversity resulting from migration, has resulted in the socioeconomic exclusion of populations, gaps in service delivery and serious challenges to social harmony. The primary goals of the panel will be to share good practices among mayors and city-level decision-makers, and to work collaboratively on the implementation of a New Urban Agenda. The agenda will tackle forms of discrimination—such as racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance—and work towards building peace and inclusivity in cities worldwide. This represents a timely and much-needed opportunity to develop a holistic and viable agenda that takes into consideration all the aspects of building peaceful and sustainable cities, including the often-neglected theme of cities embracing their diverse populations. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided n English, Spanish and French.
https://www.unesco.org/shs/citiesagainstdiscrimination-iccar
Although the importance of citizen participation is often mentioned in the discourse of many city governments, these have not been successful in opening spaces and developing tools to fully integrate city dwellers’ needs and concerns. In most cities, people encounter daily social and environmental issues as a result of a chaotic and accelerated urbanization process. Water quality and access, waste management, air quality and mobility, and growing conflicts related to green areas and public spaces are among the most common challenges. At the same time, in many cities around the world, neighbours, city dwellers, social movements and NGOs have developed a broad spectrum of innovative ideas and initiatives to deal with issues like these, rethinking their lives and relationship with the urban environment, with invaluable cutting edge knowledge on citizen participation, city adaptation strategies and other mechanisms and tools. Our goal with this networking event is to discuss ways to nurture the construction of inclusive, sustainable and livable cities through the enabling of ordinary people and their initiatives, and to have a productive conversation about the enormous potential of a people-powered democratic journey for urban development."
The world is rapidly urbanizing. By 2050, over half of the Earth’s population will live in urban environments – a first for mankind. And while cities can – and should – spur solutions for many of humanity’s most pressing challenges, they can also breed inequality. Building off of the visions of the SDGs and COP21 Agreement, the New Urban Agenda is poised to set a paradigm shift in motion – one that moves the world toward truly equitable development that respects people’s rights. The world is waiting to have a global framework in place that will ground the aspirations of the SDGs and COP21 in concrete principles and recommendations for action. And yet, after Quito is when the real work will begin. We believe that combatting spatial inequality in urbanization and urban settings will require robust multi-sectoral approaches and learning from colleagues from across the globe. The systems that produce and perpetuate inequality – unequal access to rights and government, a failure to provide and protect public goods, the unfair rules of the economy, land speculation and concentration of property – all play out in cities and are all deeply intertwined. What’s more, they are becoming increasingly global as markets, political realities and migration patterns all bleed over country boundaries. Cross-sector collaboration will be key to combatting inequality around the world. This event will focus on strengthening integrated approaches to disrupting spatial inequality in cities. We will bring together experts from diverse backgrounds and geographies who each tackle urban inequality. The discussion will highlight best practices, lessons learned, and challenges to tackling spatial inequality across a range of global contexts to explore what we share in common and what we can learn from each other to achieve our common goals.
The event will partly be based on the experiences of the independent think tank Global Challenge (Global Utmaning) and the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions (SALAR), and particularly the initiatives Nordic Urban Ways and the SymbioCity approach. Illustrative examples will show the role of leadership in letting economic, social and ecological sustainability be the drivers of development, transforming Swedish and Nordic cities into some of the most livable in the world. Governance and development of cities entails guiding society and its organizations towards long-term visions and goals, as well as balancing needs, demands and priorities. This requires a leadership that goes beyond the management of plans, people and resources. Urban planning is often left to planners and engineers, but planning and developing environmentally, economically and socially sustainable cities requires a holistic perspective and public participation. Successful city leaders understand and communicate the needs of the city, develop a long-term vision and facilitate processes that involve all stakeholders. But leadership in governance and development is also about taking uncomfortable decisions, thinking outside the box, being a true visionary and proposing innovative solutions that challenge people to move out of their comfort zones. Focus will be on the role of political leaders and decision-makers in leading communities towards sustainable development by inspiring, convincing and involving all stakeholders. The event will evolve around four perspectives: -Developing and realizing a shared vision. -Mobilizing stakeholders to share ownership -Bridging boundaries and ensure continuity -Promoting integrated working methods, both within and between local governments, stakeholders and citizens.
The networking session at the Habitat III conference will offer a space for interaction and learning among cities representatives. The event will be structured as an interactive dialogue between research- and city-level urban practitioners, to explore lessons learnt as well as arising opportunities regarding the integration of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures in urban renewal and renovation policies, programmes and projects. There will be presentations by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Chile; The Metropolitan Ministerial Secretariat for Housing and Urban Development, Santiago Chile; Greater Chennai Corporation, India; City of Durban, South Africa; and FLACSO Ecuador or Architects Association Ecuador. Moderation by BMUB/GIZ
The event aims at inviting and sharing with a global audience, the experiences of managing inclusive Urban Planning processes in Kenya leading to the formulation of the first generation of Integrated Strategic Urban Development Plans (ISUDPs), within a recently devolved government system. Under this framework, the two levels of governments: National and County levels are charged with various functions of policy, urban and regional planning and development. Citizens mandate in Planning is legitimized through a number of legislative instruments and freely exercised through a new found relationship with government that is consistent with the new Urban Agenda principal of 'leaving no one behind'. The ISUDPs formulated under the Kenya Municipal Program (KMP) are a product of 'citizen centered planning'. Further, the event will share and disseminate outcomes from an International Collaborative Student Design Competition that featured the cities and towns under KMP. Through highlighting the paradigm shift in urban planning in Kenya, the event will illustrate the current challenges and opportunities, trends and future perspectives of sustainable urbanisation in Kenya in line with New Urban Agenda vision of cities for all, and will also facilitate dialogue among Policy Makers, Professionals, Development Partners, Civil Society and the Youth.
This networking event will convene diverse stakeholders to explore the key elements that make poor urban communities’ self-reliant and resilient and how humanitarian and development actors can support and catalyze this process. The event will stimulate discussions around how to leverage inherent abilities of communities to develop innovative solutions to address ever-increasing risk of emergent disasters and everyday adversities particularly in informal settings in urban areas. After the keynote speech, the participants at this event are invited to join the discussions on a rotating basis at the following solution tables:
This networking event has the main objective of informing the Urban Resilience stakeholders of the research and practices contributing to Urban Resilience processes so that there is opportunity to better understand and learn and enhance engagement in resilience process. The following are key objectives contributing to the main objective. 1. To highlight and explain the connection between leading research and on the ground experiences and lessons from the field addressing urban risk and resilience through climate change adaptation and improved public health This session will feature two internationally recognised research experts (2X20 mins presentation) who will address the pathways for adapting climate resilience and healthy communities of the future at the local and regional levels (Norman & Hancock). Practical global examples and case studies will be used to highlight the practice. 2. To provide a forum/opportunities for city mayors, disaster management authorities and practitioners to present the urban resilience case for sharing and cross learning Presentation (from city officials of Jakarta, Manila and Dhaka) which highlight the local resilience building processes and practices in respective cities, providing opportunities for the participants to understand and learn the challenges and opportunities in the process. A separate Panel discussion and question answer session will be organised to further the discussion to find out a way forward in urban resilience practices. Panel will represent three different but closely linked sectors, the academics, practitioners and government. 3. To launch the Child Centered Urban Resilience Framework (product of Plan International Australia and ARUP International partnership) The product will be launched jointly by Plan International and ARUP and is made available to the practitioners that will help guide the resilience programming in cities to ensure the most vulnerable group-children are part of the process.
In this event, Barcelona will share its vision to become a new model of sustainable city, focused on the collaborative boosting of both public spaces and affordable housing. Through the presentation of its current challenges, and strategies to tackle them, the City Council intends to emphasize the complementarity of urban ecology and social justice areas in urban management. Excessive pollution and noise levels combine with the social problems of an economic crisis rooted in the speculation of housing treated as a commodity, rather than a right. To cope with this scenario, Barcelona is developing a transdisciplinary approach (combining urban planning, mobility and ecology), which will transform the public space, the built environment and citizens’ habits to make the city for living. This model could stimulate further collaboration with other cities, such as the partnerships that have been successfully carried out with Medellín. To achieve more mixed, compact, just, sensible cities, we must consider that, like the street, the house too is a collective matter. Therefore, the Barcelona new model for sustainable city is mostly based on a plan to give the streets back to residents (by pedestrianizing the interior of major blocks, known as “superilles”, i.e. mini neighbourhoods around which traffic will flow), as well as on an urban rehabilitation strategy which focuses on the access to affordable and decent housing (by filling up the empty spaces of the built-up city and repopulating neighborhoods). By promoting the rehabilitation sector as a key element of the local economy, this approach shall, on one hand, reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, promote savings and energy efficiency, increase the production of renewable energy and ensure access to energy. On the other hand, it shall halt gentrification and guarantee the right to housing as the bedrock of basic rights such as health, education and voting.
The people who face the most acute urban housing problem are those who have no housing or permanent shelter – those who experience unsheltered homelessness. While the scope of unsheltered homelessness is not fully known, its solutions are. They are shelter and housing for all. In this Networking Event, there will be discussion of an emerging framework and methodology for assessing the dimensions of unsheltered homelessness; and an action plan to end it. The Event will begin with a series of brief presentations describing: the work of an international research partnership on a global framework for measuring homelessness and unsheltered homelessness; efforts being undertaken by an international homelessness network to mobilize a campaign that will solve the problem; and experts and activists from across the globe who will describe their own work to monitor, measure and end unsheltered homelessness. A facilitated discussion among all event attendees will follow. Those attending the Event can expect to leave with an up-to-the-minute understanding of international and national action that is underway to measure and solve unsheltered homelessness. Further, they will have access to an emerging network of those working on the issue in countries like theirs, including researchers, activists, housing and service providers, and consumers. Finally, they will have the ability to share information and ideas, and if they wish to do more to help end unsheltered homelessness, to link to other like-minded colleagues. Unsheltered homelessness affects men and women, families with children, youth, the elderly, and people with disabilities. It occurs in nations – wealthy and poor – across the globe. It has severe negative impacts on individuals and on cities. It must be ended: and it can be with the provision of shelter and housing. At this Event, participants will learn and collaborate toward that goal.
The target 7 of Goal 11 SDGs states that “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. In the past three-decades, Chinese has experienced the rapid urbanization, and urban population has reached to 56% at the end of 2015. Urban public space plays an important role in sustainable urban development. The networking event will share the experience and lessons learned in the development of urban public space in China, and also introduce the People Oriented Urban Public Space Programme in China set up by UN-Habitat. The presentations will focus on the public policies and regulations, best practices, and technical issues in China. The speakers will be from the urban planning and design institutions, the governments and NGOs internationally and domestically.
Local government financing is one of the main challenges for the successful implementation of the new urban agenda, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals. Indeed, most of the investments to be made to reach these objectives will be led by local authorities. But what are the real capacities of Local Governments to finance these investments? As regards local finance, the imbalance between the responsibilities devolved upon local authorities and their resources have severe consequences on the wellbeing of inhabitants of urban and peri-urban areas. As the urgency to meet the needs and the costs of inaction call for a quick and collective action, there is a need to follow-up the financial capacities of local governments worldwide to implement the international recommendations, and alert if needed. United Cities and Local Government (UCLG), in collaboration with the OECD and with the support of the AFD, are launching a study, which is a first step towards a global observatory on local finances. It presents main organizational and financial indicators related to subnational governments in 100 countries worldwide, list the main information sources at international and national levels, as well as identify methodological and information gaps to be addressed. Now we have to go further to transform this building block into a more comprehensive and permanent tool, pooling our efforts to draft a 3-5 years roadmap, bringing together local elected officials, technicians from local and central governments, academics, and technical and financial partners, to gradually improve the quality of the information collected, its analysis, and the resulting recommendations. Such a tool, at the national level, will also promote and facilitate dialogue between the various levels of governments and enhance the multi-level governance needed for an efficient fiscal decentralization.
During the last few years, the Central American Council for Housing and Human Settlements (CCVAH) has succeeded in the implementation of its two main instruments, i.e. the Central American Strategy for Housing and Human Settlements and the Agenda for Territorial Management. The challenges identified, most of them closely linked to the necessity of fostering the creation of more resilient human settlements, adaptation to meet climate change in urban and rural areas, the development of effective measures and dynamics for social inclusion as well as the redefinition of patterns of production and consumption, are all included in the New Urban Agenda (NUA). The CCVAH will present its stance on a number of issues, drawing attention to the relevant regional aspects, which will hopefully be considered under the NUA. One of the outstanding issues that should be taken into account here concerns a more flexible definition of intermediate cities and their specific role in the dynamics of development in small country regions, as presently the case in Central America and the Dominican Republic. The NUA should reconsider the difference between global intermediate cities and the scale of those which could form a network of intermediate cities in Central America and the Dominican Republic. Hence, the Central American Declaration on the NUA emphasises the importance of secondary cities in terms of acting as a potential territorial and functional pivot in the context of regional integration. A study of the network of intermediate cities in El Salvador will be used to present key opportunities for more sustainable urban and territorial development in a better integrated region. Furthermore, the main issues of the Central American Declaration will be discussed by representatives of Cities Alliance, the Inter-American Development
Bank, the Latin American and Caribbean Forum of Ministers and
Authorities of Housing and Urbanism (MINURVI), the Central
American Secretary for Social Inclusion (SISCA), and the CCVAH. El
Consejo Centroamericano de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos
(CCVAH) ha venido trabajando durante los últimos años en la
implementación de sus instrumentos estratégicos, la Estrategia
Centroamericana de Vivienda y Asentamientos Humanos y la
Agenda Centroamericana de Ordenamiento Territorial.
Los retos identificados, muchos de los cuales se vinculan a la
necesidad de favorecer el establecimiento de asentamientos
humanos más resilientes, la adaptación al cambio climático en los
ámbitos urbanos y rurales, la generación de dinámicas para la
inclusión social y la redefinición de patrones de consumo y
producción de los mismos, entre otros, estarán presentes en la
Nueva Agenda Urbana. El CCVAH presentará su posicionamiento en
cuanto a varios aspectos, poniendo atención en aspectos de
relevancia regional que ojala sean considerados en la NAU.
Uno de los aspectos más destacables para su reconocimiento
considera una definición más flexible de ciudades intermedias y su
rol específico en la dinámica del desarrollo en regiones de países de
tamaño pequeño, como es el caso de América Central y la República
Dominicana. La NAU debería reconocer la diferencia entre ciudades
intermedias de escala global y aquella que podrían formar una red de
ciudades intermedias en Centroamérica y la República Dominicana.
Por ende, la Declaración Centroamericana sobre la NAU pone
énfasis en la importancia de ciudades intermedias en términos de su
actuación como potencial pivote territorial y funcional en el contexto
de la integración regional.
Se usará un estudio del sistema de ciudades intermedias en El
Salvador para presentar oportunidades claves de un desarrollo
urbano y territorial más sustentable en una región mejor integrada.
Además, los aspectos principales de la Declaración Centroamericana
van a ser tratados por representantes de Cities Alliance, el Banco
Interamericano de Desarrollo, el Foro de Ministros y Autoridades
Máximas de la Vivienda y el Urbanismo de América Latina y el
Caribe (MINURVI), la Secretaría de Integración Social
Centroamericana (SISCA) y el CCVAH.
Among key stakeholders (State, Private Sector and Civil Society) on the pillars and core thematic areas of the New Urban Agenda with a conscious effort to reconcile or adapt these to the reality of SIDS and our territories in particular. Presenters will share the road travelled by the territories of Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica and Barbados over the last two decades as well as international perspectives and explore the challenges and possible solutions to adapting the Agenda to Caribbean States. In doing so there will be discussion on the best practices and innovative responses applied within the Region. The dialogue which will begin in Quito will continue until a network is built among urban development practitioners, policy makers and civil society in the Caribbean; until we achieve “The Future We Want” and our urban spaces enable us to “lead peaceful, healthy, prosperous and free lives with full respect of human rights for all”.
The Forum "Harmonization of the Dynamics of Popular Economy and Popular and Solidarity Economy for sustainable urban development" peruses to shown how the Popular Economy and Popular and Solidarity Economy contributes to the sustainable development of the cities. In this way, an analysis of the Latin American context and local situation (Ecuador) will be presented an it will generate a debate of the suitable use of public spaces for the development of productive and commercial activities of popular Economy and Popular and Solidarity Economy. It is necessary to identify the mechanisms of support of this sector of the Economy and its articulation in the sustainable development of cities, as an effective response in the construction of an equitable society. In addition, this Forum will count with the participation of renowned professors and researchers.
El Foro “Armonización de las Dinámicas de Economía Popular y Economía Popular y Solidaria para el desarrollo urbano sostenible”, busca visibilizar cómo la Economía Popular y Economía Popular y Solidaria contribuye al desarrollo sostenible de las ciudades, presentando un análisis del contexto latinoamericano y la situación local (Ecuador), que permita generar un debate sobre el uso del espacio público para el desarrollo de actividades productivas y comerciales de la Economía Popular y la Economía Popular y Solidaria; siendo necesario identificar los mecanismos de apoyo a este sector de la economía y su articulación en el desarrollo sostenible de las ciudades, como una respuesta efectiva en la construcción de una sociedad más justa y equitativa.
In today’s largely urban and still rapidly urbanising world, hundreds of millions of children and youth live and work in deprived conditions in cities. It is estimated that approximately 60% of all urban dwellers will be under the age of 18 years by 2030. The scale and speed of this trend poses serious risks and challenges to the health, safety and well-being of children, especially the most vulnerable. Trapped in fragile pockets of cities across the world, children suffer terrible violations of their basic human rights; living in overcrowded spaces, often on streets contaminated with garbage and dangerous waste. They lack safe public spaces to play, and are vulnerable to crime and violence, prostitution, abuse and exploitation. This event will provide a platform for leading global and local child-focused agencies and other key partners to share their urban evidence base and innovative strategies on effective and sustainable development that contribute to children’s well-being and the fulfilment of their rights. To contribute to inclusive and just cities for children, the event will provide a platform to discuss concrete partnership proposals that can be scaled up, in collaboration with other stakeholders, to support the implementation of The New Urban Agenda. Multi-sectoral strategic partnerships are required to be effective in dealing with complex urban issues, and advocating for sustained change through policy reform. This event will propose an architecture of a global partnership and action plans for collaboration post Habitat III.
•Presentation of key findings from Diagnosis of Gender Equality Integration in Cities Alliance Country Programmes (Gender Diagnosis) of relevance for all organizations implementing urban development projects. •Presentation of practical examples of gender mainstreaming from country programme in Uganda •Questions and answers with the Diagnosis team •Panel discussion with implementing partners of Cities Alliance • Direct coaching and practical advice to improve gender mainstreaming in project design and implementation.
The side event will explore urbanisation from the perspective of the 48 Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Two thirds of urbanisation in LDCs is yet to happen and this in itself presents an immense opportunity to accelerate their productive capacity in line with the vision of the Istanbul Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries (IPoA). The side event will discuss forward looking policies and plans for translating the rapid urbanisation process that is currently underway in LDCs as a vehicle for sustainable growth and building resilient cities. It will cover areas such as urban planning, infrastructure, affordable housing, financing options for investments to reshape their urban capacity and tap into the full potential of the urbanisation process. It will discuss priority areas for action for LDC governments and local authorities to better cope and manage the transition to urbanisation in a sustainable manner. The panel consisting of representatives from government of LDCs, development partners, the United Nations system and academia will also look at how to strengthen coherence and synergy in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, the 2030 Agenda and the IPoA. The panel discussion followed by an interactive Questions and Answers session with the broader audience.
The global aspirations and targets set in the New Urban Agenda need to be integrated into regional and national planning processes, policies and strategies. In this respect, it becomes critical to define regional implementation frameworks for the New Urban Agenda to ensure alignment with regional priorities and facilitate effective sub-regional, national and sub-national operationalization. Anchored in the African Union's Agenda 2063, the Common African Position on Habitat III and the Abuja Declaration on “Africa’s Priorities for the New Urban Agenda” of the Habitat III Africa Regional Conference, and guided by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, this event will identify the priorities and opportunities for implementing the New Urban Agenda in Africa. It will consider this in the context of Africa's efforts to accelerate inclusive structural transformation as a top priority. The event will also highlight the main elements and arrangements for the development of an implementation framework for the New Urban Agenda in Africa. It will thus facilitate dialogue and opportunities for partnership between Member States and key stakeholders in the achievement of the visions set out in the New Urban Agenda in Africa.
Knowledge and Capacity after Quito: Mapping Out Academia’s Commitment to the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Urbanization
Academics and researchers are advocates for the use of sound research methods, and support the co-production and sharing of knowledge to better inform policy-making and to strengthen the capacity of government agencies to serve their constituents. The academic and research community could also monitor the development, management, governance, and capacity building initiatives of human settlements worldwide. With a focus on the creation of a multi-stakeholder “knowledge platform” for sustainable urbanization and cutting-edge, scalable capacity building initiatives, this Roundtable will demonstrate how and why researchers and academics promote nature-based innovation, robust science-policy interfaces in urban and territorial planning and policy formulation, the use of a systems approach to understand and address complex urban issues, as well as institutionalized mechanisms for sharing and exchanging information and capacity building techniques. The Roundtable will focus on a set of actions needed to create and operationalize the engagement and contribution of the research and academia constituency in the Quito Implementation Plan, as well as in the monitoring of the New Urban Agenda.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
This event is about achieving sustainable development through integrating water in urban planning, it’s about “Water Security” taken as defined by the United Nations - as the capacity of a population to safeguard sustainable access to adequate quantities of acceptable quality water for sustaining livelihoods, human well-being, and socioeconomic development, for ensuring protection against water-borne pollution and water-related disasters, and for preserving ecosystems in a climate of peace and political stability. The New Urban Agenda represents a paradigm shift towards a new model of urbanization that can better respond to the challenges of our age. It promotes cities that are environmentally sustainable and resilient; socially inclusive; safe; economically productive; and better connected to and contributing towards sustained rural transformation. Water – both as a threat and an opportunity - is a key part of this process and is a great entry point to the transition to a new urban agenda by developing an understanding of the city, its landscape, and its natural water cycle. Water is a connector between various sectors in the city and between the city and its hinterland, thereby having an enormous network potential to achieve sustainable development of cities. Cities can no longer take current water security and services for granted. A new vision for resilient, inclusive and liveable cities is possible.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) SDG6 and SDG11, are a bold call for the promotion of sustainable urban water management. To achieve this we need to harness the power of collaboration across all levels of government, especially in cities, to ensure that no one is left behind on the path to the New Urban Agenda of 2030. IWA and its partner organizations will support the New Urban Agenda in delivering sustainable, resilient and liveable cities through collaborative and cross-cutting approaches. A critical component is that water and sanitation services be universally accessible and affordable, in particular for vulnerable populations. Integrated urban water management must address public health, minimize disaster risks, aim at prevention and uphold human rights in the urban space. In turn, this will create a secure and therefore enabling environment for investments.
IWA’s Principles for Water Wise Cities are to foster a progressive water vision amongst all urban stakeholders. The OECD Principles on Water Governance are to guide Cities in assessing theirgovernance assets and bottlenecks, enabling sustainable urban water. These two tools will be briefly presented as means to support cities in the implementation of the water-related paragraphs in the New Urban Agenda; in particular on point 119 of Zero Draft, which was proposed by the UN-Habitat/GWOPA led Expert Group Meeting on Water. This point applies to all dimensions of water, not only as a basic service, but to the disaster risk it brings (too much, too little, too polluted) and the opportunities it brings (trade, food, energy), shared in the Keynote from the Netherlands. This practical-oriented event complements the WWC event on the political impetus of water for urban development.
Decent Work, Labour Rights, Public Services and Tax Justice: The Keys to Inclusive Cities
Cities will not be truly inclusive until all workers, including migrant workers, have decent work, safe and healthy working and living conditions, and are entitled to fundamental labour and human rights. Workers represent the largest share of urban dwellers and are the engines of socio-economic integration and inclusive growth: they build the cities and keep them running but they are often marginalized and in precarious working and living conditions, and they need labour rights, empowerment, protection, and capacity development.
The Roundtable will focus on the following sub-themes:
It will Illustrate how decent work, tax justice for local communities, universal access to essential public services, and the inclusion of social and labour clauses in procurement policies are key to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
Launch of tool and publication, including on the right to adequate housing. Publication and guidance developed by human rights mechanisms and UN agencies provide useful tools for local and national actors to develop laws, policies and programmes that respect and promote human rights.
The International Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning (IG-UTP) are intended to be a framework for improving global policies, plans, design and implementation processes, which will lead to more compact, socially inclusive, better integrated and connected cities and territories that foster sustainable urban development and are resilient to climate change. While the IG-UTP serve as a compass to guide the review and reform of the planning system, a toolkit to operationalize and localize the principles is needed. A Handbook to implement the IG-UTP is being developed by UN-Habitat to support this process. The Handbook will include a methodology for self-assessment of the local planning system, while also providing with a set of indicators for monitoring and evaluating this process. While the tools are in development, UN-Habitat aims to use networking platforms and events such as the Habitat III in Quito to share and seek validation of the Handbook and application tools. The objective of this event is to introduce the IG-UTP to the audience and illustrate their application through the Handbook in the path towards the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
No pre-registration required.
Inclusive and Equitable Cities in the New Urban Agenda: How Can Civil Society Contribute to and Realize this Vision?
This roundtable will focus on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and explore how civil society can catalyze actions around inclusion. Organizations will come together to find common ground on addressing the key issues of discriminatory practices and affordability disparities in cities.
It will focus on the importance of social inclusion and turning commitments made in the New Urban Agenda into action through the Quito Implementation Plan. The review will be followed by an examination of effective approaches with respect to stakeholders’ meaningful participation. To this end, the panel will present best practices and models of community responsive local governance, as well as how to ensure sufficient resources are equitably accessed by all. Civil society organizations will explore how to ensure that cities are socially inclusive by holding governments accountable and promoting transparency through advocacy efforts.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
In Africa - like in many other places in the world - streets and public spaces are used for public life, commerce and interaction. However, lack of funds, planning, and maintenance, as well as priority for motorized vehicles, has turned them into unsafe, unforgiving and unconnected places that are, hence, difficult to access. Streets and public spaces are a critical strategy for the implementation on the New Urban Agenda. Streets and public spaces are the places where both active transportation and recreational physical activity occur, thereby reducing risk of NCDs, which will be the number one cause of death and disability in Africa by 2020; public spaces provide the locations necessary for informal workers to ply their trade, and for people to meet; and, public spaces can provide the necessary green and open spaces in cities to maintain a wide diversity of species and landscapes within an urban context, while streets connect these spaces and function as public spaces in their own right. But, ultimately our work is related to transforming cities. Streets and public spaces are a key element of individual and social well-being and are critical for the historic, environmental, social and economic functioning of cities. In June 2016 a group of researchers, policy makers and civil society met at the Bellagio Centre in Italy to generate innovative strategies for providing public spaces in African cities and begin preparing a road map for how to address streets and public spaces as an essential service. With this side event at Habitat III we launch the Bellagio Accord on Public Spaces, which is the official summary of the event. In addition, we will continue our work to further develop the platform and begin networking with additional African partners.
The rapid urbanisation process has a direct impact on sustainable urban development and the capacity of local governments to deal with rising global challenges. Local governments must have access to adequate funding to deliver their mandates. Although local and regional governments (LRGs) are responsible for most public investments, they only receive a low share of devolved national resources. National policies should therefore facilitate adequate access to funding for subnational governments.
The proposed event has as its main objective to give a comprehensive vision on the capacities in terms of finance and competences of LRGs to design and implement adapted measures in favour of sustainable development on their territories. The concept of Municipal Finances and the role that LRGs can play therein will be further explored. The success in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda will closely depend on the establishment of an enabling environment for local public investments and the decentralization of related competences.
In order to address the challenges, LRGs support the need for further discussion on the links between the recent international agreements ("Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030", Addis Ababa Action Agenda, 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change) and the capacity of subnational governments to implement them at local level. This reflection is related to the principles of decentralization, local autonomy and effective multi-level governance.
A perspective on innovative forms of financing for sustainable urban development will be given: energy performance contracting, citizen-based funding models (crowdfunding platforms), revolving loan funds and green municipal bonds are examples of solutions that have often proven to be successful. In addition, technical support is highly needed in order to help design the appropriate financial schemes for urban areas.
Finally, capacity-building and national and international networking are crucial elements to ensure an adequate development and strengthening of LRGs in their ability to design, implement and monitor the new urban agenda.
Cross-sector dialogue of CSOs, international networks, local government networks, donor agencies, UN’s officials and government representatives to discuss human
rights and the legacy of Habitat II as an essential component of the Habitat III process and the new agenda. Habitat International Coalition (HIC) and its civil society Members and allies have expressed deep concerns and high expectations in this Habitat Conference. HIC have always called for the integrity of the Habitat II (1996) commitments and modalities during the process toward Habitat III. These demand preserving three basic principles:
-Processes must uphold the Habitat II
-established principle to be as inclusive as possible;
-Maintain the Habitat Agenda, not pose a narrower and more
-divisive "urban agenda”;
-The human rights and good governance approaches must continue to anchor and guide global human settlement policy and corresponding commitments.
Habitat III is designed to convene global actors to discuss and chart new pathways to ensure equity, resilience, sustainability, social justice and respect for the environment in human settlements. However, and as in all serial UN policy conferences, we now face the real hazard that the standard will be inferior to the one before. To avoid this, the Habitat II commitments should be critically reviewed and most of them form the foundation of the eventual Habitat III's pillars. On the other hand, it is essential to tackle the negative aspects of the urbanization process which have grown dramatically in the last 40 years: private interests regulating the price and the access to land; increasing commodification of housing and land; people forced to move to cities; and unsolvable homelessness and housing problems both in rural and urban areas, exacerbated by climate change and combined with thousands of evictions and displacements in the name of risk reduction measures, among other challenges.
Existe una oferta de energías modernas y no modernas, como priorizar el acceso según los usos de los mismos. Los actuales hábitos de comportamiento y formas de consumo en las ciudades promueven una alta demanda energética y la utilización de una variedad de vectores energéticos en las urbes, de servicios de energía modernos y no modernos lo cual tiene efectos sobre la sostenibilidad en el aprovisionamiento y uso eficiente de la energía.En este contexto el evento busca generar debate sobre como ofertar energéticos modernos a nivel de sector residencial la correlación existente entre la generación de energía y su uso final en el sector residencial urbano.El tema será abordado desde tres ejes: 1) situación actual de la oferta y el uso de la energía considerando los recursos y tecnologías de generación y su impacto en las formas de consumo del sector residencial; 2) Barreras y estrategias encaminadas hacia la especialización de la demanda para alcanzar la racionalidad en el uso de energía y potenciar el uso de los recursos locales; 3) Alternativas para la especialización y uso eficiente desde la demanda de energía.Para esto, se contará con exposiciones nacionales e internacionales que recojan diferentes perspectivas de análisis. Con este evento se espera generar insumos e ideas considerando la toma de decisión y planificación energética, el papel del desarrollo tecnológico, así como los aspectos sociales, culturales, ambientales y de salud asociados al uso de la energía.
Effective benchmarks and monitoring mechanisms will be essential to ensure the successful implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA). The comprehensiveness and complexity of the NUA highlights the need to go beyond urbanisation rates and macroeconomic statistics and take wellbeing and the quality of life of urban residents into account. These variables can tremendously affect economic outcomes and hinder the achievements of the NUA. For example, while GDP may be presently increasing, it might be occurring at a great cost to the natural environment, hindering liveability of the urban area for the present and future generation. This calls for innovative and more comprehensive monitoring instruments capable of capturing different aspects of people’s life where they experience them. This high-level event brings together experts and government representative to discuss innovative approaches in measuring wellbeing. Firstly, examples of data and indicators developed at the subnational level to provide a comprehensive picture of people’s wellbeing will be presented, based on the experience of countries such as Mexico, Columbia and Denmark which have pioneered such an initiative. For example, Mexico has established a one-stop shop for wellbeing where objective and subjective indicators are available on 11 themes and covering the 31 States and Federal District. Since 2014, the OECD has developed a framework and indicators to measure wellbeing in 395 subnational regions according to 11 topics that shape people’s life. Secondly, lessons and learning will be shared on the challenges in using indicators to steer policy decisions and opportunities to increase coordination, accountability and improve delivery of results will be discussed. The event aims to provide national and urban policy makers with deeper understanding and interest in well-being indicators and contribute to building a global partnership and political commitment to promote the wellbeing of urban residents.
One of the main key factors that determine complete access to the human right to adequate housing and a safe habitat is financing. In order to guarantee that all population have access to financing for improving their housing and habitat conditions, we have to make sure it becomes affordable, even for the socioeconomically marginalized groups, and sustainably managed by both creditors and borrowers. This event aims to present a number of financing modalities that have proved to be effective, sustainable and affordable for the majority of the population that live in precarious housing conditions. Conclusions about the challenges faced by popular habitat in Latin America will be presented, as well as two financial models that have been implemented as Good Practices whose impacts, integrality and sustainability in housing terms have been verified in further studies. These models have been considered for the formulation of public policies in Central America, particularly of the National Policy of Housing and Habitat in El Salvador.
Interactive panel discussion; aims to bring a range of research/practitioner/policymaker perspectives on the role of metropolitan finance in implementing aspects of the New Urban Agenda: M. Mohamed Sadiki, Mayor of the City of Rabat, Morocco, Head of UCLG Committee on Local Finance; Luiz de Mello, Deputy Director for Public Governance and Territorial Development, OECD; Teresa Ter-Minassian, former director of the Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF; George McCarthy, President, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; Ms. Khady Dia Sarr, Director of the City of Dakar Municipal Finance Program (invited);Moderator: Alaina Harkness, Brookings Institution.
2016 marks thirty years of the World Habitat Awards, co-ordinated by BSHF in partnership with UN-Habitat. The World Habitat Awards promotes solutions to housing problems around the world. This event features the excellent practice of Self-help Housing in the North of England (UK) and Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust (Puerto Rico), winners of the 2015-16 Awards.
Self-help Housing in the North of England is delivered by Canopy and Giroscope, charities that train homeless and vulnerable people to renovate abandoned properties and bring them back into use. The renovated houses provide low cost homes for local people who are homeless or in housing need. Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust (CLT) is transforming eight informal settlements around a polluted, flood prone channel into a sustainable community. Using the CLT mechanism provides a new model for improving informal settlements in cities and enables existing residents to remain, develop and enjoy the improvements to the area without being priced out. These projects, based within cities in different contexts, demonstrate the power that the mobilisation and direct action of people living in vulnerable communities can have in exercising their rights to housing.
The winners will provide insights into their approaches, barriers to progress and the successes and impact achieved. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share observations and discuss their own experiences and challenges. Previous World Habitat Awards winners and finalists will be invited to the event to facilitate broader learning and the sharing of good housing practices from all over the world. The external judges of the World Habitat Awards will be invited – Dr Joan Clos, the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and Ms Leilani Farha, UN Special Rapporteur Housing – to join in celebrating this year’s winners and the 30 years of the Awards.
2016 marks thirty years of the World Habitat Awards, co-ordinated by BSHF in partnership with UN-Habitat. The World Habitat Awards promotes solutions to housing problems around the world. This event features the excellent practice of Self-help Housing in the North of England (UK) and Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust (Puerto Rico), winners of the 2015-16 Awards.
Self-help Housing in the North of England is delivered by Canopy and Giroscope, charities that train homeless and vulnerable people to renovate abandoned properties and bring them back into use. The renovated houses provide low cost homes for local people who are homeless or in housing need. Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust (CLT) is transforming eight informal settlements around a polluted, flood prone channel into a sustainable community. Using the CLT mechanism provides a new model for improving informal settlements in cities and enables existing residents to remain, develop and enjoy the improvements to the area without being priced out. These projects, based within cities in different contexts, demonstrate the power that the mobilisation and direct action of people living in vulnerable communities can have in exercising their rights to housing.
The winners will provide insights into their approaches, barriers to progress and the successes and impact achieved. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share observations and discuss their own experiences and challenges. Previous World Habitat Awards winners and finalists will be invited to the event to facilitate broader learning and the sharing of good housing practices from all over the world. The external judges of the World Habitat Awards will be invited – Dr Joan Clos, the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and Ms Leilani Farha, UN Special Rapporteur Housing – to join in celebrating this year’s winners and the 30 years of the Awards.
2016 marks thirty years of the World Habitat Awards, co-ordinated by BSHF in partnership with UN-Habitat. The World Habitat Awards promotes solutions to housing problems around the world. This event features the excellent practice of Self-help Housing in the North of England (UK) and Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust (Puerto Rico), winners of the 2015-16 Awards.
Self-help Housing in the North of England is delivered by Canopy and Giroscope, charities that train homeless and vulnerable people to renovate abandoned properties and bring them back into use. The renovated houses provide low cost homes for local people who are homeless or in housing need. Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust (CLT) is transforming eight informal settlements around a polluted, flood prone channel into a sustainable community. Using the CLT mechanism provides a new model for improving informal settlements in cities and enables existing residents to remain, develop and enjoy the improvements to the area without being priced out. These projects, based within cities in different contexts, demonstrate the power that the mobilisation and direct action of people living in vulnerable communities can have in exercising their rights to housing.
The winners will provide insights into their approaches, barriers to progress and the successes and impact achieved. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share observations and discuss their own experiences and challenges. Previous World Habitat Awards winners and finalists will be invited to the event to facilitate broader learning and the sharing of good housing practices from all over the world. The external judges of the World Habitat Awards will be invited – Dr Joan Clos, the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and Ms Leilani Farha, UN Special Rapporteur Housing – to join in celebrating this year’s winners and the 30 years of the Awards.
2016 marks thirty years of the World Habitat Awards, co-ordinated by BSHF in partnership with UN-Habitat. The World Habitat Awards promotes solutions to housing problems around the world. This event features the excellent practice of Self-help Housing in the North of England (UK) and Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust (Puerto Rico), winners of the 2015-16 Awards.
Self-help Housing in the North of England is delivered by Canopy and Giroscope, charities that train homeless and vulnerable people to renovate abandoned properties and bring them back into use. The renovated houses provide low cost homes for local people who are homeless or in housing need. Caño Martín Peña Community Land Trust (CLT) is transforming eight informal settlements around a polluted, flood prone channel into a sustainable community. Using the CLT mechanism provides a new model for improving informal settlements in cities and enables existing residents to remain, develop and enjoy the improvements to the area without being priced out. These projects, based within cities in different contexts, demonstrate the power that the mobilisation and direct action of people living in vulnerable communities can have in exercising their rights to housing.
The winners will provide insights into their approaches, barriers to progress and the successes and impact achieved. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share observations and discuss their own experiences and challenges. Previous World Habitat Awards winners and finalists will be invited to the event to facilitate broader learning and the sharing of good housing practices from all over the world. The external judges of the World Habitat Awards will be invited – Dr Joan Clos, the Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and Ms Leilani Farha, UN Special Rapporteur Housing – to join in celebrating this year’s winners and the 30 years of the Awards.
The objectives of the session are as follows:
- Discuss current problems in the provision of rental housing in the developing world and the impact of current arrangements on poor and disadvantaged groups;
- Demonstrate rental housing as a sustainable form of affordable housing;
- Promote the development of well-regulated and operated rental housing;
- Provide platforms for dialogue on rental housing with a focus on strategic implementation of rental sector development.
The discussion from public, private and civil society speakers will focus on:
- Tenure security, informal landlords and disadvantaged groups;
- Policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks, rental policy and legislation to encourage the development of an affordable rental housing sector;
- Good practice in improved delivery of rental housing through community housing models; organized and accountable systems for volume and small scale management;
- Components of effective management such as selection and allocation of tenancies, rental collection mechanisms, subsidy allocation, tenure security and property repossession, maintenance of the stock and asset management as well as governance and business systems. capital and financing structures for both large and small scale providers);
- Conversion of existing subsidy systems to encourage rental housing as a viable option. Including rental housing as part of disaster management strategies.
With the involvement of international organisations and government programmes, local peoples’ contribution in the construction process after a natural disaster can often be side-lined. However, the chances of long-term sustainability of any intervention are increased if local people own the process and end products and embed them in local institutions. In order to establish a successful recovery programme, affected people and communities should be at the centre of the construction process. This approach showcases how urban communities can become aware of their responsibility and fulfil it, while at the same time, the city development and civil society mechanism can be successfully involved to develop inclusive and resilient cities.
This Side Event will discuss how effective and creative planning of reconstruction, positive development and asset creation can emerge from natural disasters. It will also look at the importance of investment in low income housing at the bottom of the pyramid to deliver decent, affordable and disaster resistant housing and basic services solutions for the urban poor, prior to a natural disaster occurring.
Communities can be supported to take advantage of opportunities and plan against future vulnerability, and emerge stronger and more resilient than before. The basis for large scale intervention will be formed only through broad based stakeholder coalitions which include local communities.
The session will discuss actual case studies from the leaders of organisations in Nepal and the Philippines, representing the Reall Network, to demonstrate how resilient affordable housing for the urban poor can be provided in contexts where the effects of climate change are all too prevalent, and such solutions are vital to ensure low income communities are less vulnerable to natural disasters.
Special guests from Practical Action and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency will also feature on the panel to offer their expertise in Disaster Risk Reduction and project financing.
Implementing Sustainable Urban Mobility in the New Urban Agenda The Special Session will bring together representatives from government, cities, and industry including transport service providers, vehicle, equipment and battery manufacturers, financial institutions including IFIs, research and knowledge based institutions, civil society organizations, and urban mobility experts. After a panel discussion on the role of mobility in relation to the New Urban Agenda, the experience from selected projects and initiatives will be presented. These will highlight how innovations are driving the change to a more people-focused and inclusive approach to urban mobility, where accessibility to destinations and opportunities is the goal. This will be followed by a High Level discussion on “Urban Mobility: The Quito Implementation Plan.”
Guiding Questions
· What are the key elements of the New Urban Mobility Paradigm in the New Urban Agenda?
· What will enable or restrain the achievement of sustainable mobility in our cities?
· What solutions have actually worked?
· How can investments in sustainable mobility be increased?
· What should be the role of the United Nations and regional organizations?
Local Economic Development and the New Urban Agenda The starting point will be the competitive cities framework and then presenting the case study. The idea is then to drill down on action areas and we could pick Land Value Capture/urban regeneration for further elaboration of various tools that are available. After presenting a broad framework and one or two examples of tool, the key point is that we need data and analytics for applying tools and frameworks and we could then focus on city economic performance. Guiding Questions · What is the functional definition of a competitive city? · How can land Value Capture foster local competitiveness? · How can urban regeneration foster competiveness? · What are the analytical foundations for measuring and monitoring competiveness?
The training event will introduce the participants to the new open and free processing tools, data and indicators on human settlements of the Global Human Settlement Layer framework, which is supported by the European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre, DG Regional Development and international partnership as the GEO Human Planet Initiative. This new framework produces open methods which combine multiple inputs from remote sensing data and population census data. It provides new global spatial information, evidence-based analytics, and knowledge describing the human presence on the planet. During the event, detailed information on access and use of the dataset will be provided, together with practical showcases on the use of this data for monitoring the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the post-2015 international frameworks.
No pre-registration required
Rapid urbanization represents a significant challenge for national and local governments in Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Growing populations in the limited land space puts pressure on already fragile coastal ecosystems and agricultural areas, which are also affected by the adverse impact of climate change. Increased mobility of people and goods pose specific challenges to governments in providing basic infrastructures and services for settlements. Urbanization could provide opportunities for governments to enhance resilience through sustainable water and waste management, and building robust infrastructure including public transportation. Mainstreaming climate change issues into urban planning is crucial. This high-level side event is intended to address diversity of urban issues faced by SIDS and to provide guidance on the best way to enhance their resilience and sustainability of their human settlements. The event will provide an opportunity for participants to share best practices to improve urban planning, governance, and institutional mechanisms. The event will also discuss how enhancing urban resilience and promoting sustainable urban development could contribute to the implementation of the global agendas and frameworks including the New Urban Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Sendai Framework, and the SAMOA Pathway.
The event aims to inform Member States and governments on the need of a systematic monitoring and reporting on the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators. Through the City Prosperity Initiative (CPI), UN-Habitat is offering support to local and national governments in establishing customized monitoring mechanisms, which will allow a better-informed decision-making on policies and regulations, city-plan and extensions, and finance management for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. The event will discuss the components of the global framework of the CPI. A revised and tested CPI method adapted to the New Urban Agenda and urban SDGs will be presented. The current status, approach and modalities of measurement of the CPI and its capacity to support more informed decision-making will be also discussed. Examples around the world will be presented and implementing partners invited to discuss them.
Addressing Climate Change Issues in National Urban Policies In light of the growing importance of National Urban Policies and its proposed formal recognition in the New Urban Agenda, as well as the growing momentum of urban climate action following the Paris Climate Agreement, this event intends to Advance the discussion on how to integrate and address Climate Change in National Urban Policies; Offer promising practices, and develop concrete recommendations on integrating climate change principles into National Urban Policies; Explore how National Adaptation Plans, as well as other planning mechanisms that have emerged out of the global climate negotiation process, can be referenced in National Urban Policies and then used to promote vertically-integrated climate action in urban areas. Strengthen the vertical integration of urban climate change issues through the national urban policy process.
Organized by the governments of Ecuador, Germany and the United Arab Emirates, and the International Renewable Energy Agency, the High Level Forum "RE-energising Cities" will capitalise on Habitat III as a unique gathering of urban stakeholders to drive the next step-change in the transition to a sustainable urban energy future. The business case for renewables is stronger than ever thanks to ongoing, dramatic cost declines in renewable energy technology. The forum will showcase the innovative and transformative ways that cities can benefit from this trend and contribute to the ongoing energy transition. It will share cutting-edge information, highlight examples of successful policy frameworks and other best practice, and discuss priority areas for action to capitalise on the opportunities renewables present in three key sectors: transport, buildings and power generation. (for registration and detailed programme, see https://re-energising.org/)
Outcome document here.
The data revolution is upon us! More data are produced today than ever before, from a multitude of sources. Geo-spatial monitoring, citizen-generated and crowd-sourced data, and big data, are increasingly available in real time and complement official statistics. The private sector, academia, and civil society are using this growing variety of data to make profits, inform research, drive innovation, and support advocacy. Enhancing accessibility and capacity to use data for decision-making is critical to the New Urban Agenda’s vision of action to drive sustainable urban development. Integrated and coordinated data generated through collaborative, participatory processes are essential to planning and monitoring cities in the 21th Century, and empowering citizens. Partnering across sectors to harness the explosion of available data, technologies, skills, and opportunities to connect multiple data sources is essential to unlocking data for evidence-based decision making.
This event will examine several related themes that underpin efforts to harness data for urban sustainability: how cities can tap into a global ecosystem, and use planning and stakeholder engagement tools, to fill data gaps and build capacity for using data for urban sustainability decision-making; concrete examples of tools to help marshal data to address specific urban sustainability challenges; and a deep-dive on one source of data (geospatial) which, when linked with other sources, can empower improved decision-making for urban sustainability.
The event will seek to build understanding of the interdependent nature of many seemingly discrete sustainability challenges, and the value of data in informing decision-making to address complex challenges.
It will seek to spur action in using the tools and technologies available to address specific challenges impacting local communities:
1. Sustainable City Data Revolution Roadmaps and Resources
2. Harnessing the Data Revolution for Climate Resilience for Local Communities
3. Data to End HIV/AIDS in Local Communities
4. Participatory Mapping for Urban Resilience in Secondary Cities
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the World Health Organization (WHO) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
The focus on health, mobility, and vulnerable populations in the Agenda compliments the Global Report on Urban Health by WHO and UN Habitat, launched as part of Habitat III. It discusses urban planning for environmentally friendly and safe transport, and shared public space, highlighting the impact of wrong policy decisions on youth. The Agenda advocates for cities to invest in safe and sustainable transport, and enable walking, cycling, and reduce car dependence to improve urban health. Initiative partners work in the crossroads of these areas, help implementing the Agenda, and inspire others to do the same. Sustainable mobility is becoming increasingly important. Including road traffic injury, air quality and sustainable transport targets in the SDGs, adopting the Paris Climate Agreement, and including transport-related carbon mitigation measures in 60%+ of national climate plans (INDCs) submitted at COP21, means mobility issues are more prominent than ever in global development and environment agendas. While the need provision of low-carbon transport, accessibility for low income and vulnerable groups, and strategic urban planning are becoming recognized, the needs and rights of children in relation to mobility are inadequately represented. This is the role the Initiative is designed to fill. Children have a right to health, but the distribution and determinants of road injuries are related to other health dysfunctions – a setback on public health costs. Building a coalition of country and donor support for safe and healthy journeys to school for all children by 2030 (‘healthy’ defined as travel on equivalent of a minimum ‘3 star’ for safety, low carbon, breathable journey) will be achieved through urban design; safe footpaths, cycle lanes and lower speed limits; motorcycle helmet and seat belt use and safe & affordable public transport; and policy and technical interventions designed to bring air quality levels within WHO health guidelines. The Initiative recognizes that transportation and urban planning policies and choices impact children’s health and rights: 1. Road traffic injury is a leading cause of death for young people. 500 children die daily, thousands more are seriously hurt; 2. Air pollution is a toxic, carcinogenic and invisible killer, affecting the development of children’s lung function and responsible for a huge burden of health; 3. Unsafe and unhealthy urban space deters people from walking, cycling and exercise. Children learn and form habits early which last a lifetime; 4. Non-communicable diseases and obesity, to which both air pollution and lack of exercise are contributors, are becoming health issues for youth across the world. 1 million+ children yearly miss out on education because of road traffic crashes. More have their life-chances affected by injuries to parents and breadwinners. There is inequity in transport provisions: the poorest children live alongside the most dangerous roads; breathe the dirtiest air; and have barriers to access to education and, eventually, employment because of where they live – many in urban areas. The growth of youth in cities, and rapid motorisation will lead to a worsened situation unless it is urgently addressed in the NUA.
Rapid urbanization is creating radically new challenges to feeding cities which by 2030 will contain 5 billion consumers, a great number suffering from some form of malnutrition. The food system is governed by both state and non-state actors including the private sector. All actors (local and national governments, civil society, the
private sector, and international organizations) need to work better together to meet the challenge of a healthier, equitable and more sustainable food system for all.
Malnutrition now affects every country in the world and is having severe societal and economic impacts. Ensuring sufficient and healthy food for all is a great challenge for growing cities because urban food systems are vulnerable to climate change, economic shocks, violent crises, dramatic social changes (i.e. migration).
Recognizing those challenges, the Sustainable Development Goals have highlighted the need of ending hunger, reducing malnutrition (SDG2) and making cities more resilient and sustainable(SDG11) as key goals. Linking SDG2 with SDG11 is critical. By 2030 a billion people will move to cities and fewer people will be living in rural farming areas. The majority of urban growth will occur in Africa and Asia where malnutrition is most severe and food systems are already constrained. Around 24% of urban populations are stunted and obesity has become a major concern in most cities around the world. Hunger and malnutrition (in its various forms: obesity, micronutrient deficiency etc.) are not challenges just for the health sector, but for all. A joined-up approach among different stakeholders will be key. This side event will discuss what constitutes a good urban food policy and will examine how to foster sustainable food systems which: 1) stimulate local economies; 2) provide affordable nutritious foods to all; 3) mitigate the negative effects of climate change.
The Minister of Housing and Urbanism of Chile, Mrs. Paulina Saball Astaburuaga, is inviting to participate in this discussion on “Spatial and Territorial Planning: implementing the New Urban Agenda beyond city boundaries” (Ordenamiento Territorial y Planificación Espacial: implementando la Nueva Agenda Urbana más allá de los límites de las ciudades), where representatives from different countries, will present recent experiences on the formulation and implementation of national policies and strategies for territorial and spatial planning.Taking into account respective realities, governments will share policy approaches and frameworks that reassert the spatial dimension of
development, addressing the integral and sustainable management of the territory, promoting equitable growth of regions and reinforcing links between urban, periurban, and rural areas. The dialogue and discussions will allow to identify challenges, lessons learned and action-oriented recommendations for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda beyond the boundaries of cities, focusing on the multiscale continuum of territorial planning. The Side-Event is held in collaboration with the Inter-American Development Bank, Cities Alliance and with the participation of representatives from the following institutions as panelists:
-The Ministry of Housing and Urbanism of Chile, sharing the current experience and challenges involved in the formulation of a National Policy on Territorial Planning.
-The Ministry of Housing and Human Settlements of Costa Rica, presenting the difficulties, challenges and opportunities of effective implementation of territorial planning in the country.
-The Ministry of Urban Development and Housing of Ecuador, sharing their experience in territorial planning in the context of the recent approval of the Law on Territorial Planning and Land Use and Management.
-The National Department of Planning of Colombia, sharing their experience on the implementation of Law N° 388 on Territorial Planning and a new program oriented to support local governments in the elaboration of their territorial plans.
The Side Event will examine, from a Swedish and international perspective, issues showing that land is a fundamental asset for welfare, gender equality and gender space. Women's participation in decision-making and women's perspectives in the planning and construction of housing and sustainable urban development vary greatly between different countries. This is also true of land issues, such the rights of women to own land and the possibilities of involving women in these issues and also an important issue for the future in creating smart and sustainable cities and human settlements. The New Urban Agenda is one of the key instruments for States and local governments to accomplish the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.Cities should be sustainable and that means that they also must be socially and spatially just and gender responsive so that no person or space is left behind. Well planned and governed cities are the engines of sustainable economic growth
and development. Climate change represents a pressing threat to cities and particularly vulnerable groups. The New Urban Agenda also reinforces the social dimension, the active participation of citizens and the perspectives of women and children in the design and usage of public spaces.The concept of smart cities is important to the Swedish government. The seminar also takes its lead from the mission that the government gave this year Lantmäteriet, the Swedish Mapping, Cadastral and Land Registration Authority, in a close cooperation with Boverket, the National Board of Housing, with promoting digital innovation by developers, government agencies and other stakeholders to share information and collaborate digitally. The Side Event will start with an introductory speech by the Swedish Minister for Housing and Digital Development, Mr. Peter Eriksson. This will be followed by two presentations:
1. “Land is a fundamental asset for welfare and gender equality - for a smart and sustainable urban development”
2. “Equal and safe public spaces - planning of public spaces from a gender perspective”
The Side Event will close with a panel discussion consisting of Minister for Housing and Digital Development, Mr Peter Eriksson, and the other speakers. At this point, the audience the opportunity to ask questions.
The New Urban Agenda (NUA) clearly states the need for ensuring the equitable access to physical and social infrastructure. The request for an early inclusion of design and planning of those basic services was made. Based on many years of experience we are offering our expertise in addressing this request with a particular focus on water and sanitation. We are strategically structured team of experts targeting the implementation of this specific component of the NUA promise.Infrastructure is that critical component of urban design and planning that needs to be addressed to enable healthy and inclusive urban growth. This Side Event aims to contribute a concrete set of recommendations related to resilient urban infrastructure and its crossover with public space as a highly performative system. These innovative and decentralized systems target formal and informal settlements in the developed and developing world alike. This event is closely related to the onset of the Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture Planning and Preservation GSAPP Books’ new series 'Urban Innovations'. The first book in the series titled 'Water Infrastructure’ is focusing on equitable deployment of resilient systems. The organizers of the event are the authors of the book. This event is planned as a continuation of our work starting from the officially recognized PrepCom 1 Parallel Event and Side Event at the HQ in the NYC, through the PrepCom 2 Side Event in Nairobi, where the draft of the publication was released, leading to the recent launch of the final publication during the PrepCom 3 Side Event in Surabaya. Innovations associated with resilient infrastructure are becoming increasingly important as we face global vulnerability due to increased population growth, rapid urbanization, and the effects of climate change resulting in sea level rise, changing precipitation patterns, increased storm frequency, flooding, droughts and extreme temperatures. We have identified the following seven risks that affect the viability of many urban settlements:
1. Sanitation and water pollution
2. Climate change/ Coastal flooding/ Sea Level Rise (SLR)
3. Inland (Terrestrial/ Riverine) Flooding/ Polluted Stormwater Runoff
4. Drought/ Water Supply
5. Failing/ Aging Infrastructure
6. Water Pollution from Solid Waste including e-Waste
7. Urban and Suburban Soil Sealing
The session will focus on the role that the Global Alliance for Urban Crises can play, as a collaborative multi-stakeholder network of urban and humanitarian practitioners, researchers, and local authority networks, in achieving the commitments of the New Urban Agenda. There are close linkages between the goals of humanitarian actors who are seeking to achieve more collaborative and effective urban response, and the New Urban Agenda’s ‘transformative commitments’ to leave no one behind, to achieve sustainable and inclusive urban development, and to foster resilient cities. This event will demonstrate the progress that Global Alliance members are making towards more effective urban crisis response, and how this contributes towards more resilient and inclusive urban areas. Brief panel interventions will allow Global Alliance members to reflect on how past and current humanitarian interventions and research processes contribute to the New Urban Agenda. In particular, paragraph 29 of the New Urban Agenda highlights the role for local government and other urban actors – both public and non-governmental – in supporting communities at risk of disasters and prone to ‘recurrent and protracted humanitarian crises’. It further calls attention to ensuring that durable and dignified solutions are found for crisis-affected persons, and that both they and their host communities are supported by aid flows, to prevent back-sliding in urban development. A plenary discussion will then highlight areas where more action is required in these respects, and how urban humanitarian response processes can contribute to achieving the New Urban Agenda and SDGs.
There is a global consensus that most of the investments needed to achieve the SDGs will take place at the sub-national level and be led by local authorities. This reality confirms the need for recognition and reinforcement of local authorities as pertinent actors of sustainable development. Massive public and private investments will be necessary to improve access to sustainable urban services and infrastructures, to improve cities’ resilience and to prepare them to host 2.5 billion new urban residents over the next three decades, particularly in developing countries. The issues revolving around the means of implementation and sustainable financing of urbanization, including the institutional tools needed to this aim, will be at the core of the Conference in Quito. How can cities access the financing and secure the political will needed to achieve these ambitious goals? To answer this question, a first effort needs to be done to transfer competencies, human resources and funds from national to local authorities. However, this support will be insufficient to ensure the future need for urban sustainable infrastructure. Thus, it is essential to explore the creation complementary resources at the local level Habitat III will take the discussion forward on the mechanisms aimed at mobilizing funding to the local level and the strategies for unlocking the economic potential of urban areas. Based on international experiences, the event aims at opening a dialogue on the various financial and institutional mechanisms to stimulate the channeling of resources from global, regional and national levels to subnational levels. Three main mechanisms will be discussed:
- Long-term and project-oriented planning
- Multilevel partnerships and inter-municipality cooperation
- Direct access of local authorities to international borrowing
The side-event discusses the linkage of national climate change policies and strategies, particularly Intended National Determined Contributions INDCs, with local policies and actions in cities; it aims at presenting the preliminary results of a systematic review of current INDCs, analysing their provisions and implications for cities.
The side-event will highlight barriers and opportunities for harmonizing national climate policies with local action, in relation to both adaptation and mitigation; through an urban resilience approach, ultimately contributing to a better understanding of the integration between the Paris Agreement and the New Urban Agenda.
Human settlements and cities are responsible for the current climate change trends and dynamics; at the same time human settlements are vulnerable to the increasing negative effects of climate change, also because climate change is having a multiplying effects on current urban challenges: i.e poverty, sprawl, inequality, and health.
By 2050, over 5 billion people will live in urban areas, thereby cities have a central role in tackling climate change, and their resolve and action can champion the ambitious transformative changes which are indispensable to reduce emissions and to limit the negative impacts of climate change. Cities have already started to take action developing plans, actions and policies for addressing climate mitigations, adaptation and risk reduction although the progress remain still sparse and scattered.
The Paris Agreement calls for increasing ambitions both in terms of mitigation and adaptation, over 160 parties have submitted INDCs and National Adaptation Plans, which are having direct provision and/or implications for cities. To understand and strength the linkage between climate national policies and local actions it recognized as fundamental for both the Paris Agreement and the New Urban Agenda implementation; although this linkages is still to be fully understood and exploited.
This event convenes high-level experts and representatives from national and local governments, non-governmental organizations, institutes, foundations and industry, discussing case studies and best practices on how to host and accommodate migrants and refugees and integrate them within urban contexts. A The organizers will present the publication documenting the results of the 18 May United Nations Symposium titled Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants: Critical Challenges for Sustainable Urbanization. Mass migrations, regardless of whether the cause is conflicts, lack of economic opportunity or violent extremism, result in major displacements and human suffering. Therefore, how to host large numbers of people on a temporary basis?On a long term basis? On a permanent basis? Migrants and refugees add to the life of existing towns and cities. How can their contributions be facilitated? Temporary arrangements often become permanent. Settlements must be planned to function for a very long time and be able to expand and contract during their existence. It is hoped that individuals and families will be accommodated in more permanent settlements within the larger communities and be integrated socially, economically, and physically. The need for access to public space, education and basic healthcare does not get lost. Planning for temporary or emergency settlements needs to pay particular attention to the physical and social needs as a way of starting the process of healing from a life of dislocation, suffering, frustration or denial. This meeting will look at the phenomena considering Sustainable Development Goal 11 “Sustainable Cities and Communities: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. The rapid increase of unprecedented numbers of migrants will put new pressures on how towns and cities will meet the challenges of rapid urbanization combined with climate change. This panel will underscore the very positive role migrants play in pursuit of sustainable urbanization.
The Side event format proposed is a panel discussion with a responsible of The Secretary of Social Inclusion of Quito Town Hall, two members of the LGBTI community and a representative of the National Council for Gender Equality. Each panelist will have maximum 10 minutes to present his/her opinion regarding the importance of taking into account LGBTI community on social development issues to built social and inclusive cities. The present audience will have 20 minutes to ask any questions to clarify contents or position of any member of the panel.
Guided by the African Union’s Agenda 2063 as a strategic framework for ensuring inclusive socio-economic transformation and the continent’s vision for sustainable human settlements development in the New Urban Agenda, African Nations are aptly positioned to tap into the potentials of sustainable urbanization as a driver of structural transformation. Sustainable urbanization for Africa encompasses a holistic and integrated concept of human settlements in a continuum which reinforces economic, social and environmental linkages across metropolises, cities and medium-sized towns to villages where most of the continent's population still reside, requiring a multi-sectoral approach which strengthens partnerships at all levels. The Side Event on ‘Implementing the New Urban Agenda in Africa: Strengthening Partnerships for Productive Cities' would provide a platform for participants to understand how countries can tailor solutions to fit Africa’s unique perspective, urban priorities and regional agendas. It would build the capacity of participants by giving a deeper and better understanding of what the New Urban Agenda entails and means for Africa. The Panel discussions will examine and recommend tools needed to strengthen collaboration and interventions in priority areas through national urban policies and frameworks, urban planning and design and, development of financing options for sustainable urbanization.
UNESCO will launch and disseminate “Water, Megacities and Global Change: Portraits of 15 emblematic Cities of the World” by the International Hydrological Programme (IHP).
A presentation of the functionality of the application will be made showing the benefits that the cities acquire when they implement the app, Also a case of success in a city of Colombia will be shown and the application running on the private web application (government side) the open public app and mobile app.
Ecological, Climate Change Resilient, Disaster-responsive Cities
This roundtable explores both the enormous challenges and opportunities for environmental sustainability and resilience in cities and human settlements, focusing on promising solutions from across the globe. Cities and human settlements are directly or indirectly the largest contributors to unsustainable consumption and production, including carbon emissions. Yet cities offer the largest potential for change, including market and impact opportunity for sustainable products and services.
At the same time, high-densities mean high exposure of large numbers of population and critical infrastructure, for example transport, to potential climate and other environmental and human impacts and threats. Hence cities are increasingly at risk of disasters and more often are recipients of spillover from humanitarian situations. Cities can serve as backbones for countries and regions in times of crisis through planning and preparedness, including health systems.
The New Urban Agenda advocates for a robust shift to environmental sustainability and resilience in urban development through a mix of measures, including nationally appropriate policies, capacity-building, technological and financing approaches. It proposes a focus on integrated resource management, taking into account the effects of consumption and production in one sector has an impact across others. Furthermore, the New Urban Agenda takes into account sustainable mobility systems, renewable energy, and resource efficiency to increase growth and achieve universal access to basic resource-related services while reducing environmental impacts and carbon emissions. The spatial and policy model proposed in the New Urban Agenda is based on compact, and integrated cities and human settlements where appropriate density and connectivity minimize land consumption and promote low-carbon development. In particular, a stronger focus on urban-rural linkages in urban and territorial planning, would ensure sustainable and efficient supply and value chains, while encouraging a progressive transition to a circular economy, and sustainable consumption and production patterns.
The New Urban Agenda further puts a proactive risk based approach to resilience and disaster prevention at the core of planning, policies, programmes, actions and operation of critical infrastructure including for climate adaptation.
This High-Level Round-Table session will showcase and identify concrete actions and catalytic partnership initiatives that respond to perceived barriers and ensure realization of the New Urban Agenda’s vision of environmentally sustainable and resilient cities and human settlements.
Guiding Questions
More emphasis needs to be placed on the financing needs of local authorities, especially in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). They are structurally underfunded to match the continuously increasing range of responsibilities, opportunities, and challenges they face, especially in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, municipalities in LDCs will have to draw upon a wide range of financing sources – public and private, national and international. Furthermore, they require long-term investment in critical infrastructure and better financial management. Participants in this event will share innovative approaches on how LDCs municipalities can overcome the challenges faced on the path towards sustainable development. The event, which aims to link the New Urban Agenda with the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, will further strengthen the understanding of municipal finance in LDCs by presenting key findings from a joint project by UNCDF and DESA on the topic. Some guiding questions are: What is required to formulate “investable” project proposals and how can local authorities strengthen their capacities in project development? What potential do subnational bonds hold in LDCs, where these instruments have not yet been effectively utilized? What is the role for public investment banks, subnational development funds, and national development banks?
The Dialogues Session will provide a platform to discuss issues pertaining to the “Right to the City and Cities for All” as incorporated in the New Urban Agenda. Moreover, one of the key objectives of the session is to discuss the post-Habitat III implementation of the New Urban Agenda and follow up mechanisms, State commitments, the role of local governments, and how to foster citizen participation and shared responsibility for a sustainable and inclusive agenda.
Panel 1: Political Agency and Social, Economic, and Cultural Diversity
Panel 2: Spatially Just Resource Distribution
Guiding Questions
· What are the key priorities for building cities for all in the framework of the New Urban Agenda implementation?
· What are the key commitments from national and local governments in this implementation?
· What are some of the best practices already put in place around the world?
· What are some of the most effective mechanisms for follow up and evaluation?
Socio-Cultural Urban Frameworks - role of culture for sustainable urban development
Currently, our world is experiencing an unprecedented rate of urbanization, with more than half of the world’s population now living in cities. As a result, urban areas are facing pressing challenges including quality housing, livable environments, creating inclusive public spaces and ensuring access to infrastructure and services for billions of urban dwellers, while controlling land consumption, environmental pollution, social disruption, hazards and risks. To address these challenges, a new approach to urban planning is necessary, one that fully integrates the potential of culture to preserve the quality of urban life, from heritage to creative expressions and industries, as part of our global mission to attain sustainable development. The social and cultural aspects of urban life embody the needs, wants and hopes of the people. Founded on the values and creative expressions of communities, the socio-cultural dimension needs to be acknowledged as an essential path to ensuring that cities of tomorrow are people-centred, inclusive, livable and resilient. Drawing from the unique experiences of speakers ranging from the fields of culture, tourism, urban development and governance the discussion will further expand on the key messages and recommendations proposed by the Habitat III Policy Unit 2 on "making cities safe, inclusive, resilient and sustainable", which will be reinforced by the New Urban Agenda.
Guiding Questions
· How can the integration of culture into urban development policies contribute to enhance social inclusion and combat urban violence in the context of the New Urban Agenda?
· How can local governments increase participation of all stakeholders in policy making processes?
· Given the implementation of the New Urban agenda, what strategies can be implemented to enhance access of all urban residents in cultural life and infrastructure, and what indicators should be developed to monitor progress in this respect?
· How can culture help to combat the standardization of cities?
· What initiatives can be led to reduce poverty through the promotion of the cultural and creative industries?
· How can socio- and cultural aspects contribute to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, e.g. creating quality public spaces?
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
As urbanization is expected to be a growing trend, cities in Africa need planning processes to be strengthened using specific and action-oriented, well planned, integrated and cross-sectoral urban development strategies and frameworks that will bring about a desirable quality of life for most Africans.
This project, formulated jointly by United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), intends to strengthen the capacities of African policy makers and experts to effectively design, reformulate and implement strategies and policies for inclusive and sustainable cities, taking into consideration the economic, physical, social and environmental dimensions based on a framework that links urbanization and social integration in the African context.
The year 2016 may well prove to be a turning point in how humanitarian aid responds to urban crises. For one, the need is great: forced migration is at its highest since World War II; the number and scale of naturally-triggered disasters are increasing; 2015 was the hottest year ever recorded. Also, the current aid system, largely unchanged in 75 years, is failing to cope. In response to these challenges, ‘resilience’ has gained momentum as a politically-galvanising approach for enacting multidisciplinary measures from neighborhood to city level that reduce the threat of damaging events, and, should one occur, to enable societies to recover quicker and more effectively. This networking event proposes to explore the application of urban resilience through the launch of two important publications. The first is the IFRC 2016 World Disasters Report, which this year is focusing on resilience. The report comprises inputs from some 49 contributors from across the world and explores issues including investing in resilience, mental health, partnerships and anticipation. The second publication is the 2016 book, Urban disaster resilience: new dimensions from practice in the built environment, which results from the conference ‘Design for urban disaster’ held at Harvard University in 2014, and includes case studies from Chile, Haiti, Iraq, Thailand and the Philippines. This event will bring together contributors (practitioners and academics) to both publications to discuss, debate and examine what resilience means now and for the future. Questions will be taken from the audience. The first panel will comprise contributors to the IFRC 2016 World Disasters Report. The second panel will comprise contributors to the Urban Disaster Resilience. Critical issues include: what does successful resilience look like? What are the key obstacles to enacting lasting resilience, and how can these be overcome and by whom?
Researchers presentation with videos and photos of the in development videogame "El desafío de Villa Girondo" which addresses the adversities a population has to go through when it has to be relocated.
Numerous initiatives have been taken in terms of institutional capacity building for local communities by the various governments, including
with the support of development partners. However these initiatives have so far not yielded satisfactory results. This is why UCLG-A setup in 2015 a virtual university-level Academy for the training and development of communal executives within their jobs and responsibilities. The African Local Government Academy will address the challenge of professionalism of leaders and practitioners from local government to effectively manage the challenges of urbanization and Local Governments of Africa. The program will include the development and implementation of an accreditation system for continued education for professionals of local governments in partnership with academic and research institutions.
This side event focuses on the challenge of human capital in local governments and will present the operationalization of ALGA and the
progress made so far as regards the development and implementation of the ALGA Agenda The event will look at how to strengthen key partnerships with the members of the academia, local authorities, and donors and also how to identify, negotiate with new partners. The event will highlight issues relating to the importance of stimulating research for innovative educational solutions adapted to the continental dimension of the ALGA agenda and its diverse target audiences. Real cases from across the continent on the challenges and approaches in addressing issues in human capital in local governments will be showcased. Panel discussions will focus on supervision of the process of certification and accreditation of partner training organizations; and overseeing the establishment of an observatory of occupations within local governments in order to be able to anticipate and prepare the foreseeable developments of these professions. The audience will be given opportunity to ask questions related to the presentations and discussions.
The event focuses on experience sharing among participants, and highlights ongoing sustainable cities initiatives across countries. The ‘Initiative de la Francophonie pour des villes durables’, the ‘RESAUD NETWORK’ initiative, and specific sustainable urban management experiences will be presented, including ‘Grand-Bassam Ville durable
moderne’.The event will also cover cooperation, partnership, capacity building and mobilization of finance mechanisms in priority areas: energy, water, sanitation, health, mobility, environmental, housing and tenure securities. It also covers cross-cutting issues of wealth building, equity and gender.Africa is witnessing one of the world fastest growing urbanization. In 2030 one in two Africans will live in cities, mostly in metropolises. More than fifty five per cent of African urban dwellers lack access to basic services, including energy, live in informal settlements, in highly polluted and ecologically sensitive areas. This multidimensional insecurity mainly affecting women a
nd youth is morally indefensible, constitutes a major hindrance for economic development, is a source for major health risks, and fosters crime, violence, and social and political instability. The thematic discussion will point how city planning and urban management meet these challenges in francophone African countries, in view to consolidate country engagements in support of sustainable urban agendas, with a special interest for an African urban agenda. African local leaders understand the stakes and are seeking and implementing strategies to sustainably develop their cities leaving no one behind.Decision-making and implementation are more efficient if taken as closest to citizens as possible. Policy makers are actively innovating to address complex sustainable policy challenges. For relevant and enduring actions, “local and regional policy makers have to act with the benefit of rigorous evidence: what has been tried and proven elsewhere. Which of their own interventions, programs and policies work, which work best, and why” (J. PAL).
This side event aims to discuss how cities are dealing with slums and informal settlements and its main challenges, as well as to identify the best ways to implement the corresponding guidelines presented in the New Urban Agenda.According to World Health Organization, almost 828 million people live in slum conditions, representing around one third of the world’s urban population. These residential areas are characterized by a lack of security of tenure, scarcity of basic services, public space and green areas and the absence of compliance with the formal arrangements of urban planning. The residents of these areas usually suffer more spatial, social and
economic exclusion from the urban services and opportunities. They express fear for their children’s lives due to the location of their homes, and also face each day multiple types of risk, like natural hazards, violence, and diseases.Considerable investment have already been made to improve the live conditions in the slums, such as the provision of basic services as housing, streets, footpaths, drainage, clean water, sanitation, and sewage disposal, education and health care. Efforts are also been made in legalizing or regularizing properties and bringing secure land tenure to residents. However, the investments done in a neighborhood may cause gentrification, which is another important issue to discuss when it comes to slum upgrading.Representatives of local governments, international organizations and specialists are going to debate the priorities for slum upgrading, measurement of the upgrading policies effects, land tenure and the inclusion of the informal settlements in the urban planning.It is expected that thisevent contributes to establish a channelfor future debate and best practices exchange, and also to the trail to develop a framework for practical implementation of the slum upgrading guidelines stated in the New Urban Agenda.
Our cities are growing which leads to an increase in activity at an extremely rapid pace. By 2050, 60% of the world population, about 5 billion people, will reside in cities. With the increase of inhabitants in cities, our waste production has increased to about 4 billion tons of waste each year (not including waste by-products from agriculture and construction). As cities grow and activity increases, waste production is multiplying at a rapid rate. By the middle of this century, our world population will reach a total of about 9 billion people which is why it is vital for us to focus on preserving resources and finding a way to sustainably reduce our waste production. In general, effective waste management by sorting and recycling is essential to ensure an equal balance of resources and to reduce our carbon footprint on the natural environment. Without the implementation of effective waste management systems in urban environments, there is bound to be an increase in waste pollution in the soil, streams, and air; which is extremely detrimental to the health of the citizens. The development of sustainable cities is threatened in areas where the central and local governments are not willing to enforce effective waste management. Alternative solutions are suggested and implemented by citizens who form organizations to take on the problematic task of waste management. Examples of these solutions are implemented by various associations of women’s organizations in Africa. The cities of tomorrow face the challenge of sustainable waste management to ensure the safety and health of the world’s residents, involving everyone from responsible stakeholders to local residents.
1-The aim of this side-event is to reflect on the management of initiatives, sorting and reusing waste, reducing costs, and generalizing the initiatives in all cities to appeal to the health of citizens, the environment, and the preservation of arable land.
2-Utilizing the best local initiatives and the latest technological innovations, this side-event aims to integrate the willingness of politicians, businesses, and citizens to work together to cultivate solutions for problematic urban waste and pollution.
3-This side-event aims to redefine the relationship amongst the actors contributing to urban waste management in a way that optimizes the existing means. The preservation and transformation of organizations and informal sectors is necessary in order to preserve employment and incorporate the involvement of the population in conquering sustainable waste disposal.
This event will present the findings of the Urban Mobility Observatory (OMU in Spanish), which the CAF Development Bank of Latin America has developed over the past years in conjunction with local organizations like CTS Mexico, ALATPU, Despacio.org and others. OMU’s aim is to compile mobility indicators from 29 cities in Latin America and the Caribbean for subsequent publication and analysis. The larger goal of the project is to understand regional progress, challenges and opportunities in terms of mobility and provide analytical tools to national and local governments, as well as civil society actors. Transport is a particularly important topic for Latin America, for both climate change and socioeconomic development reasons. The transport sector currently accounts for 16% of all CO2 emissions in the region; this figure could grow with increased urbanization and motorization. To reach the 1.5-degree target agreed upon in Paris at the COP21, cities and countries will need to set ambitious goals for the transport sector, improving and growing sustainable modes like public transit, cycling and walking. In socioeconomic terms, improved transport options can increase social inclusion and road safety, particularly for women, children and the elderly, as well as economic opportunities for marginalized groups. These objectives are particularly linked with Sustainable Development Goals 3.6 and 11.2. OMU therefore examines a range of issues related to mobility and transportation, including socioeconomic aspects, costs and fares, road safety, energy and emissions, public transit, fleet and infrastructure. The Observatory’s findings will be useful for cities and countries aiming to improve sustainable urban and transport planning, using data to craft better local, metropolitan and national regulations, as well as allocate financial resources accordingly.
Urban development is rarely pro-poor, particularly in fast-growing cities in low- and lower middle-income countries. Low-income and disadvantaged households often face acute tenure insecurity, meaning that they lack legal protection against forced evictions and harassment, as well as environmental threats that can result in eviction or relocation without adequate consideration of their livelihoods or wellbeing. Climate change is adversely affecting informal settlements and increasing vulnerabilities.
Habitat III seeks to build political commitment to inclusive urbanisation and adequate housing. In a best-case scenario, this will require overcoming political inertia; in a worst-case scenario, it will require tackling extreme power and resource imbalances that are reinforced by vested interests and prejudice. How can cities deliver on Habitat III’s ambitious goals? Evidence demonstrates that transformative development is catalysed by mobilised communities with access to development finance. Around the world, organised groups of urban residents are working with municipal governments to develop alternatives to eviction and relocation. Such collaboration ensures that the needs of low-income urban residents (proximity to employment opportunities, adequate sanitation, environmental quality) are considered. This event brings together speakers from communities and governments. They will offer examples of the political and economic barriers to inclusive urban development, and outline strategies to reduce the incidence of eviction and forced relocation. They will present practical approaches that community-based groups and municipal authorities have adopted to facilitate participatory densification and voluntary resettlement programmes where urban residents were exposed to climate risk. These include financing mechanisms in which community savings leverages donor and state contributions. The experiences and perspectives of the federations will be contextualised against the New Urban Agenda, Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement by internationally recognised urban researchers.
The event will first present key findings of the Habitat Commitment Project, a 1.5 years long research project that assessed country performance in fulfilling commitments made in the Habitat II Agenda of 1996. The quantitative part of the project, the so-called Habitat Commitment Index (HCI) developed by the Global Urban Futures Project, measures country progress on socioeconomic indicators in the light of country capacity, in order to identify levels of effort on the part of national governments to meet goals and objectives set forth at Habitat II. To complement the quantitative findings, the Observatory on Latin America will present summaries of qualitative experiences in six Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico). Well-known urban scholars and practitioners in the respective country have prepared the qualitative studies to be presented.
This event will provide a space to examine the role of youth in the Habitat III process, with particular focus on the follow up, review and implementation of the New Urban Agenda. It would start by reviewing how young people have been active participants in all aspects of the Habitat III process up until this point, from hosting consultations to participating in all regional and thematic conferences, preparatory committees, reports submitted and interventions given during formal meetings. Youth priorities and recommendations for the New Urban Agenda will be highlighted, based on a diverse range of online and in-person consultations facilitated by key youth-based and youth-serving organisations around the globe over the past two years. The event would then explore and identify the mechanisms and ways through which children and youth may contribute toward the follow up, review and implementation of the New Urban Agenda after its adoption at the Habitat III Conference. This would take a systematic approach, examining the myriad of roles which youth may play through formal and informal mechanisms, within or in partnership with institutional and other stakeholders, and from a grassroots through regional and international level. Outcomes of intergenerational and inter-stakeholder dialogues from the Habitat III Children & Youth Assembly will be shared, and synergies between youth involvement with the urban aspects of other United Nations frameworks will be explored. Finally, innovative ways to empower young people to further contribute to sustainable urban development and implementation of the New Urban Agenda will be identified and proposed. Through its diverse and representative panel, this event will welcome all stakeholders and will provide a space for intergenerational exchange about the place of youth in the sustainable urban development the New Urban Agenda and beyond.
First: Iraq succeeded in formulating the National Development Plan for the years 2013-2017 with an ambitious vision: “A safe, stable country where citizens enjoy civil, economic, social and environmental rights, aspire to build a diverse and competitive national economy, possess the keys to advancement in all scientific, cultural and intellectual fields; where everyone participates in a federal, decentralized, socially-integrated system that provides fair opportunities for development, in which the private sector and civil society are active Partners and environmental sustainability represents an approach toward achieving a green economy;
Second: But Iraq striving to achieve the objectives of the National Development Plan have been hampered because of the terrorist attack of ISIS in the middle of 2014 with a range of political, economic, social and cultural crises as follows: The number of internal displaced persons and igrants from the provinces which were occupied by terrorist gangs ISIS two years ago more than 3.6 million displaced persons scattered in the provinces of Iraq. Iraq's financial losses excess of $ 23 billion for the period after 2014 due the occupation of ISIS for some areas, including government buildings and property of the citizens with the government's inability to finance the reconstruction campaign because of the financial crisis experienced by Iraq as a result of lower oil prices. Genocide against Yazidis and seek to destroy the ethnic and religious group, which includes 400,000 people through killings, sexual slavery and other crimes, there are at least 3,200 Yazidi women and child are still being held by ISIS. Theft and destruction of archaeological sites of oldest human civilizations that are Global Humanitarian Heritage. The growth of slums and informal squatters, which was one of the results of forced displacement because of terrorism.
Third: Iraq has begun to take the necessary measures in order to address the multiple crises as follows: The Iraqi government was formed in September 2014 a
sovereign fund for the reconstruction of areas occupied by ISIS and allocated $ 400 million as a first batch. Local Development Project in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme. The National Program for the Settlement and Rehabilitation of Slums in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme. Updating of National Housing Policy in Iraq in cooperation with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, taking into account variables which Iraq passes. Iraqi Central Bank initiative of granting soft loans to the agricultural, industrial and housing sectors to revive local economies and create jobs to encourage individual for spatial settlement which amount $5 billion.
Forth: The establishment of a safe, inclusive, resilience and sustainable cities requires taking the following approaches for the reconstruction of devastated cities:
Human Development (human): by expanding the range of options for individuals, which includes, along with health, education and resources to ensure a good standard of living, the elements of human development of: freedom, equity, participation, empowerment and sustainability as well as political freedoms, human rights and self-esteem taking into account gender sensitivity, households woman-headed and youth. Spatial Development (Earth): in order to achieve a comprehensive and balanced urban development seeking to improve the community and be the basis for raising the living level of the individual from all the physical, social, economic and environmental aspects through the organization of land use, provision of urban services and support for economic activities to accommodate the current and future urban growth rates. Economic Development (available resources): Is the economic expansion that cannot happen without government interference and changing the economic structure.
The growth of metropolitan areas has blurred the frontiers between them and their surroundings, which include settlements of different sizes, and rural zones. As a result different authorities face the challenge of achieving an operative coordination for the effective management of the city. In the absence of adequate governance mechanisms, the scope of public decisions does not respond to the dynamics of the phenomenon regulated.
The management of metropolis demands a systemic and innovative approach with institutional arrangements of governance that enable the capacity to plan, coordinate, finance and manage urban development beyond the temporary political-administrative frontiers that at present, conform local governments. Metropolitan governance demands better coordination mechanisms among the authorities that participate in a metropolitan area. Furthermore, instruments such as: innovative legal frameworks incorporating associative models of local government and metropolitan governance; financing schemes for strategic regional projects, and comprehensive metropolitan planning with a long-term vision are required.
Knowing the urban system, requires information; particularly with regard to social, economic and environmental flows that nurture the dynamics of cities. These interactions demand coordination among policy makers. The administrative fragmentation of the territory fosters a lack of cooperation and interaction between the diversity of actors and governmental levels. Metropolitan areas with fragmented governance structures tend to have lower levels of productivity since administrative boundaries within metropolitan areas do not normally correspond to the actual urbanization and functional patterns.
Intersectoral and multi-level coordination enables a collaborative relation among different governmental levels and a diversity of relevant stakeholders that includes civil society and the private sector, in order to create responsive legal frameworks and efficient political and administrative processes. In many countries, the Metropolitan phenomenon lacks clarity and recognition on the national legislation relating to development and land use planning, and is frequently perceived as a reduction in local authorities’ autonomy.
The speakers will discuss the GEO Human Planet Initiative that encompasses the Global Human Settlements Layer, a new, free, remote sensing tool supported by the European Commission, DG Joint Research Centre, DG for Regional and Urban Policy. They will provide detailed information on access to the dataset and demonstrate its use for monitoring the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and other international frameworks, including the SDGs, Sendai Framework and Paris Agreement. The session will conclude with the launch of The Human Planet Atlas edited by Martino Pesaresi, Michele Melchiorri, Thomas Kemper.
The Beyond Participation side event continues a discussion that began in the HABITATIII Thematic Meeting in Tel Aviv-Yafo, presenting the Urban Civic Engagement Declaration. Civic Engagement is the key to a City for All and a New Urban Agenda, rooted in the history of the city and providing a bridge to the future. In the "Beyond Participation" event, we will seek new frontiers of urban democracy, as public participation turns into civic engagement highlighting creative initiatives in Israel's urban context. The Tel Aviv-Yafo – Smart Civic Engagement model – harnessing technology and innovation to create new platforms for participation and cooperation between the municipality and the community. The Israeli Urban Forum – The Israel Urban Forum was created in order to provide a cross-sectorial and interdisciplinary debate on the topics of city and urbanity. The Urban Caucus - The role of the supreme democratic national arena in depicting a local urban agenda. MK Tamar Zandberg, head of the Urban Caucus, of the Israeli Parliament, will present new initiatives for local-national partnerships, and collaborative agenda setting. The Jerusalem Community Councils - a unique system of 28 decentralized neighborhood-level governance managing community life across the city, through dedicated committees prioritizing qualitative and accessible public space and cultural diversity. The purpose of the side event is to critically assess the vital contributions to urbanism by members of civil society from all sectors. The side event will invite an international network of civic society and local governance from cities around the world, as well as representatives of academia, activists and ngo's around the world to join our discussion in the intimate setting of a series of round table discussions.
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. The discussion will focus on the use of photographs to depict a glimpse of the enormous range of variables including density, diversity and connectivity and how these influence urban quality of life in six selected cities. These cities are distributed across six major world zones. In each city, a visual exploration of the linkages between people and physical features in areas where the elements were most evident. Presented by Andrew Rudd
By bringing together a panel of eminent persons representing Member States and United Nations entities, the event will aim to: - Highlight the importance of sustainable development goals 5, 11 and 16 and the safety and security components of the New Urban Agenda; - Emphasize the need for addressing root causes of crime and violence at the local level, including through close cooperation between different sectors and levels of government and local communities; - Inform participants on the technical assistance that United Nations entities can provide, including United Nations-system-wide Guidelines on Safer Cities, tailored programmes to enhance women’s safety in cities, and support for evidence-based crime and violence prevention, including policy guidance to address the link between transnational organised crime and local vulnerabilities; - Encourage the sharing of best practices in this field amongst United Nations agencies and Member States.
This event will make a valuable contribution to the discussion on how the humanitarian and development communities can better prepare for and respond to crises. The objectives of the event are twofold: 1) To highlight the potential for shock responsive social protection systems to be adapted to the urban context in order to support long-term efforts to eradicate hunger and poverty and meet immediate needs during times of crisis. 2) To discuss the opportunities that exist for international actors to partner with cities and municipalities to reinforce local systems and capacities, including through city to city knowledge sharing.
Habitat for Humanity will announce key institutional commitments in support of the Quito Implementation Plan including:
1. Launch of the Habitat’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter to accelerate and facilitate better functioning inclusive housing markets to enable over 8 million people to access improved shelter solutions by 2020.
2. Solid Ground Campaign, a global advocacy campaign to raise awareness and improve policies & systems around access to land for shelter for 10 million people.
3. Habitat for Humanity’s New Urban Approach with newly articulated set of principles to promote sustainable cities.
4. Increased access to housing for 40 million people by 2020.
The commitments announcement will be followed by additional presentations on the Solid Ground Campaign and the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, including interview with partners.
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
This project incorporates long term urban planning design and planning concepts into implementing resettlement solutions for refugees. The project recognizes the long-term settlement needs of refugees and host communities. It provides physical and skill based solutions in the hope of reducing incidences of conflict and segregation in the communities involved. Photographers document the process and the youth experience. Presented by Yuka Terada.
The New Urban Agenda provides a vital, comprehensive and ambitious vision to guide global efforts at promoting more sustainable urbanization over the next 20 years. The three interconnected landmark books to be launched at this event provide intellectual, professional and practical framings for the issues at the heart of the NUA and SDG11 and guidance for policymakers and practitioners on how to meet the challenges: 1: Urban Planet, by Future Earth 2: Rethinking Sustainable Cities, by Mistra Urban Futures, 3: The Second UCCRN Assessment Report on Climate Change and Cities (ARC3.2), by the Urban Climate Change Research Network We will introduce and launch the books as the basis for fostering a dialogue between national and local policy leaders, scholars, and urban practitioners regarding key dimensions of urban sustainability and the challenges of how to address them in different contexts. Urban Planet brings together scholars from a diverse range of disciplines to offer an integrative approach to understanding urbanization and its importance for global sustainability research and practice. The urban challenges and opportunities will be critically investigated across the three cross-cutting themes that underpin the research framework of Future Earth: dynamic urban planet; global urban sustainability; and urban transformations to sustainability. Rethinking Sustainable Cities surveys the evolution and importance of urban sustainability in diverse discourses, policies and practices around the world, contextualizes, assesses and explains clearly the origins, history, relevance and importance for policy and planning of three central characteristics of sustainable towns and cities everywhere: that they should be accessible, green and fair. The UCCRN ARC3.2 Report highlights key scientific findings from urban climate change scholars around the world. Authored by 350+ individuals, it is the second in an ongoing series of global, interdisciplinary, cross-regional, science-based assessments to address climate risks, adaptation, mitigation, and policy mechanisms relevant to cities.
How can the media drive new narratives about sustainable urban development following Habitat III? This dialogue session will explore how independent journalism can help cities and their citizens learn from one another and innovate rapidly, and how this can strengthen the push toward sustainable urbanization. The session will feature presentations and interactive conversation between members of the Habitat III Journalism Project, including Citiscope, Guardian Cities, Future Earth and the International Council for Science. The session will also see the launch of The Anthropocene magazine, whose first issue will focus on cities and urban solutions.
Do children and youth have an important role in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda? How should cities integrate their voices in the urban planning process? This side event will give the opportunity to children from Mexico City to share their vision, concerns and solutions on how to build sustainable, inclusive and democratic cities. One of the main debates in the process towards Habitat III and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) has been the role that the different stakeholders should play. Local governments are key actors in this context; not only because more than half of the world’s population lives in cities today, but also because it is at the local level that most of the strategies will be implemented. The NUA acknowledges their “key role in strengthening the interface among all actors, offering opportunities for dialogue with particular attention to the rights and needs of and potential contributions from all segments of society, including youth, children...”
The Government of Mexico City decided to launch, along with the French Agency for Development (AFD) and the Global Fund for Cities Development (FMDV), the initiative “¿Qué Ciudad de México queremos para mañana?” that aims at raising awareness, enhancing the participation and listening to the voice of children on how to create sustainable and livable cities. We recognize that the Habitat III Conference is just the beginning of a long process. The real challenge begins after Quito, when local governments will have to define specific strategies and policies to implement the recommendations of the NUA for the next 20 years. Stimulating children at early stages - considering they will be the decision-makers of tomorrow-is crucial. This side event is an invitation to share ideas on how to make it possible.
Worldwide, people displaced by disaster or conflict as well as other migrant groups seek protection, passage and social and economic perspectives in urban areas. They frequently reside in informal urban settlements, whereas the proportion of refugees or displaced people living in camps tends to be low in many countries.Large refugee or migrant influxes are putting immense pressure on cities to establish the necessary infrastructure and services to receive and integrate newcomers. Cities also need to find ways to ensure that the different population groups co-exist peacefully, a challenging task in contexts strived by conflict and violence, but also in others
characterized by social inequality and vulnerability. While it is widely acknowledged that cities are first points of arrival, transit hubs and ultimate destinations, cities lack crucial input when it comes to policy.As a rule, local authorities are at the forefront in the daily management of migration and/or other forms of mobility. Given that
refugee flows often translate in protracted displacement shaping cities for the longer term, providing developmental and integration options beyond humanitarian aid becomes a requirement. This should be in ways that enhances contributions of newcomers to the socioeconomic development of cities and sensitive to local needs and language.The side event, which will be conducted in form of a moderated panel discussion followed by an interactive talk with the audience builds on a previous workshop at the German Habitat Forum (Berlin, 1/2 June 2016). It was co-organised by the Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik / German Development Institute (DIE), one of the leading think tanks for global development and international cooperation, and UN Habitat. The objective of the side event is to elaborate on the previous workshop and define concrete planning and policy responses based on lessons drawn from local migration management in the global South and North.
Event includes Presentation of projects about preserving historical heritage in urban area, through visual material and demonstration of documentary about Anatolian historical roots. Event has three main parts: The first part is projects about preserving historical heritage in urban area in Kars city. Turkish Republic Serhat Development Agency is implementing two projects about preserving historical heritage. The first one is ‘Preserving the Historical Heritage in Kars City’. Its implementation has been continued. Kars is a city which has an important potential of historical structure. You can find Early Turkish, Seljuk, Ottoman, Georgian, Armenian, Russian... buildings, castles, mosques, churches, etc. The second Project is ‘Kars city with its own historical identity’. This is an EU sponsored project that is being evaluated at the moment.In the second part of the project we will describe the relationship between culture and urbanization with a short film. Sustainable cultural heritage concept is regarded in the urbanization model which would ideally provide sustainable urban development. So our aim is representing historical narratives in the urban spaces with cultural architectural video and photographs. In addition this short can be crowned with live folk music. Briefly we express that we have roots as our branches! To show this three city of region are used: Kayseri, Sivas and Yozgat.Third part is Presentation about ‘Partial Pedestrianization for Sustainable Urban Development in the Ancient City of Mardin’.
In the present global transformation, resource and energy constraints make us think about the needs of the future, while new innovations in alternative studies opens up new possibilities & new ideas of Spatial Planning and design. With the possibilities comes responsibilities. Architects & Professionals has a responsibility towards the society and will have to meet these challenges through addressing sustainable development & Climate change. The process of Public space led new paradigm of Urban Spatial Planning & Design now requite foresight, economy of resources, to seek and employ new technologies that meet future challenges and lead us to be
responsive and responsible for a better tomorrow, towards the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Panelist will discuss on:
A) How quality Planning and design can catalyze urban regeneration, create socially and culturally inclusive spaces and promote greening of city. Good design generates equality. Inadequate or poorly designed space becomes segregated.
B)Place making is one of the key aspects of urban design. In the process of designing spaces in the cities, it should be more collaborative so that the particular attention can be given to the physical, Cultural and social identities that defines a place.
C) Traditions, important to a culture are lost in globalization. Industry driven solutions are challenge as not sustainable. Time tested traditional systems and process of design and construction needs to be revitalized with the help of the technology.
D) Use of Appropriate and place specific technology is a vital element in the process of implementing the SDG targets. Design should not be driven by the technology, instead technology should be driven by the design.
One of the significant urban phenomenon in Southeast Europe, the Balkans region and in the Republic of Serbia over the past thirty years has been the rapid and widespread growth of informal housing building. Illegal and informal housing development in countries like Croatia, Montenegro, Greece, Bosnia and Herzegovina and in almost all larger cities of the Republic of Serbia, by its scale, genesis, form and effects, represents a regional urban phenome non. It is partially a consequence of economic and planning system crises, but much more, it is a consequence of the turbulent transition trends in the region. Changing political and socio-economic conditions in the past three decades in Serbia created a number of reasons for the sprawling of informal and illegal building. Attempts and efforts to legalize and upgrade informal buildings and settlements and to integrate them into the urban structure of cities are still underway today. For the local authorities, it requires a great deal of effort to update urban plans and property database, provide an adequate budget for local infrastructure, and create spatial planning and survey instruments. It is necessary to make efforts to secure political commitment for sustainable urban development but also find ways to reduce negative impact of recent economic crisis, globalization and demographic changes on development of sustainable housing. At the same time it is necessary to find ways to boost positive impact of housing through application of principles such as: environmental protection, economic growth, social inclusion, citizen participation and cultural adequacy. Citizen participation is one of the key elements to success of the sustainable development. No matter the political and economic context, a decent, adequate, affordable and healthy housing should be available for everyone.
Most public spaces in Africa, Asia and Latin America lack basic sanitation and hygiene. This is true for public schools, soccer pitches, transport hubs or open markets in towns and for parks, gardens, railway stations, and municipal squares in major cities. Women fear public toilets. They deny themselves food before entering public spaces to remove the need to defecate. During menstruation, girls and women skip school, markets, workplaces, and public transportation. The disabled, children, pregnant women, and the elderly suffer a similar fate. Without sanitation options, they avoid public spaces and their economic and social benefits. This is especially problematic for the very poor and socially marginalized for whom public sanitation is often the only form of sanitation. The more fortunate are also deterred from entering public spaces. Poor sanitation and hygiene bring environmental degradation, insecurity and even crime, undermining the tranquility of public spaces. As individuals and entrepreneurs, society’s better off neither engage nor invest, relax nor interact. Poor sanitation and hygiene in public spaces undermines the social fabric of human settlements. Investing in sanitation and hygiene in public spaces is not a panacea for sustainable development but it brings tangible results at modest cost. Improved facilities make public spaces more inclusive of women and men, old and young, disabled and mobile, addressing problems of stigma and exclusion. Improvements in environmental health attract people of all backgrounds and channel private investment in residential and commercial real estate. The Side Event examines urban dignity from three perspectives: people who lack access to sanitation and must develop coping mechanisms; innovative approaches to improve public sanitation, including methods of involving previously excluded populations in planning along with urban planners and small business entrepreneurs; and national policy options that engender urban dignity and create incentives and opportunities to improve public spaces.
The Human Cities Coalition deploys a public-private partnership approach that encourages businesses to use their core expertise to accelerate urban development in an inclusive and financially feasible way. The action-oriented approach and focus on integrated design corresponds with high quality and functional outcome through the optimal integration of all stakeholders’ interests and techniques. Cooperatively, the involved stakeholders work towards impact solutions for locally defined issues.
The Human Cities Coalition aims to stimulate a productive and positive contribution to the post 2015 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 that explicitly concentrates on inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban development. HCC’s Habitat Village showcase Ruta de la Experiencia in Quito- La Mariscal will serve as a guideline explaining the methodology of the Human Cities Coalition. The Ruta de la Experiencia for la Mariscal neighbourhood is to visualise the unique demand driven, multi-stakeholder approach to achieve inclusive and sustainable urban development. This event, with visual support and storytelling, will be presented cooperatively with key stakeholders.
This side event will present and discuss the results of a new analysis of the role of urban mobility in tacking urban inequality and poverty, particularly in less developed countries. The work addresses inter alia the equity impact of current methodologies and approaches to improving urban mobility. Taking advantage of the broad range of stakeholders in Quito, the event will debate the necessary steps to increase the impact of sustainable transport investments on urban equity and poverty.
Billions of dollars in international finance will be invested in new transport infrastructure and services over the coming years; however, it is not well understood to what extent these mobility investments will benefit and/or disenfranchise poor and disadvantaged populations. The event will explore ways to better align transport investments to address crucial cross cutting urban issues on poverty and equity, to strengthen linkages between the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and to expand synergies among the SDG, UNFCCC and Habitat III processes, particularly in less developed countries.
This seminar will directly contribute to improving understanding on how to maximise transport’s broad contribution to sustainable urban development and the efficient delivery of the NUA.
This event is a starting point for a gender sensitive implementation of the New Urban Agenda in fragile urban contexts. It aims to reinforce sustainable development in line with SDG 5 (Gender equality) and 11 (Sustainable cities and communities). Speakers from Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan showcase achievements and innovative methodologies to strengthen the skills and resilience of women in vulnerable settings and to enable women to take an active role in urban development and decision making, resource management, migration policy and peace negotiations. A particular focus will be given to the multiple challenges faced by communities highly impacted by refugee crisis and women's role in stabilizing hosting refugee communities.
Social cohesion, affordable housing, climate-friendly, energy-efficient and climate-adapted cities, enhanced and qualified central urban areas as well as urban infrastructures, green and healthy cities and, last but not least, the challenges of digitalization require from cities integrated urban development planning, know how, adequate and qualified personnel and, most importantly, investments. Cities need a sound financial basis to be able to manage these tasks in a short-, medium and long-term perspective. The event will present which regulations and mechanisms exist in Germany to make cities be able to achieve this aim. The most important momentum is the legislative coverage of local self-government by the Basic Law as Germany’s Constitution, whose respective paragraph reads: “Municipalities must be guaranteed the right to regulate all local affairs on their own responsibility, within the limits prescribed by the laws. Within the limits of their functions designated by a law, associations of municipalities shall also have the right of self-government according to the laws. The guarantee of self-government shall extend to the bases of financial autonomy; these bases shall include the right of municipalities to a source of tax revenues based upon economic ability and the right to establish the rates at which these sources shall be taxed.” Through a historically grown financial redistribution system – the strong one supports the weak one – the target shall be reached that local and public services may be offered without any regional imbalances. There are additional support programmes, e.g. the National Urban Development Promotion Programme (Städtebauförderung), through which the national level additionally supports cities, e.g. for building attractive and livable inner city areas. Finally, there are public banks offering cities loans at low interest rates to update their infrastructures, such as kindergartens, schools and sport facilities or transport infrastructures and waste management systems. The event will demonstrate that urban development as well as therewith necessary financial means require an overall responsibility, strategy and policy of a nation. Considering the situation in Germany, this is the role of the National Urban Development Policy (Nationale Stadtentwicklungspolitik).
Latin America stands for the most urbanized and unequal region in the world, where urban poverty coexist with a deep gap in the provision of good quality public services, including waste management. This situation represent an important risk, not only in social terms but also environmentally. Within this context, during the last decades, millions of Urban Recyclers from every country in the region have developed “green jobs”: by collecting recyclables from houses and businesses, they contribute with up to 50% of all the recyclable materials that our cities recover, preventing them to end up in (mostly informal) landfills. Despite the significant benefit that recyclers provide to society, both in environmental and economic terms, they are living in social exclusion and economic exploitation, where poverty is increased because of health and housing issues, derived from their working conditions. Urban recyclers are the first link in a value chain where they are invisible, unrecognized by governments and society in general, operating informally, with instances of unnecessary intermediation which capture most of the value of their work, while nurturing a global industry that moves billions of dollars annually. In the case of women, this situation is even worst, because an unequal access to the material, obtaining lower income for equal work, and assuming the double burden (recycling and family). As an alternative to overcome this issues, the Partners of the Regional Initiative for the Inclusive Recycling (https://reciclajeinclusivo.org/) are proud the share their joint experience and vision towards a New Paradigm in urban solid waste management: Inclusive Recycling. Leaders from Urban Recyclers Organizations, Municipal Governments, Private Enterprises’ and Cooperation Entities will present the key benefits and challenges of this approach, which is already helping to improve the working conditions, income and quality of life in 17 countries across the region.
The event addresses the global challenge of providing people universal access to professional urban waste management services in order to achieve healthy, resource-efficient and climate-friendly cities. It focuses on the questions: how improper waste management affects the environment and human health, what the costs of inaction are and what actions cities can take in this regard. According to the Global Waste Management Outlook (GWMO) of UNEP and ISWA, around 2 billion people still do not have access to waste collection services and the waste of 3 billion people is not managed in an environmentally sound manner. Particularly in low- and middle-income countries, open dumping and burning close to urban centers represent a frequent threat to human health, climate and the marine environment. Open dumping and burning of waste is polluting the air, soils and waterways. ISWA’s “Wasted Health” report in 2015 highlights the various negative health impacts due to pollution by dumpsites. The event seeks to identify what cities need to do and how to do it on the basis of the GWMO’s recommendations. With the concept of circular economy, applying appropriate urban waste management indicators and developing financing schemes (extended producers’ responsibilities for example) to cover the operating costs are some of the critical issues in this regard. ISWA, UNEP/IETC, UN Habitat/UBSB and GIZ will share their know-how and practical experiences with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. The event will start with a panel of five key note speakers, providing input for an informed and interactive discussion with the participants. The diversity of the panel members will ensure a comprehensive coverage of key aspects, including technical know-how, policy issues, financing and cases from cities. Then the event will give the floor to the audience to interact with each other or with the panelists, focusing on city cases.
President Obama has said that solving inequality is the “defining challenge of our time.” Inequality, in its many forms, is becoming increasingly acute. The world is facing a growing gap between the rich and the poor, between those who have opportunity and those who don’t. Many communities, cities, national governments, and civil society are taking action to break down the barriers that hold people back by providing every person with an equal shot at real opportunity. In the United States, all too often, many Americans find their dreams limited by where they come from, and a city neighborhood alone should never determine a child’s future.
In this session, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, will lead a roundtable discussion with mayors and ministers from the global north and south discussing ways in which we can achieve inclusive growth and opportunity in our communities. By speaking to lessons of national-subnational coordination and actionable solutions for cities, the participants will focus on ways to activate and implement the New Urban Agenda. As a result, participants will further develop the community of practice dedicated to making strong communities vital to the well being and prosperity of all.
The European Commission has a number of initiatives and tools under development for promoting sustainable urban development in the EU – tools that could be adapted, or used directly, by non-EU cities, for promoting the Global urban agenda. This networking event, to be introduced by the Deputy Director General of DG Environment of the European Commission, will present and discuss these, with the aim of sharing EU know-how with those attending the Habitat III conference.
The first item to be presented and discussed will be a new Green City Tool that has been developed to help cities in taking the first steps towards becoming more sustainable. The tool allows cities to measure and then benchmark their performance against other similar cities, against a set of key indicators; and to share experiences and learn from the approaches others have taken.
Next up, the Global Human Settlement layer will be presented and demonstrated. Available free online, it can be used by countries and cities around the world to measure and monitor urban sprawl in and around cities over time. The tool uses European satellite data to detect buildings across the planet, to provide a unique insight into how cities are growing and developing. By combining the Global Human Settlement data with population data, a global population grid has been created that can be used to define cities, detect vulnerabilities to natural disasters and for transport planning.
Finally, The European Cities Report and the European Urban Data Platform will be introduced, giving a comprehensive account of the development of European cities over recent years, along with a description of how European cities are dealing with issues such as air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. How this wide array of EU city data coming from the report can be accessed via interactive visualisations will also be shown.
Joint presentation of the agreement between ONU-Habitat and Argentina’s government to develop and implement the National Urban and Habitat Plan.
The event will be a Round Table Discussion with the participation of the author of the book, of a high representative of the Ministry of Public Works - which is supporting the edition of the book for its presentation at the Conference- and -to be confirmed- of a representative of Latin America region, related with housing.
The Role of Urban Professionals in Implementing the New Urban Agenda, and Achieving Sustainable, Inclusive, Resilient Cities
Cities are the result of interactions between human beings and their interrelations, and as such the new urban paradigm must identify new people-oriented forms of partnerships in the development process. This discussion will further redefine our relationships with informal settlements and slums. Urban informality and climate change issues should therefore be recognized as a vital element in the metropolitan planning processes.
In order to achieve a successful implementation process of the New Urban Agenda, there will be a tremendous need for capacity building and knowledge transfer at all levels in the southern hemisphere. It will further require a new process of data collections through participatory and bottom-up approaches, which must be an integral part of a monitoring and sharing system.
The Roundtable will particularly analyse some critical issues facing cities today, including chaotic/ unplanned development, informality, segregation and exclusion, climate change, disasters, conflict and urban violence. It will open a debate on how professionals can contribute to facing these challenges, and in the active implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
Grassroots Organizations at the Centre of Effective Inclusive Urban Development
Translating global policy into real implementation requires substantial institutional shifts and new partnerships on all levels. Fundamental to this is the fortification of the role of organized communities and their representative movements and the organizations of people living and working in poverty to plan, implement, and monitor development programs that affect their lives. The formation of the Grassroots Partner Constituent Group of the General Assembly of Partners is a clear indication that this stakeholder group is a critical element of the New Urban Agenda’s success.
The Grassroots Roundtable will feature achievements, lessons learned, and concrete strategies for implementable partnerships among grassroots networks and their allies within the context of sustainable and inclusive urban development. Representatives of grassroots networks, government officials, and leading development agencies and foundations will bring their innovative methodologies and explore synergies and common challenges in order to begin charting a course for implementation and monitoring following Habitat III. It will evaluate potential collaborations and identify relevant mechanisms for implementing the New Urban Agenda together.
A series of solidified and actionable commitments between grassroots stakeholders and local and national government actors will be introduced in line with the Quito Implementation Plan.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
A primary theme of the event is that the use of geospatial data and technology can greatly facilitate the design and management of more resilient and sustainable urban areas. Urban planners and managers need to visualize data. Developing integrated maps from a range of data sets allows both practitioners and other stakeholders to visualize the characteristics of the city more easily. The creation of a dynamic map illustrates how various urban characteristics interact with each other and what the consequences of these interactions might be – now and in the future. This will result in better urban spatial planning and design alternatives.
A secondary, and related, theme is that enhanced collaboration between urban stakeholders (particularly at the neighborhood level) and urban professionals increases the sustainability of projects by creating local ownership of a project. Urban planners and managers need to communicate designs and plans, especially to citizens. Maps provide a common language for this collaboration between urban practitioners, government institutions and civil society. Being able to communicate more fully about an issue facilitates the likelihood that any solution/approach that is developed will be implemented successfully. The existence of a common visual language also allows participation by a broader group of stakeholders who can provide current on-the-ground information to practitioners. By linking increased technical capacity with existing local knowledge of an area urban resources can be maximized.
These themes will be illustrated with geospatial mapping applications for slum upgrading, citizen engagement, and urban (geo) design and presented in a long-term web GIS application.
Book launch of new book "Family Capital and the SDGs - Implementing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals" showing how the family as a unit can help achieve the SDGs.
Habitat III is expected to be a landmark event that will catalyze and reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainable urbanization, by focusing on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Surrounding the Habitat III, UNIDO is therefore organizing a side event to further this vision and provide opportunities for the global family to continue in the ongoing discussions towards concrete action in linking SDGs with climate agreement. Urban development indeed plays a crucial role in fostering economic growth, prosperity and economic integration, and ultimately the sustainable development of cities. With this belief, UNIDO is working closely with its partners to develop and implement projects and programmes to promote inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) that provides opportunities for developing synergies and eco-partnerships between cities and industry for creating employment and fostering clean technology innovations. A sustainable city serves the best interests of industry as it benefits from the efficient and effective functioning of its host cities. The UNIDO side event will highlight the significance and potential of sustainable cities as hubs for innovation, low carbon industrialization and climate action, as well as display effective means of project implementation that integrate interventions in sustainable planning, sustainable investment, and sustainable technologies in line with the New Urban Agenda. Furthermore, UNIDO’s experience within the topic will emphasize the strength of strategic partnerships and global platforms to achieve global environmental benefits at scale, while contributing to inclusive and sustainable development of cities.
The networking event will explore the key elements of ensuring resilient outcomes for cities and nations for generations to come. It will offer perspectives on the common challenges related to infrastructure development in urban settings and discuss ways to upscale effective implementation to achieve the objectives of the New Urban Agenda. Key questions to be addressed during the panel discussion include: What are the main elements to be considered in planning resilient and sustainable infrastructure? How can we re-imagine governance to better drive and manage development? What are practical steps that can be taken by national governments and their development partners to achieve a more strategic approach to planning and decision making on urban infrastructure investments? This debate will be taken up by senior representatives of the United Nations, governments, academia and the development community through a lively panel discussion followed by an interactive Questions and Answers session with the broader audience.
The New Urban Agenda and the Fight Against Discrimination At its core, the phenomenon of urbanization is fundamentally about the movement of people. Cities are the primary destination for most of the world’s international migrants, refugees, andI Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). In fact, approximately 60% of the total 14.4 million refugees while 80% of the 38 million IDPs are thought to be living in urban areas as a result of conflict, and other drivers. More than one billion people are migrants, and almost 250 million of these are outside of their home countries. Some have moved in search of opportunity, while a large number have moved to find safety from on-going conflict, persecution, or disaster. Migrants, refugees and IDPs are rarely included in national plans for action on housing, and are often unable to participate in national or local consultations on housing and urban development issues. Additionally, legal restrictions as well as social, economic, and racial discrimination often mitigate their access to economic opportunity, justice systems, earn livelihoods, and acquire adequate housing and services, such as health and education. Migrants in irregular situations can be vulnerable to forced evictions and homelessness, which can further enhance their vulnerability to violence, arbitrary detention, and other violations of their rights. They are often denied access to homeless shelters on account of their irregular status. Local authorities and other actors must promote urban equality and ensure that refugees, migrants and IDPs, regardless of their status, are not excluded from the opportunities offered by urbanization. They should harness and maximize the skills, productivity, and experience migrants and displaced persons bring to their host communities. A human rights approach to urbanization will pay particular attention to the needs of all migrants and mobile populations, including refugees, migrants in an irregular situations, victims of trafficking, internally displaced persons, and unaccompanied children, for example in the context of health and education delivery or housing. Stronger data systems are essential for supporting migrants and refugees in urban settings and assisting local and national governments in effectively planning for population mobility. Limited data and projections on urbanization, internal mobility and displacement, international migration and refugees undermine the ability of governments and communities to effectively plan. The absence of disaggregated data also means that vulnerable populations are more likely to be left behind.
Guiding Questions
· What are the critical challenges faced by communities in adapting to the movement of people into cities?
· What are the challenges, including human rights challenges, being faced by migrants, refugees and Internally Displaced Persons? What personal stories have you heard about these challenges?
· How the implementation of the New Urban Agenda can help to address challenges and opportunities faced by migrants, refugees, and their host communities?
· How are city and national governments governing the situation of migrants and refugees within their jurisdictions, and what best practices exist?
· What commitments can governments, agencies, and other stakeholders make to live up to the ambitions of the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development?
· What actions are needed to effectively implement migration-related commitments of the New Urban Agenda and how would this contribute to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals more broadly?
· What is required to address the challenges and opportunities of migration in the urban context?
· How can a discussion on the needs of migrants, refugees and host communities be taken forward beyond Quito?
Description of the session The New Urban Agenda references the role and potential of information and communications technologies (ICTs) to advance the goals of and address the challenges posed by urbanization, presenting new opportunities for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. ICT advancements have enabled new approaches, tools and mechanisms for improving the quality of urban life and enhance the prospects of cities (and countries) around the world. Governments and partners have been exploring how best to harness the potential of ICTs not only to increase the efficiencies of city operations, but to advance sustainable urban development overall. There is an increasing role of ICTs in networked urbanization, and ICTs have ushered significant and irrevocable changes in the way people live, boosted social prosperity, and have significant impact on the growth and competitiveness of economies and cities. Smart cities involve the development of digital policies and strategies that are people-centered and tap into technological innovations to build the capacities of stakeholders (smart grids, smart government, smart citizenship, etc.). Key in smart city efforts is the use of ICTs to improve the quality of life of urban communities and build inclusive urban societies, thus efforts include the use of ICTs to enhance equitable access to urban services and opportunities, broaden participation particularly of the poor and marginalized in urban development processes, enable stakeholders’ co-development of solutions, foster accountable and responsive local authorities, as well as increase efficiencies across sectors overall. There is growing recognition of ICTs’ potential to achieve desired outcomes in urban development: high-quality public spaces, well-connected grids, well-designed density, increased resource efficiency, improved quality of life, growth with reduced carbon emissions, and knowledge creation and management that address emerging needs and risks --- the contours of cities that are smart and sustainable. This Session will explore the innovative policies, approaches and strategies that could assist the effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda, with a focus on how a “smart city” advances the Agenda’s goals of inclusion, sustainability and resilience.
Public Space Led Urban Development
Cities that improve the quality of life for their citizens experience higher levels of prosperity; they are also likely to find themselves more advanced in terms of sustainability. Such cities strive towards social equity and gender equality by increasing access to the urban commons and public good, preventing private appropriation and expanding the scope for improved quality of life for all. Cities that have a strong notion of the ‘public’ demonstrate a commitment to an improved quality of life for their citizens by providing adequate street space, green areas, parks, recreation facilities and other public spaces. Public spaces are a vital ingredient for successful cities. They help build a sense of community, civic identity, and culture. Public spaces facilitate social capital, economic development, and community revitalization. The liveliness and continued use of public space leads to urban environments that are well maintained, healthy, and safe; it makes cities attractive places to live and work. Promoting socially inclusive, integrated, connected, accessible, gender-responsive, environmentally sustainable, and safe public spaces is key to the success of the New Urban Agenda. Good quality public space provides connectivity and accessibility to people, protection from crime, and shelter from weather and traffic .Cities and local governments should work in partnership with a range of stakeholders, organizations, civil society (taking into consideration indigenous people, women’sand grass roots women’s organizations), academia, and the private sector to ensure inclusive, safe and accessible public spaces for all.
The enabling components of the New Urban Agenda are mutually reinforcing and vital in ensuring prosperous cities. Rules and legislation protect access to public spaces, urban planning, and design provides adequate quantity and good quality public space and urban finance and economy share values, promotes income, investment, wealth creation, and provides employment and job opportunities for all. When planning focuses on providing an adequate public space structure in terms of supply and connectivity, it is possible to move forward with infrastructure, land subdivision and development in a much more efficient and sustainable way. Streets and public spaces need to be planned first with a view of supporting adequate urban density and connectivity. The link between public space and urban development is critical and needs to be understood in each context and legal framework in order to prevent the creation of mismanaged and unimproved open spaces and/or public space deficiencies common to many cities.
Guiding Questions
· What are the key methods for improving public spaces that can contribute to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
· Propose practical actions on how to mobilise, create, secure and protect public space
· What are the fundamental policy recommendations needed to ensure public spaces are safe, healthy, liveable, and inclusive?
· How can we finance the creation, protection, and revitalisation of public spaces? What are the key transferable financial models for ensuring proper financing of public spaces in cities?
· What mechanisms exist to support local authorities in adopting an integrated approach to creating liveable, healthy, and inclusive public spaces?
· What tools are needed to support local authorities and governments in driving the New Urban Agenda and promoting safe, inclusive, and accessible public spaces that enhance the quality of urban life for all?
· How can we ensure citizen participation (especially the most vulnerable) in the creation, design, and management of public spaces and ensure that communities really benefit from public space regeneration?
· Any key recommendations for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda on public space issues?
UNESCO will launch and disseminate “Towards Resilient Non-Engineered Construction – Guide for Risk-Informed Policy Making” by the Disaster Risk Reduction Programme. These publications will be promoted and available for viewing at the exhibition.
Download Publication unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0024/002460/246077e.pdf
The event will present two new books produced by the network, “Migraplan I and II” containing case studies of rapid urbanization with a significant component of international and national migration, displaced population and refugees in Latin American and Caribbean countries. The publications presents case studies in which specific habitat projects for the most vulnerable populations lead to identify different participatory planning tools (the “Compass”, “Participlan”, “Migraplan” and “Postplan”). Such experiences are discussed in terms of their contribution to informal settlements upgrading and prevention. The publications aims to fill the knowledge gap to carry out urban planning prioritizing progressive human rights fulfillment of vulnerable groups in general and migrants, displaced and refugee groups in particular. Comparative analysis of the impact of migration in the formation of informal settlements, urban expansion trends, neighborhoods transformation shaping migrant corridors will be presented and discusses in terms of scales, approaches and institutional setting. Comparing the Latin- America and Caribbean experience respect Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East seeking to contribute some inputs on territorial planning schemes to respond to the ongoing world migrant crisis. In addition, it will be launched a handbook for informal settlement upgrade and prevention (the “compass”) and the magazine “Postplan”, dedicated to assess critically the impact of urban and housing policies in the last two decade, as a contribution to the discussion at Habitat III.
Activities are structured in three stages: A short presentation of authors representing different countries of the region. The moderator will summarize the facts presented and will invite for questions and comments. A second stage will consists in a presentation of 10 minutes video containing key questions regarding urbanization and migration inviting to discuss approaches to cope with rapid urbanization engaging self- organized communities. The third stage will consists of final remarks inviting participants to work collaboratively providing details on coming activities of the network.
The event aims to present innovative approaches and programmes on sustainable and integrated urban development as promoted by the European Commission and other partners such as the Inter-American Development Bank and to identify common agendas and networking opportunities between EU and non-EU cities. Based on the experience and know-how of the European Union project World Cities (associating cities from EU, Canada, China, India and Japan) and the city network URBELAC (EU-Latin America and Caribbean), the event will promote learning and will identify approaches that can be shared on innovative solutions to sustainable urban development, including governance issues. The event will present as well the possibilities for international cooperation offered by the new programme for the period 2016-2019 on International Urban Cooperation (IUC), which is financed under the EU's Partnership Instrument and seeks to contribute to improved international urban diplomacy and increased decentralised cooperation, firstly, through the promotion of actions on sustainable urban development and, secondly, through the Covenant of Mayors. Under the first component, local authorities in the EU will cooperate with their counterparts in North America, Latin America, China, South-East Asia, India and Japan. It is expected that at a significant number of cities will be supported in developing and implementing local action plans and the Covenant of Mayors Climate Action Plans.
This event aims to present the Urban dimension of EU policies as well as the policy framework, governance mechanisms and means of implementations put in place by the European Union to help European cities. The following initiatives will be discussed: the Urban Agenda for the European Union, the urban dimension of the EU polices, the Urban Innovative Actions and the city-to-city cooperation initiatives. Focus will be on the Urban Agenda for the European Union will be presented as well as its role as a key delivery instrument of the New Urban Agenda with the EU.
On the eve of the adoption of a global new urban agenda (NUA), it is critical to find new ways to empower urban policy makers and other stakeholders through access to current research from established knowledge institutions and networks. With rapid urbanisation and the pressures of globalisation being felt now more than ever in cities of the global south, applied urban research networks are well placed to offer data, analysis and recommendations that could strengthen policy responses to pressing housing and service delivery problems. This event will bring together research networks from different regions to share experiences and debate how to better engage with the policy makers, ministers, local governments and practitioners in general. With the support of Cities Alliance, three networks dedicated to sustainability challenges in the global south are joining forces to host this event – the African Urban Research Initiative (AURI), the Network Association of European Researchers on Urbanization in the South (N-AERUS) and the Network of Sustainable Urban Development Study Centres in Latin America and the Caribbean (REDEUS_LAC)– to bring together Ministers, Mayors, civil society organisations, urban practitioners and academic researchers to engage in dialogue on ways to improve access to and translation of urban research to enhance policy formulation.
Value capture is a tool for recovering the increase in land value that results from urban public interventions such as investments, regulatory changes and other government actions, and re-investing it in infrastructure, affordable housing and other means to promote and better distribute the benefits of urban development. This networking session will provide an overview of the legal and other conceptual underpinnings of land-based financing tools, seeking to introduce these ideas to new audiences, and present these tools as a relevant and feasible solution to improve the quality of life for the world’s urban populations. The event will provide an opportunity for people from geographically diverse cities and nations to share their experiences and compare the opportunities and challenges that exist in various institutional and political contexts. The primary objectives of the session are to promote an international exchange of experiences with the implementation of land-based tools to finance urban development and help establish a common understanding of the role of land in urban development, infrastructure finance, and the quality of services that cities provide to their residents; to identify and address persistent technical and political challenges with implementation of value capture and provide models and analytic tools helpful to overcome these challenges; and to highlight the ways the recovery of publicly generated land value increment facilitates social and economic inclusion and patterns of sustainable development in cities. The event anchors a discussion on several key themes in the New Urban Agenda: Land; Domestic Public Resources; and Financing and other Tools of Implementation. It puts value capture at the center of the discussion on sound financial policy frameworks.
The aim of this side event, led by Madrid City Council, together with its partners, is to reaffirm its commitment to sustainable urban development, given the need for new urban models. Social, environmental and economic inequalities within cities have increased in recent years and, in occasions, the imbalance is reflected in urban spaces, marking differences between the center and the most vulnerable areas in cities. Urban frameworks, spatial development and urban economies are crucial issues that should be tackled in order to generate urban sustainable development and prosperity for everyone. Participation of all involved actors that come together in the city- citizens, the private sector and the public sector- need to take part in these reviewing and proposing processes. Madrid City Council and its partners want to contribute to these global discussions from their experiences and proposals. Technical and political meetings have taken place in Madrid throughout 2016 with the support of UN Habitat. As a result of this process, the Madrid Communiqué on Recovering the City among all will be issued in September. We would like to take the privileged opportunity of the Habitat III Conference to present, discuss and debate this Communiqué with all participants, considering its four pillars: 1) City and justice 2) Innovation and urban governance 3) Equity and inclusion 4) Accessibility and proximity We are confident all innovative discussions held during the event will: - Promote knowledge and sharing generating inputs for the New Urban Agenda and its subsequent implementation - Foster strategic alliances related to new practices and experiences exchange - Bolster political debate and consensus This event will adopt a practice-oriented perspective aiming to ease the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. It has also been
designed to be inclusive in terms of age and gender balance, trying to
be comprehensive of the world’s urban population.
Based on case studies in Haiti, India, several other countries in Africa, Latin America, and Europe, the event will seek to understand the main deadlocks impeding the achievement of security of tenure and social inclusion in existing cities. It will advocate for a more realistic approach of social inclusion, based on the reduction of social and economic inequities (including gender inequities), the acknowledgment of the social function of land, the struggle against forced evictions, the integration of informal and marginalized neighborhoods into the city, the empowerment of local knowledge and the promotion of communities’ participation to the decision-making processes. This event will contribute to the New Urban Agenda by providing concrete recommendations on implementation, such as: • promotion of alternative forms to recognize and secure access to land, tenure and housing; • presentation of mechanisms able to improve security of land tenure; • provision of concrete examples of actions able to improve social inclusion and reduce inequities and vulnerabilities; • promotion of realistic housing approaches, based on the production of adequate and affordable housing by public sector, the provision of serviced land plots but also based on the public assistance and recognition of self-build solutions; • avoidance of encompassing housing and land only with their economic value; • assurance of social mix in new areas and rehabilitated settlements and avoidance of gentrification of low income neighborhoods; • attention to in situ rehabilitation; • support of production of knowledge and information by inhabitants and promotion a fair participation and a sound contribution of inhabitants to the decision-making process. Panelists: Mr. Patrick BRAOUZEC, vice president of Grand Paris Miloon KHOTARI, former UN Special Rapporteur on adequate housing Michèle ORIOL, Executive Secretary, Comité interministériel d’Aménagement du territoire, Haiti Yves CABANNES, Emeritus Professor of Development Planning, University College, London Boubacar BAH, president of the Mayors Association of Mali Representative for the city of Sao Paolo
Cities are real estate. As cities grows real equity grows. Who owns this equity and how is it deployed to benefit the city, its institutions and its citizens? Community Development Enterprises (CDEs) in the Reall Network have answered that by creating effective partnerships with local government, communities and investment. CDEs plan, finance and implement human settlements in a way that equity is significantly enhanced, and then distributed to ensure a win for communities (affordability and local economic growth), a win for the CDE (sustainability), a win for local government (urban development and taxation), and a win for the investor (ROI). The session will feature actual cases from the leaders of institutions in Tanzania, Zimbabwe, Nepal and the Philippines to demonstrate how CDEs have been working with local government, enhance the planning and delivery capabilities of the city, stimulate local economic development through business, job and asset creation, provide access to finance, secure investment, advance women in leadership and position housing ‘at the centre’ of growth. As part of a larger global network, CDEs are working together to establish a Bottom of the Pyramid investment market, capable of attracting significant investment.
The panel will include practitioners, funders, policy
makers and academics who will speak to the ecosystem
of human settlement development, and the need for
institutional arrangements that encourage and facilitate
partnerships that incorporate communities, local
government, developers and investors. The panel will also
discuss how effective housing partnerships catalyses and
drives local economic growth, from direct and indirect
employment, supply chain benefits from the construction
process, the creation of new community based economies
and access to financing to drive small business.
German housing policy with focus on
- the importance of reliable framework in law, especially for housing with social responsibility "security of tenure"
- characteristics of German housing market and the social and economic relevance of the special structure
-comprehensive approach with social tenancy law, housing allowances, support of proprietary and urban development policy.
The event ist made for those participants of the Habitat III conference who are interested to build up an attractive framework for equal participation in housing supply and urban development.
If the event is on the time table at 17.10. in the later morning or 18.10. in the morning until 14 h Germany´s federal Minister Dr. Barbara Hendricks will take part in the event.
Reason for this application:
Not only for countries with strong urbanization and emerging nations, the question of affordable housing is a key question and basis for economic and social development. Mainly stability of the law and legal protection of tenants and private equity are an important fundament for social security and development. The German approach shows how housing and urban development policies can be combined to create and secure this important fundament. Especially law and financial structures for the rental market lead to a fair supply with homes – either as tenant or owner.
The event will show how rules, regulation and incentives interact and provide a legal framework for affordable housing and urban development. The event will also give as an outlook on developments in the future.
The German legal framework is also important for inclusiveness and gender aspect. The event will show as it can be if “City for all” is taken seriously. Therefore, with view to the New Urban Agenda other aspects will be integrated into the programme, such as gender aspects, how to avoid social segretion (“City for all”) by a mixture of tenants and owners as well as programmes and law for urban development. Another aspect may be the balance of local technical and social infrastructure that can be used by everybody without any restriction due to gender, origin, race, language, religion, politics or handicaps. For this side event, representatives of different stakeholder will be involved to show how concepts for social and affordable housing are realized also in the private sector.
The United Nations established in 2015, with several assumptions inside of the Sustainable Development Goals, the importance of the action respect to urban climate modifications, due to global warming and heat island effect. If global warming intensity has been studied in the last years at both global and regional level, urban heat island has not been assessed yet at the Latin-American scale. Especially, many important cities of the Pacific coast, like Lima or Guayaquil have not been studied in terms of urban climatology and effect of the fast urbanization on the environment. This networking event will present some preliminary results on this very important topic and will also put on the table a multy-disciplinary discussion with the objective to conform a new research group between Institutions of different countries focused on the issue. The Habit 3 conference will establish the actions to take in the next future to reach a sustainable urban living. In this process, the formulation of the climate impacts on cities appears to be a very important contribution, focusing on a region of the world, South America, where the urbanization process is very fast and most of the countries have an acceptable level of human development without an increase in the ecological footprint (yet). South America could be the workshop of the humanity to construct a new model for the future cities: more inclusive, safe and resilient facing all kind of events, including the climatic changes.
The Quito Declaration of the New Urban Agenda calls for the adoption of policies and actions based on fundamental drivers of change including by “supporting effective, innovative, and sustainable financing frameworks and instruments, enabling strengthened municipal finance and local fiscal systems in order to create, sustain, and share the value generated by sustainable urban development in an inclusive manner.” How effectively the global community is able to deliver on the New Urban Agenda therefore depends on the mobilization of all sources of finance—including private investment, domestic resources, and development cooperation—and the ability of governments at all levels to translate revenue into inclusive and sustainable models of delivering basic services that provide large-scale benefits to urban residents in a sustainable manner over the long-term. We have learned many lessons about how governments, the private sector, and development agencies can to work together to finance and promote sustainable urbanization. We have also seen that even promising approaches to mobilizing and effectively using resources for urban development can be derailed by unforeseen challenges. To make meaningful progress on the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, all actors will need to build on past lessons and identify innovative ways to foster an enabling environment that can mobilize and effectively deploy all sources of finance for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable service delivery. Among the questions this session will address are: ●What are the challenges in mobilizing private sector investment to support pro-poor models of service delivery? How have local governments overcome these challenges? ●What are the greatest impediments to domestic resource mobilization? How can governments and civil society work together to mobilize and use domestic resources to tackle urban development challenges? ●How can development cooperation help strengthen local institutions and unlock capital for urban development? ●What models have been effective in promoting financially sustainable, pro-poor service delivery? What role should civil society play in ensuring that resources are allocated effectively to benefit all urban residents? ●What new forms of partnership between governments, civil society, and the private sector can support implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
The event is an interactive discussion on actions and financing mechanisms for research and innovation (R&I) for and with cities, placing emphasis on how international cooperation in the field of sustainable urbanisation can support the implementation of a Global Urban Agenda. The event will showcase how science diplomacy with key global partners allow the European Union R&I to play a pivotal role in promoting a systemic city ecosystem approach where the innovation glue can link together all the different pieces of the urban puzzle. R&I will be presented as a means of implementation of the SDG 11 'Make Cities Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable' by providing the knowledge, open data and evidence base to inform decisions on key investments in cities. The event will bring together policy-makers, scientists, innovators and city authorities from different European and international contexts. Citizen Bloggers from the municipalities of Dresden, Stockholm, Budapest, Brighton and Genk will be also involved to give a snapshot on the most interesting urban transition initiatives that are ongoing at the local level. Key Objectives: - Present R&I for and with cities as a means of implementation, monitoring and assessment of the Global Urban Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Disaster Risk Reduction Framework. - Showcase how EU R&I is fostering international cooperation with key partner countries through the Belmont Forum and related activities of the EU-China Urban Partnership and the EU-Brazil sector Dialogue on Sustainable Cities and Nature-based solutions. - Discuss the role of the Joint Programming Initiative Urban Europe and the European Capital of Innovation Award as instruments to praise holistic visions of urban innovation, looking in particular at governance, economics, social inclusion, and quality of life.
Following the results of the side events held in the framework of the pre-Habitat III process in Cuenca (Ecuador) and Toluca (Mexico), this high level event aims to provide a dialogue space for Mayors of Latin American cities that are part of the Cities Footprint Project (www.citiesfootprint.com), and others, in relation to the role of municipal governments regarding climate change, focusing on the major developments and progress made, and common challenges identified at the local level in the region, as well as the best ways to overcome all the identified barriers, individually and collectively. In this sense, the event will promote the exchange of information on initiatives and best practices that Latin American cities are already using to access climate funding, integrate climate change indicators in their municipal planning and strategies, as well as the best actions to overcome challenges identified at the local level. The main outcome expected will be the subscription of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the cities, with the commitment of working together towards the implementation of mitigation and adaptation actions, especially through promoting more spaces for knowledge exchange between cities, south-south and north-south cooperation, a process of town twinning, among other activities.
Cities and local stakeholders will play a critical role in implementing the SDGs. Cities are where sustainable development challenges like poverty and disaster risk are felt most acutely. Cities also incubate policies to address sustainability challenges in an integrated manner, which can then “trickle up” to inform national policies. Fortunately, city leaders are already rallying behind the SDGs. Hundreds of mayors have committed to advance the SDGs—across all goals and targets—in their cities. But, beyond commitments, what tools and resources do city leaders and their constituents need to drive progress on the SDGs? This networking event will focus on two essential components to drive success in the push to “localize” the SDGs. First, we will look at data and indicators to support progress on the SDGs. The MDGs demonstrated that national averages can be misleading—regional disparities require disaggregated data to provide evidence at different levels and tailor action to local needs. This panel will describe efforts to leverage the SDGs to collect and use new data that enable local leaders to make smarter decisions and improve sustainable development outcomes. Second, we will consider how integrated planning and sharing of responsibilities across levels of government will be essential to achieving the SDGs. This panel will describe new assessment tools to improve local governance and financing for sustainable development in cities, as well as the range of options to foster multi-level partnerships. We will also explore how the SDGs open up opportunities for city leaders to learn from each other and build global platforms to share lessons and best practices. In both areas, we will feature innovative tools being developed by the OECD, research institutions, and local and national leaders to strengthen capacities to ensure that cities are the forefront of implementing the 2030 Agenda.
The Brazilian Network of Participatory Budgeting it’s a cities network that reunite, articulate, strengthens e consolidate in local ambit the Participatory Budget experiences – program that have as objective to democratize the public management from the possibility of choosing the destination public investments and of the active citizen participation in the improving of the city. Are you working on a PB process and eager to learn more your peers in other cities? Many countries and regions have successfully launched PB Networks, composed of cities and institutions that are implementing PB and seek to improve their work through peer‐to‐peer learning and collaboration. The Brazilian Network of PB together they’re to help expand and deepen PB. At this session we will learn about international experiences with PB networks and discuss key questions for countries working about it.
Economic disaster losses in developing nations over the last 20 years are estimated to amount to $862 billion - equivalent in value to one-third of all international development aid. Further, other high-frequency, low-intensity disasters affect even more people and often go unnoticed both by media and policymakers. Climate change, increasing migration and displacements, civil conflicts, and rapid urbanization are all expected to amplify disasters in frequency and impact, especially for the most vulnerable, including children, youth, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. Cumulatively, these crises not only threaten lives and assets but also reverse decades of global development gains. Together with a network of 190 humanitarian and development NGOs and their local partners, InterAction works towards improved policy and practice to deliver lifesaving assistance and support the recovery processes of affected populations and their local governments. While traditional approaches to humanitarian crises were siloed, CSOs have been innovating and implementing new and integrated approaches that cut across several sectors, such as shelter, health, livelihoods, and protection as seen from recent natural disasters in the Philippines, Nepal and Ecuador as well as refugee and displacement crises in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Europe. 1. The event will highlight new approaches, challenges, and lessons learned in responding to humanitarian crises in some of the most complex urban environments, and provide practical examples on how stakeholders are addressing some of the most pressing issues that cities face. 2. New partnerships between city governments, the private sector, and CSOs are necessary for effective, cohesive strategies. The event will provide opportunities for participating organizations to engage and build upon strategies for recovery, strengthening local capacity, and ensuring that the most marginalized residents are able to prepare, respond, and get back on their feet to rebuild their lives and contribute to economic and social development.
As the Yoruba proverb says, “if we stand tall it is because we stand on the shoulders of our elders so we can see further ahead.” At Habitat II, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Mega-Cities Project, hosting the Local Coordinators from each of the 20 mega-cities in our network as well as the community participants who were part of the first ever Grassroots Innovation Exposition. At Habitat III, our goal is to accelerate the effectiveness of the next generation of young and emerging leaders by connecting them with each other and this first cohort of experienced MCP pioneers. This event will serve as the launch of our next generation network, Mega Cities/Mega-Change, or MC2. Just as 20 yeas ago in Istanbul we shared our strategy to shorten the time lag between ideas and implementation, in Quito we will launch—with your participation—a strategy for shortening the lag time for promising young leaders to be heard, to make a difference and to access intergenerational support networks. To bring find the inspiring young urban innovators and enable them to join our Networking Session, we will open an online competition. The winners, selected by jury and crowd sourcing, will receive cash AWARDS and showcase promising youth-led initiatives with system-challenging innovations that can be scaled into policy, replicated, and inspire others. Speakers will share what they have already done and seek guidance from elder leaders and the attendees to learn how they overcame common obstacles. Through pre-Habitat III preparatory meetings, this Networking Event, and Post-Meeting we will produce an implementation plan to ensure that this network has breadth, depth and endurance. These stages support bonding and bridging networks to strengthen emerging leaders and their initiatives.
Acting as a group, the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) have historically played a very important role in development. Through their work on country level alignment, harmonization of policies procedures and practices, and their leadership in developing an agenda on managing for development results, they are a major stakeholder to strengthen coherence in development cooperation. Using their joint convening power MDBs are increasingly reaching out to other development partners. More recently, Multilateral Development Banks are playing a strategic role in the 2030 sustainable Development Agenda. With joint statements – among others - on Climate Finance and Forced Displacement Crisis, the MDBs have outlined coordinated action contributing to the implementation of global development agendas. In the context of joint statements the MDB’s bring together a wide ranging and deep expertise, deployment of finance and technical assistance, cooperating even more with each other and working in partnership with national institutions and countries and also with public and private organizations.
The New Urban Agenda provides an opportunity for the MDBs to once again outline their role towards the implementation of transformational development actions. The Habitat III conference provides a unique forum to discuss how urban commitments align with the MDB joint commitments made in Rio+20, the SDG process, and COP21. In this context, the main theme of the proposed networking event responds to the call to ensure MDBs contribute in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in a coordinated and efficient manner.
The zero draft of the New Urban Agenda calls on multilateral international and regional organizations, financial institutions, and development partners engaged in urban development to enhance coordination and partnership of their strategies and to apply an integrated approach to sustainable urbanization and eradicating poverty. The zero draft also places emphasis on the role of national urbanization policy as well as engagement of local authorities and city-to-city cooperation. In this context, the New Urban Agenda calls on international and regional financial institutions and development banks to incorporate and mainstream the recommendations in their urban development strategies, especially when providing financial support and loans for integrated urban development to developing countries.
FAO is engaged in various activities that address urban food security and nutrition, whereby further collaboration is sought with other UN agencies, donors, governments and multi-stakeholders, particularly for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. This side event will focus on the need for optimizing interventions in rural and urban areas for reaching food security and healthy diets. The participants will get an opportunity to discuss recent experiences of investments for developing integrated food planning strategies and policies and improving food systems. These may include food charters, projects on school catering, promotion campaigns of healthy foods, supporting programs to physical access to healthy foods in food desert areas, urban gardening, food waste management, strengthening urban-rural linkages, developing urban and peri-urban forestry and green infrastructure, etc. These issues are receiving growing attention worldwide and are a key resource for a better understanding of the importance and necessity of investing in urban food systems. This side event will discuss the key entry points to guide and facilitate investment plans aiming at food security and improved nutrition in cities.
Water provides essential basic services in cities, supporting the health and dignity of urban populations, enabling social integration and economic activity. Yet as urbanization intensifies and the changing climate modifies the water cycle, sustainability objectives oblige us to seriously shift the way water is valued and managed in cities. Beyond basic services, waters’ value as a feature of the urban landscape, a provider of ecological services, public space, or as a wildlife habitat also need to be embraced. Waters’ uses at different grades of quality, offering potential sources of energy, nutrients and services like cleaning and cooling, must also be seized. The way water shapes and itself is influenced by urban planning and design needs to better considered in light of both over-abundance and scarcity. Depending on how it is managed in cities, water can be a threat or a salvation, an eyesore or an asset, an unwanted waste or a valuable resource, a transmitter of sickness or a source of good health. Seizing the better outcomes depends on a richer appreciation of water in cities and a more proactive approach to the linkages between urban and water management. The networking event will explore how water is dealt with in the New Urban Agenda, then go on to discuss how to turn this bold agenda into action.
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Is your city experiencing weather, environment and climate related challenges? We can help. Come discuss your city’s issues with experts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC). Find out about research and best practices in other cities that are facing challenges. Explore the resources and opportunities that can come from working with experts from these agencies.
WMO together with its collaborators and partner cities will introduce its focused effort to provide the science-based integrated urban services supporting the safe, healthy and resilient cities through the development of Urban Integrated Weather, Environment and Climate Services. The aim is to build urban services that meet the special needs of cities through a combination of dense observation networks, high-resolution forecasts, multi-hazard early warning systems, and climate services.
The event will gather national and local policy makers and experts on sustainable cities and lifestyles to share latest findings and research understanding cities as metabolisms and enabling sustainable lifestyles as well as concrete initiatives, demonstrating the innovation capacity of cities. Two publications will be launched: “Global Typology on Sustainable Lifestyles” and “Understanding Sustainable Lifestyles in Latina America and the Caribbean”.
Most urban transport projects focus on improving the ability of citizens to move freely within a city. Typically, that has been measured by the share of the population living within, say, 0.5 kilometer of a transit stop, the maximum travel distance per unit of time, or the amount of transportation infrastructure in a city. Using such “proximity” measures to monitor urban mobility has led to congested highway networks and public transit systems that have failed to bring jobs and services within the practical reach of residents— especially the poor. Proximity-based measures represent indirect attempts to capture the real objective of a transit system, which is making opportunities accessible to the residents of a city. New technologies and richer databases now make accessibility—the number of jobs, health facilities, schools, and other essential services that are available without a car in, say, 30–75 minutes—a practical criterion for judging the state of mobility and for designing ways to improve it. This accessibility criterion will be critical for achieving SDG 11, the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.”
An open-source software platform for measuring accessibility, the Open Trip Planner Analyst (OTPA), which leverages a powerful routing engine and transit network data in open standardized format (GTFS) to model block-level accessibility will be demoed during the event. Multiple computers will be running the tool and showcasing the analysis performed on a number of cities globally.
The demo will provide participants with hands-on training on available technologies to support decision making and planning of accessible urban areas, while increasing awareness of the importance of good transport and land use policies coordination and relations.
Adequate and Affordable Housing
Affordability in cities has been an increasing universal concern since Habitat II. Urban dwellers spending more than a third of their income on housing are undermined in their quality of life and subsistence, and often forced to resort to inadequate housing options that may range from peripheral isolated locations, far from job or income opportunities, to informal solutions with insecure tenure and increased vulnerabilities.
A wrong approach to housing provision, especially for the poor, are results of dysfunctional land markets and urban policies. This has exacerbated spatial segregation, while increasing slum formation, urban sprawl, and raising cost of infrastructure and basic service provision.
Adequate and affordable housing, a component of the right to an adequate standard of living, is one of the key elements of the New Urban Agenda.
The new proposed approach puts housing at the center of sustainable and inclusive urban development, encouraging housing initiatives for all income groups, especially low-income dwellers, with adequate provision of quality public space, infrastructure and basic services, ensuring spatial and socio-economic integration.
Moving beyond excessive urban zoning, the New Urban Agenda advocates for a mix of compatible uses, with special attention to the proximity factor and the strengthening of spatial relationship with the rest of the urban fabric and the surrounding functional areas. The integrated and holistic approach to housing will contribute to ending poverty and achieving inclusive urban prosperity for all. Policy and implementation strategies should include financial, regulatory, and institutional frameworks at national, sub-national and local levels.
The New Urban Agenda further suggests reliance on plurality of tenure types and adequate housing options that are safe, affordable, and accessible for members of different income groups of society, taking into consideration socio-economic and cultural integration of marginalized communities, homeless persons, and those in vulnerable situations.
This High Level Round Table session will focus on discussing concrete initiatives that can be undertaken to ensure adequate and affordable housing in the context of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda at all levels.
Guiding Questions
The Dialogue will focus on how National Urban Policies can be an essential tool for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. It will consider country experiences, as well as, the role of partnerships and collaborations in administering the National Urban Policies.
The Dialogue will comprise of two discussion panels. The first panel will analyze ten key recommendations for the implementation of National Urban Policies. It will discuss how and why National Urban Policies can be a vehicle through which to implement the New Urban Agenda, and augment sustainable urbanization.
The second panel will focus on concrete proposals for supporting the implementation of National Urban Policies for the New Urban Agenda. Drawing upon a range of perspectives, the panel will consider how a National Urban Policy Programme, coordinated between/ organized by international organizations, can be set up to support countries in the development and implementation of their National Urban Policies, and contribute to thedevelopment of a Knowledge Base.
Guiding Questions
Panel One:
· Is National Urban Policy an effective tool for governments and other stakeholders to manage and capitalize from urbanization ? If yes, how and why?
• In your experience, how can National Urban Policy be a tool inthe implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
· How has the development of a National Urban Policy in your country contributed to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
· How can a National Urban Policy empower local governments to engage in urban policy making? Please provide examples.
· How can organizations work [together] to implement the New Urban Agenda through National Urban Policies? What concrete actions could be taken to promote and support the development of National Urban Policies?
Panel Two:
· What is a National Urban Policy Programme and how does it work to support New Urban Policies and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals?
· How can a National Urban Policy Programme contribute to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals?
· What roles could stakeholders have in a New Urban Policy Programme for the implementation of National Urban Policies for the New Urban Agenda? For example, how can the private sector be engaged in the National Urban Policies process and in a National Urban Policy Programme?
Urban Governance and the New Urban Agenda
This three hour session consists of two panels which will discuss the implications of the New Urban Agenda for different aspects of urban governance. The session acts as an inaugural forum interpreting the high-level governance ambitions of the New Urban Agenda for different contexts, spheres of governments, private and third sector organizations and actors.
Panel 1: Urban Governance and the New Urban Agenda: Implications for Governments
This panel will focus on the principal ambition of the New Urban Agenda affecting the formal structures and operations of government. Panelists will discuss wider implications of multilevel governance, metropolitan governance and the subsidiarity principle. Unpacking the New Urban Agenda’s ambition for decentralization and the strengthening of regional and local governments, it identifies priority actions that national governments may need to take and city-level institutional responses. In addition, this panel will inquire about the general ambition for holistic and integrated governance, cutting across territories, policy sectors, spatial and temporal scales. Panelists include political and administrative leaders from national, regional and city governments.
Panel 2: Urban Governance and the New Urban Agenda: Implications for Decision Making
The second panel will extend the debate on implications of the New Urban Agenda beyond the sphere of governments and engages with the roles and relationships between public, private and civil society. It will centrally address questions of newer forms of network governance to support a participatory approach and how deliberation, decision making and delivery can more effectively involve multiple actors and stakeholders. The debate focuses on central actions emerging from the New Urban Agenda which are linked to participation, representation, partnerships, capacity building and social learning. Panelists include representatives from city governments, NGOs and the private sector.
Guiding Questions
· What are concrete actions that may be taken in your city/country over the next 5 to 10 years which are aligned with or respond to some of the urban governance improvements included in the New Urban Agenda?
· Which urban governance demands of the New Urban Agenda are most difficult to meet?
· What are the main opportunities/barriers for implementing the urban governance improvements proposed by the New Urban Agenda?
· What are the main opportunities/barriers for greater decentralisation and the strengthening of local and regional governments, including the financial dimension?
· What are some of the priority actions that national governments will need to implement, in order to strengthen intergovernmental collaboration between central and local governments while supporting the New Urban Agenda and creating an effective multilevel governance framework?
· What are some of the main challenges related to better coordinate national urban, territorial and sectoral policies and strengthen integrated governance? Are there particular policy sectors that would benefit most from greater integration?
· What are the opportunities and limitations of participatory governance and to what extent can and should public, private and third sector organisations contribute to the New Urban Agenda?
· How can deliberation, decision-making and delivery be structured to more effectively involve multiple actors and stakeholders at all levels?
· What is the role of capacity building in supporting the greater participation of a diverse range of non-government actors in the urban governance process?
This event will address the challenges and opportunities that climate change and other forms of environmental degradation pose to human ethics. It will emphasize the important common ground between religious values and sustainability efforts and will focus on the implications of faith leaders engaging on environmental topics. It will also explore how women and girls are the most critical intergenerational change agents and how interconnected feminist issues are with those of the environment. Finally, we will discuss the unique impact of urbanization on indigenous families and on successful efforts to keep cultural traditions and values intact while embracing sustainable small-scale agricultural practices.
Topics & Speakers:
Covering Global Development in an Urban World
Media Urban Projects - Discover the Greatest Urban Storytellers
Role of Media in the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda
The Urban Journalism Academy—turning development into news—is a pioneering and innovative initiative to train journalists and media professionals who are already interested or involved in urban development with reference to social and economic issues facing cities in the 21st Century.
For more information and a glimpse at past Urban Journalism Academies, click here: https://habitat3.org/urban-journalism-academy
Streets connect neighborhoods, provide access to the city, serve local economies, and host critical services. The way in which they are designed effects our quality of life, impacts the air we breathe, influences the economic vitality, and informs our mobility choices in each urban context. Streets pave the way for development patterns, transportation priorities, universal accessibility, and inclusivity of each citizen. In a time of increasing urbanization and outdated practices, Habitat III presents a crucial moment to introduce ‘The Global Street Design Guide’ a resource which aims to set a new baseline for urban street design that shifts the measure of success away from mobility of private vehicles, toward mobility and access for everyone, public health and safety, environmental and economic sustainability, livability, and equity. This event will discuss the multiple benefits of safe and sustainable street design, showcasing examples from various global contexts that are working to overcome common challenges. In this interactive networking session participants will work in a hands-on approach to apply global best practices to transform a given street example. Speakers will include Janette Sadik-Khan, Chair of NACTO’s Global Designing Cities Initiative, Principal at Bloomberg Associates, ex- commissioner at NYCDOT and author of Street-fight; Clarisse Linke, Country Director at Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP), Brazil; Seth Schultz, Director of Research, Measurement & Planning from C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, and Andrew Rudd, Urban Environment Officer at UN Habitat. Through this event, we hope to inspire leaders, inform practitioners and empower communities to change streets that change the world.
From the experience of Socialab facilitating the social innovation process in countries like Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico and Chile we will present cases in which a human centered approach to problem solving and collaborative conversations had led to the unexpected growth of Ecosystems & companies that solve different social issues and have economic impact at the same time.
In many cases this Social Enterprises change the ways in which we relate to our cities or part of them and had upgrade the social software needed to relate with the emergent technologies that rule our new urban environments.
There is correlation in terms of economic performance between the growth of urban settlement and the projection made by ICAO indicating that worldwide aircraft movement flight and passenger volumes are projected to double by 2030 while UN-Habitat estimates that more than half of world population will be urban by 2050. As a result, there is critical need for States to invest in infrastructure development to support the anticipated global growing demand for connectivity and mobility which will lead to airports and urban sustainable development as well as to improved connectivity among cities worldwide. Consequently, there is need to invest in development of infrastructure capable to support the growth. In this context, five airports in the cities of Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) with Addis Ababa Bole International Airport, Nairobi (Kenya) with Jomo Kenyatta International Airport and Wilson Airport, and Ekurhuleni and Johannesburg (South Africa) respectively with Oliver R. Tambo International Airport and Lanseria International Airport were selected for the implementation of a pilot project. Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa have high air passenger numbers in Eastern and Southern Africa and their main cities are undergoing remarkable urban growth; as well as a rising demand for airport facilities. Studying the role of their airports in the development cycle is critical in learning the relationship between airport and urban development; and how resultant synergies can be harnessed for socio-economic growth of cities and countries around the world. This will be a crucial contribution to sustainability as required in the New Urban Agenda under the Sustainable Development Goals. Best practices and principles in sustainable urban land use and land management around aviation infrastructure are of capital importance in both airport and urban development. The current trends are leading towards the development of airport cities, Aeropolises and Megapolises worldwide. Developments at the airport and in the city should not be detrimental to each other.
The New Urban Agenda stresses the need to reduce urban-rural disparities, to foster equitable development across urban-rural areas, to encourage urban-rural interactions and connectivity by strengthening transport, technology and communication networks and infrastructure, underpinned by planning instruments based on a territorial approach in order to maximize the potential of these sectors for enhanced productivity, social, economic, and territorial cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Urban-rural linkages have the potential to transform sustainable human development for the benefit of all. An enhanced understanding of the economic, social, cultural, and environmental interactions between rural and urban areas is key to advance sustainable development. There is an urgent need to bridge knowledge and capacity gaps in relation to urban and rural challenges such as climate change, safety and security, disaster resilience, food security, health, diet and nutrition. In line with the New Urban Agenda, this event aims to provide a space for a dynamic discussion on the urban-rural linkages from the perspective of sustainable development. It also aims to increase awareness on the fundamental value of the rural sector for sustainable development and about the need of reducing rural-urban disparities.
On the Urban Stage, and as part of the Quito Implementation Plan, Canada and the United States will commit to ensure that LGBTI persons are included in the domestic implementation of the New Urban Agenda and call on fellow Member Countries to join us.
Canada and the United States strongly support the Habitat III guiding principle of leaving no one behind. Both countries view diversity in cities as a source of strength and pride. Throughout the negotiations of the New Urban Agenda, Canada, the United States and many other Member Countries advocated for many vulnerable and under-represented groups to be officially recognized in the New Urban Agenda. Fortunately, many are included, such as youth, women, children, immigrants, Indigenous peoples and people with disabilities.
The LGBTI community has unique vulnerabilities including disproportionate and extreme violence, discrimination and, in most of the world, lack of human rights protection. Cities are often where LGBTI people to go find community, but instead often find discrimination and violence. Despite many countries efforts to have them included in the Call for Action of the New Urban Agenda, unfortunately, LGBTI persons have been left out.
The human rights of all persons are universal and indivisible. To this end, Canada and the United States call on fellow Member States to ensure, as they implement the New Urban Agenda at home, they leave no one behind, including the LGBTI community. It is time to end violence and discrimination in our communities that target individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity.
The session will feature a series of presentations. The first will be delivered by a civil society organization and international advocate for LGBTI rights. The subsequent presentations will be delivered by Heads of Delegations for Member States wishing to commit to ensure that LGBTI persons are included in the domestic implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
The event provides an overview of the main challenges of urbanization process in the 21st century, to stimulate the discussion among different stakeholders on rethinking sustainable cities. Urbanization is analyzed as a multi-faceted process that challenges several aspects of modern society, bringing acute social inequalities and serious environmental issues. Understanding energy and material flows through cities lies at the heart of developing sustainable cities, to address concerns over the magnitudes and inequities of global resource flows. In this context, electric utilities play a key role in sustainable transition of cities, enabling energy services and acting as key partner of public institutions in the continuous search for solutions to main urban challenges: socio-economic inequalities, energy and resource efficiency, urban resilience to climate change. The event stages the presentation of the book “Cities in the 21st Century”, Eds. O.Nello and R.Mele, (Routledge), analyzing multiple aspects of urban challenges, as socio-economic power of the global city network, urban ecosystems, social inequalities. It combines a multi-level perspective with both papers from top scholars and real case studies implemented in over 25 cities of 5 continents. Second part of the event focuses on energy use in slums: people in the lower income bracket use low energy efficient equipment, paying more for the same service. To address this point Enel Foundation, with UN-Habitat and Politecnico di Milano, developed a research to analyze energy services and user’s behavior in informal settlements, surveying dwellers with community-based organizations and the electric utility. Moreover, a comprehensive methodology – PIA Performance Impact Assessment - has been developed to assess the socio-economic, infrastructural and environmental impacts of improved energy access. These results are discussed among academic and electric company experts, and Un-Habitat focusing on recommendations to improve quality of life, reducin
This event will present the methods, tools and know-how for sustainable urban development put in place over the last 10 years by URBACT, the networking programme for local authorities funded by the European Union. Through concrete testimonies and good practices from representatives of European municipalities on different topics around urban development, discussions will focus on: -the integrated and, -participative approach to urban development, -monitoring actions and measuring results, -networking with other cities. Speakers will present the tools they used for these approaches and reflect on the transfer criteria of good practices to different local contexts beyond Europe. The event will close by presenting networking opportunities between URBACT cities and non-European cities.
Cities are spaces to empower women and girls, ensuring women’s full and effective participation and equal rights in all fields and in leadership positions at all levels of decision-making, granting access to the opportunities in urban setting and ensuring decent work and equal pay for equal work, or work of equal value for all women. The strategy of insertion into the economic circuits of the city is fundamental for inclusion, economic gap reduction and the will-being of the inhabitants, as well as prosperity. Urban planning leads a determinant role in terms of accessibility for all to employment opportunities, infrastructure, services and transport. The design and success of a city largely depends on the opportunities for citizen participation that exist in the definition of urban projects. There is a need to link urban planning to the population needs. Cities will be safe for women as long as, they are directly involved in the design of the city and government programs that would be implemented to this end. The design of the city must ensure the empowerment of girls and women, as well as being the space where they can develop a life free from violence. Strategies need to be developed to ensure that all people, especially women, have access to all the benefits and opportunities offered by the cities, which include the use of public spaces, access to equipment and services and mobility. It is therefore essential to recover and dignify public spaces and the strengthening of the social fabric, understood as the ties that allow all members of a community to fully, collaboratively and safely develop. Interventions in public spaces aim to prevent and eliminate all forms of discrimination, violence, and harassment against women and girls.
Le défi mondial de l’urbanisation se pose au Mali avec acuité. Selon l’Union Africaine, la population urbaine africaine va quadrupler d’ici 2063, celle du Mali va doubler, et la capitale triplera d’ici 2030, en s’étalant sur les terres agricoles et en créant des bidonvilles. Les villes secondaires connaissent le même phénomène. Afin d’éviter l’urbanisation de la pauvreté, de la violence et des exclusions, et exploiter au contraire cette croissance urbaine au profit du développement durable, le Mali participe à la définition de la position africaine commune sur l’urbanisation. La politique nationale de la ville (2014) a retenu une vision : la ville malienne doit être un espace de convivialité, de création de richesses suffisantes pour supporter son essor et celui de son hinterland et un cadre d’expressions socioculturelles diverses servant de levain à une citoyenneté et une démocratie locales sous l’égide d’une autorité éclairée dans l’anticipation comme dans le pilotage du quotidien. Elle a retenu les acquis en termes de planification et de bonne gouvernance. Elle renforce la décentralisation. Elle prend en compte la gestion de la crise, les inondations, les bidonvilles, la gestion foncière, le changement climatique, le déficit des services de bases.
If we are to tackle the challenges brought on by a rapidly urbanizing global population, housing must be elevated as one of the highest priorities for all levels of governments. Housing is at the center of a vast array of public policy issues. Livelihood opportunities, education, crime reduction, mental health, and poverty alleviation are just a few of the outcomes that depend on having a safe, and adequate place to call home. The Zero Draft of the New Urban Agenda recognizes that “the expansion of adequate and affordable housing is central to achieving inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities in a world where rapid urbanization has exacerbated housing shortages”. However, the development and implementation of adequate housing policies, strategies and programs has been hampered by a lack of investment and resources, siloed efforts, and a lack of data. The array of partners and experts at Habitat III should be leveraged to address these issues, and it is essential for these stakeholders to be continuously engaged in monitoring, measuring, and evaluating progress in the housing sector. This event will focus on implementation strategies, monitoring, measuring, and evaluating the commitments to adequate housing for all, aligned with the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda, identifying mechanisms to ensure accountability. The networking event will foster dialogue and debate, and establish a global community of practice comprised of national and local government representatives, civil society, grassroots, academia and the private sector. Arranged by the Government of Dubai (Member of the Habitat III Bureau) and co-leads of Housing Policy Unit 10 (Habitat for Humanity and the Inter-American Development Bank), this event will build on the momentum of Housing Policy Unit 10 to include a wider range of actors, via a community of practice. This community of practice will keep housing at the center of implementation of the New Urban Agenda, continuously improve an integrated housing approach, and measure global advances in adequate housing.
The pursuit of increased renewable energy (RE) in energy supply is of foremost importance for achieving the 1.5° scenario established in the 2015 Paris Agreement. Cities, towns, and regions all over the world have emerged as champions for RE and are making significant advances through commitment to innovative and ambitious actions, policies, and technologies. Several cities, towns, and regions have even made the most ambitious commitment possible: to pursue 100%RE for all activities and sectors. The advantages of the shift to RE are profound. It leads to: reduced CO2 emissions; increased resilience of the energy system; a decentralized energy supply; new opportunities for local business; increased retention of capital; and fostering local business opportunities, keeping capital in the region; and opportunities for technological innovation. Yet these outcomes are only possible through commitment to policies, regulations, incentives, and finance models which engage and enable ambitious actors and stakeholders. We will convene relevant actors to support the continued anchoring of RE into the outcomes of Habitat III and address the need for national and international framework conditions which address ambitious local action.
In 2013, in order to draw the international community’s attention to global urbanization, United Nations has designated every October 31 since 2014 as World Cities Day(WCD) by GA resolution . The general theme of WCD is Better City, Better Life, which was the legacy of Shanghai Expo 2010. While an annual theme with different focus shall be promoted accordingly. Cities are encouraged to organize activities to celebrate WCD every year worldwide. As a flagship activity, the World Cities Day Theme Forum provides a platform for all stakeholders to discuss sustainable urban development and to share their experiences in dealing with urban challenges. This year, THE WORLD CITIES DAY THEME FORUM COMES TO QUITO! The Forum aims to promote WCD activities globally. The theme of this Year is SHARING INCLUSIVE CITIES, which reveals the important path and ultimate goals in pursuing sustainable urban development. Moreover, the theme conforms to the fundamental value of Inclusive Targets highlighted in the New Urban Agenda and 2030 Agenda . Additionally, one of the important programs will be the global launching ceremony for the SHANGHAI MANUAL·2016– A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development of the 21st Century, which will be followed by a panel discussion between authors and case providers. During the Forum, the highlights of the Shanghai Manual will be introduced and presented including some of the best practice cases selected from all around the world . The topics of the Forum are listed as follows： • Social Integration and Inclusive Cities • Economic Development and Innovative Cities • Green Low-Carbon and Resilient Cities • Cultural Heritage and Creative Cities • Public Services and Liveable Cities
The New Urban Agenda (NUA) is calling for a paradigm shift in the implementation of urban policies, legal frameworks, strategies. One of its three transformative commitments refers to ‘effective decentralization’, and recognizes the role and responsibility of local authorities in the implementation of policies and programmes. The NUA is also recognizing the importance of positioning housing at the centre of urban development with an emphasis on the importance of location, instead of in disconnected places, far-away from employment, health, education and recreation opportunities. In light of the NUA, local governments can play a major role if they take into account the need for housing to be integrated within a system of infrastructure which can enhance better living conditions for the most poor and vulnerable. This entails local tools and regulations put in place to improve affordability of housing in central areas. The most poor should be integrated into areas of the city that can actually offer better opportunities in all senses, ensuring the right to the city to all! Place matters and local governments can play a major role in integrating affordable social housing within a system of infrastructure and livelihood opportunities, also creating alternatives to the private property for these solutions, including public and social rental housing, enhancing living conditions for the most poor and vulnerable. This depends on local policies that consider social housing as a part of a broader urban policy, put in place to improve the access to well-located areas for social housing and affordability of housing in central areas itself. The networking event proposed by the São Paulo Municipal Housing Secretariat and São Paulo City Hall (SEHAB and PMSP) in collaboration with UN-Habitat will bring together municipal governments, city leaders and partners, to share and discuss innovations and achievements in providing affordable social housing at the centre of urban development agendas.
In the context of global displacement due to conflicts, natural disasters and climate change, progressively larger numbers of people are forced from their homes for longer periods, resulting in protracted displacement situations. This event will outline the specificities of humanitarian crises in urban settings and stress the importance of an appropriate and effective response to protracted displacement in urban contexts. Increasingly, refuge is sought in urban areas, where access to services and (informal) employment opportunities are more prevalent than in rural settings. However, unplanned and rapid urbanisation in many cities exacerbates the vulnerability of urban populations, in particular the more marginalised including displaced persons and migrants, and puts pressure on often already strained services. In this context, the recent EU policy on Forced Displacement and Development stresses that managing urban displacement is a combined human rights, development and humanitarian concern, for which the needs of refugees and internally displaced persons need to be balanced with the needs of host communities. Through a number of relevant case studies, the panellists will address conflict-driven refugee crises in urban settings and humanitarian situations in slum settlements and other situations of violence. Discussions will aim to underline the need to work further towards sustainable global and local solutions for displaced persons, by addressing root causes and the protracted nature of forced displacement, through stronger links between humanitarian and development approaches. The discussions will draw lessons on the importance of local communities and authorities for the socio-economic inclusion of forcibly displaced persons in line with the 'Leave No One Behind' commitment guiding the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, and associated commitments made at the World Humanitarian Summit, the General Assembly's Summit to address Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants and President Obama's Summit on the Global Refugee Crisis.
The Korean Research Institute for Human Settlements (KRIHS) and The World e-Governments Organization of Cities and Local Governments (WeGO), along with their partner organizations, will organize a networking event on harnessing new technologies to make cities not only more efficient, but also more sustainable and equitable. The smart city strategies, which make use of opportunities from digitalization, clean energy and technologies as well as innovative transport technologies, can provide options for inhabitants to make more environmentally-friendly choices and boost sustainable economic growth. Smart city approaches will help making cities more comfortable and safer by adopting technological tools and will serve as a key way to materialize the SDGs in this digital era. It is also becoming clear that data may represent one of the most powerful modern assets that if harnessed properly, can deepen the understanding of how cities function, inform the policy and decision-making processes, and support the monitoring of results across urban sectors for enhanced efficiency, quality of life, and new economic opportunities. Apart from talking about smart city strategies, this event will bring together city leaders and experts to share their knowledge on how data can revolutionize governance for smarter, inclusive, and sustainable cities and unique experiences in solving complex urban problems through data-based innovations to serve the public good. Through the presentation of various smart city strategies from South Korea as well as across the world particularly in countries in Asia Pacific and Latin America, and with the help of Open Data/ Big Data experts, this event will examine ways to achieve sustainable development through innovative technologies and the harnessing of data. It will further provide a critical platform for government officials, business organizations, civil organizations, and other stakeholders to share their views and promote future collaborations on the issue.
The Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) is an intergovernmental organization bringing together 43 countries: 28 European Commission Member States and 15 from the Southern and Eastern shores of the Mediterranean. It is an action-oriented organization, which provides a unique forum to enhance regional dialogue and cooperation amongst its Member States through the implementation of concrete projects. In April 2014, the UfM Secretariat officially launched the Urban Projects Finance Initiative (UPFI). This financial initiative funded by the European Commission and co-managed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) under the auspices of the UfM, is aimed at identifying and selecting sustainable urban development projects likely to be endorsed (labelled) by the UfM Member States and financed and implemented in the short term. UPFI is a direct and concrete response to the first UfM Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Urban Development in Strasbourg in 2011, as it contributes to addressing the global challenges of population growth, greenhouse gas emissions and climate change in the Mediterranean area. The UfM-UPFI networking event will contribute to promoting the UPFI initiative, bringing together key urban development actors in the Mediterranean, the partners involved in UPFI initiative, and potential partners to develop future regional programmes and projects in the region, with a view to addressing the region’s demographic and environmental challenges. The event will be an occasion to further strengthen the collaboration between the UfM Secretariat and UN-Habitat following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between both organizations on 5th April 2016. It will also be an opportunity to discuss the best tools to implement a New Urban Agenda for the Mediterranean region in view of the second UfM Ministerial Conference on Sustainable Urban Development to be held in Egypt in the spring of 2017.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development of Ecuador
and the National Assembly of Ecuador, since the year 2011
had promoted the development of the Organic Law of
Spatial Planning, Use and Management of Land (LOOTUS in
Spanish), which was approved by the legislative organ
(National Assembly) in May of 2016. The LOOTUS seeks to
establish the guiding principles and general rules that will
guide the exercise of the competencies of spatial planning,
use and management of rural and urban land in Ecuador.
On the other hand, both Colombia and Brazil in the year 1997
and 2001 respectively, issued national legislations with similar
objectives as the Ecuadorian LOOTUS. In Colombia, the “388
Law” was issued with the objective of establishing the
mechanisms that promote the equitable and rational use of
land, the preservation of the ecological areas, disaster
prevention and efficient urban intervention; on the other
hand,
The Brazilian “City Statute” was the culmination of several
legal reforms in the urban scope in which the Right to a
sustainable city was recognized. In this context, and with the
objective of promoting the exchange of experiences
regarding the implementation of urban legislation and land
management in Latin America and to encourage the learning
process among stakeholders involved in the implementation
of urban legislation this Networking Event will present a
comparison between the implementation process of urban
legislation that Brazil and Colombia had experienced through the presentation of different
aspects of both Colombia and Brazil´s achievements and
shortcomings in the application their urban legislation and by
analyzing the potentialities and challenges of the Ecuadorian
Land Law.
With the new Sustainable Development Goals and the forthcoming New Urban Agenda, the global society is now seeking innovative and effective ways to promote inclusive cities. Seoul is at the forefront of this endeavor. At this networking event, Seoul will present its “Inclusive City Policy” and share innovative practices focusing on three themes: 1) public housing; 2) urban regeneration, and 3) transparent and effective public construction management. Co-hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre, and the Seoul Housing Corporation, the event will provide an opportunity to share ideas and policies. 1) Seoul plans to expand its public rental housing from 6.3% to 10% by 2020, through the “80,000 Rental House Supply Plan.” Providing appropriate housing for citizens is becoming more complex today due to societal changes such as the rise in one or two person households, low birthrate and high housing costs. Seoul is diversifying affordable public rental housing to meet its citizens’ demands, providing, for example, safe housing for women and co-housing with shared child care. 2) With the “2025 Seoul Urban Regeneration Plan,” Seoul is implementing regeneration policies to create a people-focused city. Seoul, particularly in old downtown areas, promotes tailored approaches to support the inclusive growth and recovery of local communities, to empower the civic organizations driving regeneration efforts, and to nurture the culture and tourism industries. 3) Seoul’s Clean Construction System (CCS) has increased the efficiency, accountability and transparency of Seoul’s public construction management, through full digitalization of its business process and real-time disclosure of information on its construction projects. With CCS, Seoul has reduced the workload of its project managers and disclosed information on 2,600 public construction projects, covering 14 types of information. In partnership with UNDP, Seoul shared this system in December 2015 with more than 70 participants from 20 countries, and now provides follow-up advisory and technical support to Ukraine, Jordan, Uganda, Vietnam, and Thailand. Through this networking event, Seoul will promote various channels for policy sharing, and seek to build a network for continued engagement with its participants.
As urbanization in developing countries accelerates, and urban poverty, hunger, and malnutrition increase, the global food security community and sustainable cities community must unite to create sustainable solutions. To date, the global food security community has focused on improving agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods as the key to addressing global food insecurity. Such interventions have little effect on hunger and malnutrition in cities. To date, the sustainable cities community has focused on the housing, water, energy, and transportation needs of urban communities, while the food and nutrition needs of city residents are rarely explicitly considered in urban planning. This networking event will address three major themes: (1) the importance of improving data on food security in cities to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2, SDG 11, and related goals; (2) the role of city networks in spurring action and achieving reductions in food insecurity and greenhouse gas emissions at the same time; and (3) the necessity to consider food systems in their entirety – including producers and consumers in urban and surrounding rural areas – in order to achieve sustainable improvements in global food security and nutrition. Including cities in global food security efforts, and including food security in urban planning, can help achieve goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the COP21 Paris Agreement. SDG 2 calls for the elimination of hunger and malnutrition, which will require the global food security community to attack hunger and malnutrition across the rural-to-urban spectrum. Achieving the goals of the COP21 Paris Agreement will require strong and collaborative action by cities. Food production accounts for 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions; including food distribution and land use, food systems account for 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions globally. Cities can create and implement comprehensive solutions that reduce carbon emissions and increase resilience system-wide.
The agreement on the New Urban Agenda at the Habitat III conference will usher in a new era of co-ordinated action to deliver sustainable urban development with unprecedented involvement from both State and Non-State actors. To capitalize on this opportunity, a broad coalition of global sustainable transport and development stakeholders have come together to voluntarily commit to a Quito Action Plan for Sustainable Urban Mobility (QAPSUM). QAPSUM is a global, open and transparent platform for all actors (e.g. transport industry, financial institutions, cities, academia, cities and governments) which aims to transform urban mobility by contributing to safe, healthy, efficient, climate friendly and clean cities. QAPSUM is intended to deliver simultaneously on the New Urban Agenda, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This networking event will serve as the formal launch of QAPSUM, and will focus on the following objectives: · Help build momentum for delivering on the urban mobility‐related aspects of the New Urban Agenda (e.g. improving air quality, increasing road safety, reducing local and global emissions) · Attract more partners interested in contributing to the ongoing development of QAPSUM, in particular “non-traditional” transport stakeholders such as those organizations representing disadvantaged groups (e.g. people with disabilities, people in poverty, elderly) and those focusing on transport-relevant SDGs (e.g. women, youth, urban development, road safety and energy) · Discuss the co-ordination, monitoring, reporting and governance arrangements of QAPSUM. As QAPSUM is an open and developing initiative, this event will be an opportunity for all interested parties to contribute to the further development of the Action Plan.
Not more than 300 words describing the event: This networking event aims to bring private sector players together with city decision-makers and researchers to discuss innovative business models that can help cities invest in sustainable solutions for urban challenges. Through dedicated discussion of concrete cases, investors and city representatives can dig deep into the constraints holding cities back, the solutions available, and the capacity that each stakeholder group provides to achieve common goals. The event will explore how public and private actors come together to finance low-carbon and climate resilient urban solutions by bringing together influential city voices, leading sustainable solution providers, and financiers. These conversations will aim to build a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities for unlocking sustainable investment in cities. They will help to identify innovative approaches in funding, financing, and delivering sustainable services, including the leveraging mechanisms necessary for scaling up investments. This event will draw on the work of Financing Sustainable Cities, a joint initiative of WRI, C40 and the Citi Foundation.
Habitat III is the first implementation conference of the 2030 agenda and the new climate agreement. The proposed networking event will highlight the role of partnerships in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA). The draft outcome document of the NUA already calls for the meaningful engagement of all stakeholders in all stages of the policy process, from planning to budgeting, capacity development, implementation, and monitoring. It also acknowledges the relevance of partnerships in the follow-up and review of the NUA. In order for cities to provide opportunities for all, it is required that all urban actors build partnerships in a way that is characterised by inclusiveness, sustainability and resilience. The networking event will explore in practical terms how to operationalise the NUA and how partnerships of national governments, local authorities, organised civil society and the private sector can contribute to the implementation of key topics of the NUA. During the networking event a group of diverse stakeholders-from national, regional and local governments, to civil society and academia, private sector and development partners-will discuss key questions from their diverse perspective, such as: How to build successful partnerships? What can partnerships achieve and where are the limitations of partnerships? Concrete case-studies from different continents will serve as practical examples for different forms of engagement, facilitation and incentives, and will showcase lessons learned from partnerships on: Enabling Environment: National Level Framework/ National Urban Policies: National and City Urban Forums Urban governance and planning: data collection and analysis Inclusive Economic development: financing and maintaining public goods and services for all Strengthening Municipal Capacities: Leading and Managing rapidly urbanising cities Monitoring, reporting and review mechanisms: localising the SDGs in the context of the NUA
The session thereby seeks to contribute to an operationalization of
the NUA and the value-added of multi-stakeholder partnerships in its
implementation.
In order to promote local initiatives for social inclusion, participatory democracy and expand the capacity of political intervention of local governments, it was created in 2003 the FALP Network - World Forum of Peripheral Local Authorities, within in the World Social Forum. The Network has held three world editions and approached the authorities of local governments of the metropolitan regions of the world to exchange experiences and build solutions to problems that are particular of the outlying areas of large urban centers. The Network has an Intercontinental Mobilization Committee, constituted by 11 cities in different continents, which are: Canoas (Brazil), Quilmes (Argentina) and El Bosque (Chile), Nanterre (France), Vila Franca de Xira (Portugal) and Gava (Spain), Pikine (Senegal), Cazenga (Angola), Bamako (Mali), Matola (Mozambique), and Aizaria (Palestine). The new metropolization processes, configured in a city-center and an expanded territory has enhanced and increased the common problems between cities, such as habitation, sanitation and urban violence, indicating their character interdependent. The FALP Network proposes a new paradigm of metropolitan area based on polycentricity, social inclusion, democracy, sustainability, interculturalism, and the defense of rights. In this way, building a broad and open network of local authorities, replacing rigid, centralized and bureaucratic models, by a horizontal organization. The proposed activity of the FALP Network in Habitat III is to realize a meeting to discuss proposals outlined during the III FALP in Canoas, in 2013, that deals about the local political practices to emerging cities, metropolises, rightful metropolitan areas in political, social, democratic, economic, environmental, and cultural space, and are in complete harmony with the theme of the right to habitation, one of the central themes of the New Urban agenda.
The Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Urban Development (APMCHUD) is an inter-governmental mechanism for collaboration and cooperation in the field of housing and urban development among the Asia Pacific countries. Established under the aegis and support of UN-Habitat, APMCHUD is a consultative mechanism on the promotion of sustainable development of Housing and urban Development in the Asia-Pacific Region. APMCHUD is composed of the Biennial Ministerial Conference, the Bureau and the Secretariat. APMCHUD is represented by the Hon’ble Ministers of Housing and Urban Development of the Asia Pacific countries. The Bureau of APMCHUD elected by the Biennial Conference of Ministers responsible for Housing and Urban development holds office until the next Conference. The permanent Secretariat of APMCHUD is hosted by India in New Delhi. Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation (MoHUPA), Government of India is the nodal Ministry and Housing and Urban Development Corporation Ltd. (HUDCO) is the nodal institution on behalf of the MoHUPA. The Bureau of APMCHUD meets approximately 4 times a 2 years, inter-alia, to take stock of progress of various activities. The current meeting scheduled in Quito is the 4th meeting of the 5th Bureau of APMCHUD. The 5th Bureau of APMCHUD is represented by the Republic of Korea (Chair), Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Islamic Republic of Iran, Republic of Iraq, Republic of Maldives, Independent State of Samoa, and Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
Major global health challenges are being confronted in the 21st century, prompting calls to re-think approaches to disease prevention. City planning that reduces non-communicable diseases and road trauma, while managing rapid urbanisation is part of the solution. The recently-launched Lancet series on Urban Design, Transport and Population Health, focuses on the health impacts of city planning through transport mode options and choices. Authored by researchers around the world, the three papers unravel the complexity of urban design, the transport system and population health and provide a paradigm shift in our approach to responding to the growing burden of chronic disease and injury in our cities. The series offers key recommendations that urban and transport planners and policymakers could implement to improve the health of urban populations. At this event, researchers involved in The Lancet series will provide an outline of the three research papers on urban design, transport and health and the Lancet Series will be available in the Library for attendees.
- Los resultados de ECOINVOLUCRATE EN 5Rs una iniciativa para la nueva agenda urbana a través de acciones académicas en redes de investigación.
- Del libro colectivo ECOINVOLUCRATE EN EL URBANISMO SOSTENIBLE.
Sustainable transport and mobility in the urban setting require a combination of policy elements, including affordable public transport, investment in infrastructure for motorized and non-motorized transport as well as environmentally friendly, efficient and multimodal transport options. In addition, these policies must synergize with urban and spatial planning, land management, housing, and other relevant policies. Transport and mobility even with the above mentioned elements can only be sustainable if they are also safe. Globally, 1.24 million people die on the roads as pedestrians, motorists, passengers, public transport users or commercial vehicle drivers. As urban areas flourish and become rampantly inhabited around the world, by people and vehicles, road safety must be a critical element for consideration when planning for sustainability. Safety is a key component of achieving SDG 11, particularly SDG target 11.2 which aims to provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport for all by 2030. This event will host panel of road safety stakeholders including United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, United Nations regional commissions, government and private sector representatives to discuss the critical need for road safety initiatives and effective city-level programs to achieve sustainable cities.
This event aims at exploring what constitutes a good urban environmental partnership between UN-Habitat and UNEP. The Greener Cities Partnership, a joint effort between the two United Nations agencies, sets its goal to highlight strategies and action plans to achieve greener, resource efficient and resilient cities and help countries and cities to deliver the New Urban Agenda. Embedded at the core of various urban environment Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the partnership constitutes a good example of effectively bridging efforts in the fields of urban resilience, resource-efficiency, transport, waste, housing and air quality, among others. The event attracts a high-level expert panel including speakers from academia, international organizations, urban planning bodies, as well as representatives from national and municipal governments, supporting the idea of an inter-agency urban environmental partnership through their own experiences, expertise, facts and findings.
To be moderated by David Anthony, UNICEF Chief of Sustainability and Policy Action, Data, Research and Policy Division
Safecity documents sexual violence in public spaces through crowdsourced data, community engagement and institutional accountability with the aim to make public spaces safer and equally accessible to all. This crowdsourced information which maybe anonymous, gets aggregated as hot spots on a map indicating trends at a local level.
Our Mission: Safecity aims to make cities safer by encouraging equal access to public spaces for everyone especially women, through the use of crowdsourced data, community engagement and institutional accountability.
Why is it important to report cases of harassment and abuse?
UN Women states that 1 in 3 women around the world experience some form of sexual assault at least once in their lifetime. More than half of these occur to girls below the age of 16. Yet 80% of women/girls choose not to talk about it.
As a society and as individuals, we tend to ignore these cases and feel helpless. Over a period of time, we accept it as part of our daily routine. This leads to under communication and under reporting of the issue. If there are poor official statistics, the problem is not visible and is not a true representation of the actual problem. The perpetrator on the other hand becomes emboldened. Therefore we need to break our silence and document every instance of harassment and abuse in public spaces so that we can find the most effective solutions at the neighbourhood level.
Our main objective is to: Create awareness on sexual harassment and abuse and get women and other disadvantaged communities to break their silence and report their personal experiences.
Collate this information to showcase location based trends, make this information available and useful for individuals, local communities and local administration to solve the problem at the local level.
Build confidence and self esteem amongst women and girls so that they can fully participate in society and live a better quality of life.
So far we are the largest crowd map on this issue. We have over 9,000 personal reports from over 50 cities in India, Kenya, Cameroon and Nepal. We have facilitated workshops for over 8000 people ranging from 9 - 60 years of age on the issue of sexual harassment and abuse. We have worked with NGO partners and community groups on deep dive campaigns in 10 neighbourhoods in Mumbai and Delhi each with at least 10,000 families.
Some success stories: Police in Mumbai changed their beat patrol timings and increased vigilence. Municipal authorities and elected representatives in Delhi assured the community that clean toilets would be made available. Transportation authorities issued “women only” bus licences in Kathmandu. Police in Mumbai, Delhi, Goa and Pune are accepting monthly trend reports of Safecity data. Integrated our child sexual abuse awareness program into the Delhi police’s Parivartan school program. Leadership development amongst young women and men to enable gender equality, prevention of VAW and gender equal spaces. We are extremely active on Twitter and Facebook with a following of over 43,000 young people. We are the winners at the UN Alliance of Civilisation Innovation Award, finalists at the Google Business Group Success Story challenge 2014, Runners up for the Facebook Access Now Social Innovation Award 2014 and winner of the Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award by Dusan Stojanovic.
Innovation and Collaboration: the Role of Philanthropies in the New Urban Agenda
The role of philanthropic organizations in the promotion of sustainable development worldwide is at the center of the debate. The three global summits that took place in 2015 – on the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, the United Nations Sustainable Development Summit, and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change -- touched upon this issue and, despite the recognition by most actors that the sector might play an important role, there remains very little clarity on what it should be and how it connects to the structuring processes that are being developed/ implemented as part of the global finance architecture that will be necessary to deliver the goals established in those summits. This adds to recent announcements around the creation of new philanthropic organizations that have raised both praise and criticism around the planet.
Discussing and understanding not only the figures, but also some of the positive experiences and their challenges will surely allow for better coordination, more accountability, and increased efficiency in the use of valuable resources. This is especially important for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda worldwide.
The roundtable will build a set of insights and recommendations on the role of philanthropy in sustainable urban development. It will also share commitments towards the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
The Business of Better Cities
Business and industries have a key role to play in supporting the development of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities. The private sector promotes economic and social development through finance, technology, and employment. Through its creativity, innovation, and investment, business can be a critical implementation partner for cities and communities. The Roundtable will seek to promote awareness around the variety of roles that the private sector can play to support and facilitate the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
The Roundtable will highlight a range of good practice partnership examples, including:
In alignment with the Quito Implementation Plan, the Roundtable will served to catalyse commitments from business to support the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in collaboration with other stakeholders.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
Working Together to Respond to Ageing Urban Populations: Opportunities and Challenges
The Roundtable will discuss the implications of ageing urban populations and how the rights of older people can best be protected and promoted in cities through the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Panelists will be invited to discuss why ageing urban populations are a significant issue, with a particular focus on low and middle income countries and low income settings, challenging the dominant belief that ageing populations are occurring only in high income countries. The discussion will look at the main challenges and opportunities facing older persons living in urban environments and how the New Urban Agenda responds to these with a focus on ensuring that cities are inclusive for all, regardless of socio-economic status, other intersecting forms of discrimination, and particularly older age. It will specifically showcase how the rights of older people can be protected and promoted in cities in low and middle income cities. Panelists will provide examples of best practices through their extensive experience addressing these issues in their communities across the world. They will link their examples of best practices and experiences to specific paragraphs and calls for action in the New Urban Agenda. The discussion will also look at what kind of partnerships are required to enable change to happen, based both on the recommendations of the New Urban Agenda and on the experiences of the panelists in working with a number of stakeholders and groups, including local governments.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
This event is targeted at climate change adaptation practitioners and planners working in secondary and smaller developing cities. It will enhance technical knowledge of approaches to integrate localised understandings of climate and climate change into urban planning processes, as applied through the UN-Habitat Cities and Climate Change Initiative's 'Planning for Climate Change' Toolkit.
Learnings of practitioners, UN-Habitat's Regional Office of the Asia Pacific, the regional Pacific Island Urban Realities network, and RMIT University as an educational and training institution, will provide real-world and multi-faceted understandings of the benefits of integrating community experiences and long-established traditional coping techniques with scientific climate data.
Participants are also able to access the toolkit and a step-by-step guide in full on the UN-Habitat website:
https://unhabitat.org/books/planning-for-climate-change-toolkit/
No pre-registration required
This training event provides opportunities for urban practitioners, housing specialists, NGO and Academics to develop skills and knowledge about the formulation and implementation of inclusive affordable housing policies drawn on land management instruments that enables cities to supply land for planned and sustainable urbanization. The event will make use of advanced techniques and methodologies used by both organizations in training events that are jointly organized in several cities of Latin America annually. The importance of land use regulation and its centrality to bringing housing supply to scale is often underestimated. Yet, there are limits to inclusive, affordable and sustainable housing development on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the SDG 11.1, that can be prolonged by poor governance of land use.
Why is land use regulation relevant for the implementation NUA? The unequal distribution of welfare that is found in the growing metropolitan areas of developing countries has been widely documented. Rapid urbanization is often accompanied by short-term uncoordinated sprawling land development, leading to inefficient and inequitable socio-economic outcomes let alone the spatial distribution of publically provided urban infrastructure and services. For example, in the less developed countries, cities expanded in area by a factor of 3.5 between 1990 and 2015 while 60% of overall housing in the areas of cities built were unplanned or informally developed, outside the reach of formal regulations (Atlas of Urban Expansion, 2016). While the area of cities is growing very rapidly, household location within the urban fabric generates an inequality trap: segregated by income –some groups are located in neighborhoods with limited access to public services and opportunities, remaining low in productivity and hence poor. In metropolitan areas of many developing countries, urban growth is leading to cities within cities: closed communities and distant suburban social housing projects, versus ghettos and subserviced slums in the metropolitan peripheries at the same time that still abandoned or vacant urban cores provide space for denser slums, willing to reap some of the benefits of agglomeration. This has been so, from the social housing projects in cities peripheries, to the informal and marginalized squatter settlements, which all appear as obstacles to reconciling the consequences of accelerated urbanization and (dysfunctional) urban expansion in terms of providing the improving access to urban opportunities that will favor urban inclusion.
These facts are not trivial for the implementation of the NUA: Land use regulation is of central importance in determining inclusive affordable housing at scale and the universality of access to some inputs that are key to foster inclusion, broaden productivity and reduce inequalities. Thus, the inequality problem related to urban growth, housing location and infrastructure access - makes it meaningful to improve planners and policy makers’ skills in a session covering issues of land use regulation effects and the new governance challenges related to planning for land use in urban and metropolitan areas.
No pre-registration required
The training event will provide different tools to support analysis, design, implementation and monitoring of public spaces in cities. One of the main sources is the UN-Habitat publication “global toolkit on public spaces”. It is the outcome of an intense and extensive preparatory process which started at the 2012 Biennial of Public Space followed by an international Expert Group Meeting in Rome in January 2014 as part of a collaborative project between UN-Habitat and Italy’s national institute of urbanism (INU). The toolkit provides a good overview of existing tools for creation, management and enjoyment of public spaces and showcase good practices from around the globe. Another source is the UCLG Public Space Policy Framework which focuses on local government role in the development and maintenance of public spaces. In addition, the training will present how to measure the specific indicators of the target 11.7 “by 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, particularly for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities” and the methodology prepared by UN-Habitat to assess the city-wide public space system in cities. This tool provides an overview of the state of public spaces in cities and supports the implementation of the city-wide strategy.
Pre-registration required: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSelLnOBNAAEnsRpof919_Bf4z0DJQWahrhCoIW_rnWBuh3X7A/viewform
"African cities and municipalities are trying to diversify sources of finance. This event is part of a process to encouraging them to tap the capital markets and to involve the private sector through mechanisms as bond issuance. The event will seek to bridge the knowledge and information gap and answer questions, both from prospective issuers and investors (hedge funds, investment banks and private equity firms) joined by advisors/facilitators (law firms), guarantors, rating analysts and regulators—as they share their insights on what has been done and how, what's likely to come next, and how can African municipalities/cities be prepared to enter the African Municipal Bonds Market. Besides it will follows on the recommendations of the Africa Municipal Bonds Forum, organized by Markets of Africa in April 2016 and hosted by the City of Dakar, Senegal, in terms of: 1. Knowledge shared with potential African municipalities/cities bonds issuers; 2. Global platform provided to African cities issuing municipal bonds; 3. Promotion of the African Municipal Bonds Market platform; On a more practical grounds the event will discuss issues such as: The outlook for the African municipal bonds market for 2017 ; identification of potential issuers of municipal bonds; identification of institutional investors their volume of activity; “appetite” to invest in municipalities; and the issues affecting investors’ relationships with issuers ; consolidation trends and the prospect for increased municipal bonds; overall view from the decision for financing through to the conclusion of successful transactions and conditions for its replicability in other African municipalities; where to focus efforts to ensure business and regulatory requirements are met; the role of each party involved in advancing the regulatory environment and related responsibilities; training availability and capacity building from credit rating agencies, independent public finance advisers, bond counsel lawyers, investment banks, trust companies."
1. Introduction to Quality of Life and community well-being assessment (45 min)
2. Short introduction and tutorial of mobile mapping software (participants are recommended to install the free software in advance on their personal devices) (45 min)
3. Mapping QoL conditions and improvements along the Ruta de Experencia (project site adjacent to conference venue) (60 min)
4. Discuss mapping experience in classroom (30 min)
No pre-registration required
This session teaches basic strategies for making affordable serviced land and starter homes along with other land uses available in developing countries, promoting mixed-use, mixed-income and mixed-housing neighborhoods that are well-connected to employment and other socioeconomic opportunities that the right to the city guarantees. Participants of the course will understand multiple strategies for making the urbanization process more inclusive, safer, more resilient and more sustainable and for housing the low-income majority in developing countries.
No pre-registration required.
Transformation processes of cities can be linked to a range of causes and corresponding approaches. In the 1990s, Ukrainian cities transformed after independence from the Soviet Union and East German cities faced radical transformation after reunification. In Romania, a transition towards democracy took place following the 1989 Romanian Revolution. Cities and their citizens had to adapt to new social forms and adopt new urban governance systems in a very short time span. Not only a country’s political past shapes urban transformation; cities are subject to an array of economic, social and environmental challenges. Today, global challenges like climate change, urbanisation, migration or scarce resources exacerbate the need for a strategic approach to urban development. Also finding institutional models to manage urban transformation is key to shaping resilient cities. But how can cities incorporate global challenges like climate change in their local needs and ensure a human-centred urban development? Successful urban transformation requires holistic strategies and coordinated action by all actors and institutions involved in the urban development process in line with the principles of the Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities and the New Urban Agenda in order to create truly integrated and multi-functional cities. Cities around the world must not focus on individual policy aspects but instead bring together and negotiate between multiple interests in order to be fit for the future.
This training event will offer a space for policymakers responsible for urban policy and city-level urban practitioners to interact with and learn from representatives from other countries that have experiences in managing urban transformation. Based on common challenges, the event intends to provide for building cooperation among policymakers and urban practitioners to make development accessible to all.
No pre-registration required
Corruption greases the wheels in cities. It is a weapon of the weak, sustains vital informal livelihoods and is too entrenched anyway to do something about – right? Wrong! This session draws on cutting-edge research and bleeding edge policy action to show how corruption is a root cause of many urban problems, has the potential to thwart any kind of ambition for inclusive, sustainable urban development, yet is being confronted and tackled in increasingly ingenious and impactful ways around the world. Did you know that the petty bribe to the local service provider is part of a pyramid scheme where everyone takes a cut up into the highest echelon of political power? Did you know that the poor and marginalized are most disproportionately hurt, that corruption preys on and nurtures the most precarious downside of informality? Did you know that urban real estate is the most coveted investment class for laundering the proceeds of corruption and urban planning/zoning a prime target for corrupt enrichment both in the so called North and South? But most importantly: this session will show that change is possible. Did you know that urban communities can successfully fight the source of corruption and that there is a growing coalition of activists, tools and ideas that can and do make a difference? And that there is a great role for urban practitioners, architects, planners, city leaders and city workers to join the fray? This session will feature real facts to debunk myths and real stories to energize action for cities of integrity. Interested - come join us with your questions and ideas for a conversation on cities of corruption and integrity.
This event will focus upon practical issues and best practices available for implementing viable land based municipal finance policies as identified in the UN-Habitat’s founding document of 1976, carried forward with UN Habitat II's Action Agenda of 1996 and developed in the various issue papers, meetings,and declarations leading up to the Quito conference. We will show the steps that are required to implement such policies in nations where economic development is at an early stage and where it is highly advanced using site specific examples of each in order to: Ensure secure and affordable tenure of the space needed by all urban dwellers in order to live well, earn their living, develop and realise their physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual potential and contribute to the like wellbeing of all in their community. Collect for the whole community the economic value that, as community, it itself creates and manifests in land value. Ensure that each individual within the community is enabled to retain the economic value of what they earn. Secure consent and support from critical sections of the community through public education strategies that include the publishing of reliable, credible and transparent information and maps regarding the value, permitted and actual use, of every plot of urban land within the community’s domain. Ensure that the community created basis of public revenue is not diminished by the actions of government, public or private sectors of the economy Reduce the scope for corruption and abuse by those whose existing pecuniary interests would lead them to oppose the measures required. We will demonstrate how integrating land use and land value based fiscal policies constitute an essential component of practical solutions to economic, social, environmental, housing, employment, development, inequity and poverty problems.
In this event will showcase practical examples of how Ecocity Builders and partners are using participatory research methods and citizen mapping techniques in order to visualize and assess neighborhood ecologies and urban ecosystems in ways that facilitate city-to-citizen and city-to city-cooperation, knowledge sharing and engagement leading to solutions that enhance both human habitats and the natural systems they depend upon.Through case studies and participatory research presented by our pilot city partners, we will show how the ecocity approach to data collection, digital curation, and data visualization is and will continue to be a growing driver in sustainable policy, decision-making and urban management — from the scale and use of the citizen and neighborhood, to the city, region, and beyond.Project partners will share stories and results of how the data are being used to more effectively deliver critical services and protect essential urban resource sheds.Demonstrations of on-theground activities related to these projects will showcase the ways and means of fostering partnerships for the creation of holistic urban information systems. From there, we will further show how this information increases efficiency and cost effectiveness to deliver the core services of the city.The result? Smarter, risk-based resource allocation, better sharing of information agency-to-agency to facilitate sensible decision-making, and using data in a way that integrates in the established day-to-day patterns of city service providers and citizens.
People-oriented urban transport means: accessibility, cost-effectiveness, efficiency, safety and environmental sustainability. Many cities, including Quito, are starting to grasp the power of new technologies to transform urban transport and to make it more people-oriented. During this side event, we will discover a number of city initiatives, from developed, developing and least-developing countries, that are technologybased and are revolutionizing people’s transport experience. We will also delve into a few of these IT tools.
The joint presentation of Haiti and the Central African Republic in Quito involves exchanges between two capitals: Port-au-Prince and Bangui on the issue of reconstruction in a crisis situation and establishes a shared insight of these two experiences. The subjects addressed by the officers of both countries bear on the issue of the resettlement of displaced persons and post-disaster reconstruction in the case of Haiti, and post-conflict for the Central African Republic; they shed light on the need for good cooperation between international organizations and national entities. Such coordination is essential for the appropriation by public authorities of the emergency, recovery and development phases. Two approaches will be presented: a post-conflict and a post-disaster situation, in their social, strategic and structural aspects. Efforts deployed to coordinate reconstruction activities by the Governments in question have been brought out such as the development of public policies and the implementation of a Haitian reconstruction agency. The experiences acquired more than six years after the earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince and other towns will be shared and assessments presented, especially: - The lack of coordination of aid due to the weakness of the Haitian State and its institutions; - The humanitarian response poorly adapted to a disaster of this magnitude and nature (post disaster rather than post-conflict); - The exceptionally long intervals between the emergency and recovery phases in the Haitian context as opposed to the timeframe of NGO expenses ; - The difficulty in elaborating development programs following annulment of the Haitian debt; - The low appropriation of reconstruction projects by local human resources. - The problems prior to the disaster magnified such as lack of urban planning, absence of a Land Registry, housing deficit, land tenure, etc.
This side event will demonstrate how new governance partnerships (local government – civil society) and delivery mechanisms (tactical urbanism instead of traditional urban planning) can quickly and cost effectively create networks of public spaces that can build urban resilience and tackle inequality. Creating networks of accessible, inclusive public space is a cornerstone objective of the New Urban Agenda. They are critical for maintaining the socio-economic function of the city, mitigating urban inequality, improving health and environmental quality. However, too often our approach to implementing public space relies solely on under-resourced local governments as the primary provider (or funder) of such spaces. As a result, most rapidly urbanising cities are struggling to keep up. The event will draw ‘The Neighbourhood Project’ as a case study framework to provide tools and strategies that can be adopted by local governments and communities everywhere, to engage communities in innovative ways to re-imagine their neighbourhoods. Using the People - Process- Place Framework, the Neighbourhood Project unlocks the creative potential of everyday citizens to strengthen public spaces This project is a key action within the Resilient Melbourne strategy. This event is run by award-winning placemaking social enterprise CoDesign Studio, in partnership with Resilient Melbourne (of the 100 Resilient Cities global network). This event is an open invitation to civil society, government, urban practitioners, designers and anyone interested in how community-engaged design can help build better neighbourhoods. Through this side event delegates will: Learn new frameworks for strengthening civil-society government partnerships through the people-process-place paradigm; Hear from globally leading case studies on fast, low-cost approaches to improving public space. Be invited to share their knowledge and experience through the highly participatory format. Come away with new inspiration to resolve new strategies for their city, town or program.
Addressing security and inclusion in cities as universal issues, at this side-event we will focus onhow well-managed urbanisation can revitalise urban spaces that had either been lost to violence or suffered from a lack of access to basic services and neglect.Practitioners, community leaders and researchers will come together to ask what terms of inclusion are needed to adhere to the principles of the New Urban Agenda.At the street-levelwe ask: how is security understood by law-enforcement agencies in contemporary cities? And how does this relate to the lived experiences of city dwellers, particularly the poorest and most marginalised?At the citylevelwe turn our gaze to the city wide socio-political and civic actors and institutions that govern urban security provision. And,at the national-levelwe look at how the dynamics of security provision in cities relate to the processes of state building and peace building.Community leaders from Harare and Nairobi will introduce a short film produced by the Institute of Development Studies and Slum Dwellers International (SDI). The film profiles the voices of the most marginalised urban residents narrating what a fruitful, violence-free life in the city means to them.The following discussion will cover what cities in the global north can learn from experiences in the global south, and vice versa. Participants will hear from practitioners with hands-on experience of implementing successful municipal interventions, alongside researchers who have studied and evaluated these interventions over long periods of time. The event will create a space for an evidence-based dialogue on safe and inclusive cities, amongst high-level policy makers and researchers. The event will also aim to mobilise networks of key actors involved in the coconstruction of knowledge around safety and inclusion in cities in order to take the New Urban Agenda forward. Follow the event on Twitter #SafeCities.
The event will consist of a two-part panel discussion. In the first part, panelists will discuss how gender-disaggregated data through a diverse range of technologies can support the empowerment of women in cities. In the second part, the panel will discuss how partnerships can best implement that in cities in a way that not only involves a wide range of stakeholders but that is also conducive to better urban design, planning, and monitoring of interventions and programmes. The event will consist of presentations from different actors and their experience on data-gathering for the empowerment of women, including: national and city governments, local communities, national, and public-private partnerships and their experiences on disaggregated data collection. To promote the principle of partnership for disaggregated data gathering, this panel will look at different experiences of data gathering in cities around the world and discuss of participatory approaches and technology and how these can impact the lives of women in diverse vulnerable positions. The idea is to bring panelists that have had different experiences on disaggregated data-gathering and look at how local communities, governments, private enterprises and development institutions can partner not only to collect data but also to use it for advocacy, decision-making in policy and planning, as well as monitoring and ownership of data. This means that this sideevent aims at not only discussing how different technologies (including social technology) may be central to the radical paradigm shift called for in the NUA, but also to discuss sensitive issues such as data ownership, maintenance and the uses of this data. Lastly, this panel will also look at best practices that have already been implemented in different parts of the world.
The Housing Development Administration (TOKİ), functions as an umbrella rather than a competing body in the housing sector of Turkey in awareness of its responsibility as a guiding, supervising and educating organization and undertakes a significant role in production prioritizing the demands and solvency of the target masses in need. In Turkey, important steps have been taken since 2002 to produce solutions at national scale to problems regarding housing and urbanization and to ensure adequate and quality housing production at urban spaces. “Emergency Action Plan for Housing and Urbanization” announced with the 58th Government of Turkey Programme was adopted in “1 January 2003”, and the targets of “renewal”, “transformation” and “quality housing production” being set, TOKİ was assigned the responsibility to implement the concerned plan. In order to raise funds for the housing projects of low and middle income groups, TOKİ develops innovative financial models. The profit of the projects under the model called ‘income (revenue) sharing model” is forwarded to the social type housing projects as the financial fund and within this context TOKİ continues its activities without taking any share from the general budget. As the problem of slums and shanty settlements cannot be solved through the efforts of the local governments only, TOKİ has been performing a comprehensive urban renewal/transformation activity backed by the central government to support urbanization and in cooperation with local administrations. As of September 2016; the number of houses started to be produced by TOKİ is 737.136. The production continues in 81 provinces on a total of 3.295 construction sites. 615.449 units are constructed as part of social type housing projects targeting low and middle income families. TOKİ, aims to meet 5-10% of the housing need of Turkey, which currently has been realized as 9%. “Disadvantaged groups” are TOKİ’s priority in social housing production. Low and medium income families constitute the main target, and separate quotas are allocated for the handicapped, martyr families, the disabled and the pensioners. The vision of TOKİ is to realize a new project target of 1,2 thousand houses by the end of 2023. TOKİ carries on its housing production activities throughout the country in view of priorities and needs; and production of houses with increased quality and characteristics rank first in the list of priorities of the Administration.
The New Urban Agenda and the Fight Against Discrimination and Inequality in Cities
Urbanization provides the potential for new forms of social inclusion, gender and social equality, access to services, new opportunities, engagement, and mobilization that reflect the diversity of cities and countries across the globe. Unfortunately, inequality and exclusion persist in urbanization, and at much higher rates than the national average. More than two thirds of the world’s population lives in cities where income inequality has increased above the United Nations alert line since 1980. Using the guiding questions outlined below, the session will involve a group of high level experts and personalities offering their insights on the concrete actions that need to be prioritized, as well as progress monitoring, to achieve the goals of the New Urban Agenda.
Guiding Questions
· What is needed to achieve the inclusivity goals of the New Urban Agenda and move beyond the idea of “business as usual” in urban development practices? · How to achieve a coherent and effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda, within the scope of the Sustainable Development Goals and human rights at local and national level, particularly in relation to gender and age?
How can Urban-Rural-Linkages support the implementation of the New Urban Agenda? The first part of the Special Session will present proven strategies and tools used in different contexts focusing on the key drivers stated in the Issue Paper 10. In the interactive discussion different approaches will be discussed and compared, taking their respective local context into consideration. The second part will explore the establishment of a network for Urban-Rural linkages (including proposal of concrete engagement from participants, a work plan and timeline.) Panel members and the audience will then discuss which approaches and strategies can be applicable for a global network and strategy for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda regarding Urban-Rural Linkages. The contributing UN agencies and their partners will be expected to advocate for an effective partnership across all levels of governments, international development agencies, academia, civil society and private sector, and explore an initiative for an International Network on Urban-Rural-Linkages that could have the following objectives: · Develop a platform for knowledge exchange, policy dialogue and capacity development on Urban-Rural Linkage with international key players taking stock of existing policies, programmes, networks and initiatives with a focus on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.; · Organization of thematic events to build capacity and foster peer-to-peer learning through the exchange of good practices and preparation of case studies in the light of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. · Work on developing guidelines and frameworks, such as the Guiding Principles on Urban Rural Linkages (e.g. connectivity, flows of peoples, goods, information, capacity etc., establishment of rural centers, supporting sustainable growth of small and intermediate cities), and other relevant tools (e.g. sustainable standards for commodities, incentives, awareness campaigns for social and environmental footprint management of consumption and production in urban and rural environments and societies); · Develop tools and strategies that promote Urban-Rural-Linkages through investment in small and intermediate towns and integrated regional and metropolitan planning approaches. Guiding Questions Part One: Guiding questions on examples of strategies and actions taken in the case studies presented: · What was the issue of the specific case / country in respect to Issue Paper 10 and what was the vision for the outcome of the project? What are your expectations for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda for those projects/goals? · How are local, rural, urban stakeholders, civil society organizations, academia, and the private sector integrated in the process and how is the cooperation between different government levels and municipalities fostered in the process? How will the participatory approach in the New Urban Agenda change cooperation? · What are the main aspects of the strategy that was defined to promote Urban-Rural linkages and what are the main risk factors? · What are the main things to consider post-implementation?
Migration is one of the key governance areas that require policy coherence and coordination mechanisms at central, local and regional level, in order to manage diversity for social cohesion and sustainable urban development. The "Migration toolbox for urban governance" will be presented at the UCLG summit in Colombia and then at Habitat III Quito as the key consultation document based on international agreement, which allows consensus and coherence between the different and complementary roles at various levels of the government and other partners. It will be accompanied by a set of “best practices” that showcase successful initiatives to support local level migration management. The Migration Governance Framework (MiGOF), the basis for this document, is the first and only internationally agreed framework that presents, in a coherent and comprehensive way, the essential elements for humane and orderly migration that benefits migrants and society. The MiGOF was approved in November 2015 through Council Resolution No. 1310, which "calls upon Member States to use the Governance Framework on Migration in order to enhance their own governance on migration and mobility, with the support of IOM."
The event aims to strengthen the role of mayors in building safe and child friendly cities in support of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and Agenda 2030. The event will include the launch of the Special Representative Thematic Report on Protecting Children from Armed Violence in the Community, which puts forward key recommendations in support of the role of mayors in the implementation of the recommendations of the United Nations Study on Violence against Children, the New Urban Agenda and the Agenda 2030. The launch will be followed by a panel discussion in which mayors and child delegates will present positive experiences and practices and identify the way forward to end all forms of violence against children.
In this session will be presented the methodology and result regarding the regional sustainable development, in terms of housing solutions that improve the quality of life through environmental sustainability, in 2014, infonavit was awarded by the publishing house World Finance as the Most Sustainable Bank Mexico 2014, due to its Green Mortage programme. This scheme consists of allowing an additional amount of credit to an Infonavit loan, when the acquired home is equipped with eco-technologies that generate savings in household expenditure.
The book to be published by ADB (August, 2016) explains the phenomenon of increasing housing informality as expressed in an array of urban village types in the Pacific Region. The book examines how we perceive and address the needs of those urban residents who live in some form of urban village/informal settlement, and often in hardship and poverty. It is the latter urban residents who are least able to access the basic human rights of adequate land, housing, and associated services and infrastructure in contemporary towns and cities of the Pacific. The book draws the link to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (SDG number 11) which is focused on better-managed urbanization outcomes: “Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” With the first indicator for SDG 11 aiming to “by 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums,” this report is an important reminder of the urban challenges ahead in the Pacific, as well as the need for all to collectively contribute to global efforts to reduce and end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all. The book refers to the importance of the work to the “New Urban Agenda” to be adopted at Habitat3.
This ADB Pacific Series publication sits within the context of better understanding rising urbanization in Pacific towns and cities, with a specific focus on one of the major outcomes of the informal urbanization process, namely, urban villages. The latter term in the Pacific context encompasses settlement forms that have emerged and continue to transform through processes of informality, such as native villages, informal settlements, squatter settlements, unplanned settlements and the like. In this setting, the term urban village has become a “catch all” phrase for many settlements created informally (and formally), but what does the term urban village really mean and how has it changed over time and why? What are the common attributes of the Pacific urban villages that make them unique and challenging in terms of development assistance? Urban villages have now become a permanent feature of the Pacific urbanization process and present many environmental, social, planning and management issues. It is estimated approximately one million Pacific urban dwellers live in poor-quality housing with inadequate provision for basic services in settlements known as ‘urban villages’. As a general observation, these settlement forms are neglected and ignored (often by law) by the formal planning system and have become problematic. As well, urban villages and the people who live in them are often stereotyped with negative associations in the processes of city growth. This ADB knowledge publication seeks to add to the important debate in the Pacific context on understanding and explaining what is an urban village including understanding their complexity at national and regional level. The ADB publication presents key actions that ADB Pacific member countries and territories, development partners and policy makers need to consider as part of urban and national development plans when rethinking how to conceptualize the ongoing phenomena of urban villages, whilst achieving a more equitable distribution of the benefits of urbanization.
Download Publication https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/201291/pacific-urban-villages.pdf
Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) chose largely different models of political and economic reforms in the transition from a planned to a market economy over the period 1996- 2014. This led to the emergence of different demographic and urbanization dynamics, with countries experiencing a rise in the share of urban population while in others the proportion of urban population decreased because of deindustrialization and outmigration from cities to rural areas due to unemployment. At the same time, there are also common challenges across the region. These include: the disruption of established interstate economic links and consequent difficulties in providing industries with raw materials and energy resources unclear and overlapping functions and competences of central, regional and local authorities high concentration of the population and industrial production in the largest and major cities with the simultaneous stagnation of small and medium human settlements the exacerbation of traffic problems in capital and major cities the lack of an effective management and maintenance system for multi-storey housing stock growing pressures on the rapidly deteriorating urban infrastructure.The event will discuss how to achieve implementation of sustainable urban development in countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), with a special focus on planning frameworks and tools, focusing on urban planning and design issues at the agglomeration, city and neighborhood scales, as a response to the existing challenges The main objectives of the event will be: Strengthen the exchange of international best practices and peer to peer learning for sustainable urban development in CIS countries and get a better understanding of the impacts of programmes addressing sustainable urban development in the region Consolidate a network of decision makers, policy makers and urban professionals to facilitate the exchange of expertise and interaction of countries and cities Discuss the spatial, financial and legal instruments necessary to shift the growth patterns of cities in CIS countries towards a sustainable development model Formulation of regional programme with identified partners to address sustainable development challenges and implementation in the region The event links to the New Urban Agenda as a global and comprehensive document to guide sustainable urban development in countries, regions and cities. In this sense the event has a clear focus on the countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States, to be a platform to discuss the concrete challenges, initiatives and impacts of programmes promoting sustainable urban development in the CIS Region: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Ukraine The event will specially promote the participation of youth groups through universities and the gender balance, linking with regional NGO of livelihoods and women empowerment.
How can urban communities and governments be prepared and plan for natural and man- made disasters? More crucially how should we rebuild post disaster? How do we adapt to rapid changes and implement the New Urban Agenda at Habitat III and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, adopted by UN Member states in March 2015. Built environment professionals have a critical role to play in supporting the humanitarian sector, governments and agencies to respond to and mitigate both natural and man-made humanitarian crises. But more crucially we can help communities to plan, adapt to, reduce risks and rebuild. This panel discussion will demonstrate what humanitarian agencies need and how town planners, architects, engineers and surveyors can help urban societies and governments to prepare for and rebuild post disaster. This includes preparing for climate change impacts, building back better, adhering to standards and ethics and dealing with land ownership issues. These issues cut across spatial development; and urban economy, housing and basic services. The New Urban Agenda seeks this and professionals in the built environment must utilise their skills and practice in adaptation, preparedness and rebuilding efforts. Urban issues have also been recognised in the launch of the Global Alliance for Urban Crises at the World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, May 2016. Increasing urbanisation means pressures on essential services and natural resources are intensifying. It is therefore, crucially important that urban societies are resilient and can adapt to rapid change. This includes how emergency responses can be better adapted to the nature, scale and complexity of villages, towns and cities. The training, experience and expertise of urban planners, architects, engineers and surveyors makes them perfectly placed to advise and support such initiatives and this session will explore that and explore from Ecuador, Sri Lanka, India, Malaysia, Zimbabwe and Scotland.
Several large cities are the result of urbanization associated with industrialization dating back to the 19th and 20th centuries. Many cities include sectors in their core areas that are under utilized, but whose vocations are destined to change in order to meet the need for renewed and diversified urban activities for economic and housing purposes. These sectors are in need of transformation. In addition, the intention to densify urban activities associated with public transit infrastructures serves to favour public interventions, planning and investments aimed at transforming some of these sectors in order to better meet housing and employment needs. These operations are the concrete expression of this movement, of the challenge in rebuilding the city upon itself. The urban projects associated with these sectors undergoing transformation are the laboratory for the New Urban Agenda. They are the sites for the implementation of new financing tools and partnerships focused on innovation. These rebuilding operations make it possible to highlight existing public infrastructures (transportation, public facilities) while reducing urban expansion or sprawl. In order to achieve this, cities and governments, through urban planning and project management initiatives, must develop realestate and affordable housing strategies in connection with sustainable mobility. These planning and intervention initiatives are also closely associated with public participation exercises. The cities of Montréal, Berlin, Brussels, Mexico City, Johannesburg and Seoul will demonstrate their respective initiatives geared to implementing the New Urban Agenda from an integrated planning perspective, with the presentation of projects and concrete cases. These various experiences may also serve as examples of how the New Urban Agenda is promoted, while taking into account cultural differences and the legal framework.
The aim of this workshop is to invite the Age-friendly Cities from all around the world and entities from both civil society and governments in order to move forward in this debate.
Given the magnitude of the problem, it is unlikely that traditional topdown development programs will be singularly effective, especially since such approaches often fail to incorporate and utilize the knowledge and priorities of the urban poor. Over the last few years three developments have arisen that create a novel class of approaches that can succeed at creating equitable development at the necessary speed and scale . These are i) the power of peer-topeer community organization to create methods and collaborations for participatory neighborhood development, ii) an immense technological revolution that allows neighborhood residents to map their neighborhoods and leverage assets relative to objective needs and future priorities, iii) a major shift in our understanding of cities that now emphasizes how their networked and interdependent character impacts the relationships between social, economic, environmental and technical development processes.
Mayors are essential actors in delivering the New Urban Agenda’s vision of prosperous, equitable, and low-carbon/resilient cities. They are strongly committed to addressing climate change, poverty and inequality in their cities, yet, they are facing many challenges to deliver sustainable urban development, particularly acute financing challenges. Habitat III is an opportunity to overcome these difficulties. C40 Cities and its partners are working together to support this goal through the C40 Cities Finance Facility, the Financing Sustainable Cities Initiative and a new Call to Action. Through the C40 Cities Finance Facility (CFF), C40 Cities and partners BMZ, USAID, IADB and GIZ, aim to unlock $1bn of new investment in sustainable urban infrastructure, building city capacity and sharing successes. The session will address how the CFF is supporting cities in preparing sustainable infrastructure projects that can attract investment, and include an announcement on new funding for the CFF. It will also introduce “Financing Sustainable Cities”, an initiative of the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities and C40 Cities, funded by Citi Foundation. FSCI focuses on helping cities develop business models that can accelerate the implementation of sustainable urban solutions. Recognizing that fundamental changes are needed in how and what kind of finance flows to cities, C40 Cities will finally present a Call for Action articulating the financing challenges and demands of cities that need to be addressed to support them in creating equitable, prosperous and resilient cities. By bringing together major actors including city leaders, development banks, private sector investors, aid agencies and NGOs, this engaging side-event will outline challenges, experiences, and solutions to articulate the city demand to each stakeholder, aiming to generate a positive change in the way sustainable urban development is funded and financed.
This event explores the capacity of city diplomacy and transnational municipal networks to support effective implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 11 and the New Urban Agenda. It will convene representatives of key city networks, as well as experts in global politics and urban planning, to explore the challenges and possibilities of paradiplomacy, networking, and other collaborations, to launch a global commission on city diplomacy, and to develop a rating and training resource for urban collaborations. By gathering representatives of the major global and regional city networks, as well as representatives of international active global cities, the event will launch development of an action plan to encourage network-to-network collaboration on global challenges, develop a roadmap to an index of city diplomacy efforts, and roll out a training program in negotiation and diplomacy for cities (between December 2016 and July 2017) in order to further enhance the capacity of city diplomacy linked with major other processes such as the Sendai Framework and the Addis Ababa Agenda. The side event will be followed by additional international meetings of the commission, specifically at COP22 in Morocco, the C40 bi-annual summit in Mexico City, a two-day commission UCL retreat at the University of Oxford, the WHO Healthy Cities summit in Rotterdam, and the Chicago Forum on Global Cities.
Governement, cities, compagnies will exchange all interest for tools and incentive policies to implement sustainable urban developpement : International standard, labelling systemes, european framework implemented enable to guide cities on their own path towards sustainability. The idea behind labels and incentive policies is to guarantee the quality of projects based on a set of fundamental requirements covering technical aspects, governance and the resulting economic momentum, regardless of the area in which they take place. This leads to a certain flexibility which allows the approach to be contextualised and adapted to any type of city according to its size, history, culture, geography and at any stage of the project. For example, the French national EcoDistrict Quality Label is based on a proactive approach by local authorities. It does not provide a model or any ready-made responses, but insists on the notion of context and the shared definition of a project. At the global scale, France Germany and China together are very significant and active participation in the implementation of ISO 37101, the first ISO norm on management of sustainable cities and territories. Several european governements also spearheaded several projects at regional scale such as the Referential Framework Sustainable Cities (RFSC), a web application giving an European framework for fostering integrated urban development for small, medium and big cities all across Europe. Finally, the Ecodistrict initiative, RFSC, ISO 37101 are good illustrations of what can be done at local level, by a city, with the support of national and regional authorities and compagnies, to implement urban projects. It enable a proposal to build a diversified urban area, in association with the different stakeholders and residents, within a high-quality living environment, while limiting its ecological footprint.
This panel discussion “Promoting Gender Responsive Services and Spaces towards Inclusive and Safe Cities” will illustrate the direct connection between public services, public spaces and gender inequality, looking specifically at women’s access to their right to the city. It will recommend actions and measures for an effective gender responsive urban agenda for the next 20 years, with sustainable and safe cities. It will address the urgent steps needed to deliver universal, equitable, affordable, and accessible, gender responsive public infrastructure, recognizing them as central to gender equality and guaranteeing women’s right to the city –including in ending violence against women in public and urban spaces. It will also look at decision-making on service delivery and urban planning –including how policy making, and financing must include women’s full and equal participation and ownership as full and equal citizens, as well as that of wider civil society; and the need to address all barriers to equitable access to quality gender responsive public services, including the privatization of public services, which not only cause further social exclusion but also increase the care burden on women in sustaining their families and households. It aims to promote the idea of public spaces as common goods that should not only build popular and solidarity economies (including through support for and protection of informal workers), but also actively recognize the multiple expressions of citizenship. This event will be held as high level discussion panel and followed by an open discussion over the need to promote a gender responsive public services and spaces towards an effective new urban agenda. The panel will include eminent keynote speakers from ActionAid, Huairou Commission, Public Services International, Red Mujer y Habitat, REDEH, UCLG, a leader of the Brazilian waster pickers movement, WIEGO, Women in Cities International, Women Constituency Group from GAP.
The side event will showcase the holistic Israeli model and its success in developing entrepreneurship among the younger generation and how it can assist in generating urban growth and vitality. The Golda Meir MASHAV Carmel International Training Center (MCTC), under the auspices of MASHAV is marking 16 years of cooperation with the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT) of the Organization of American States. This program is introducing entrepreneurship as a self-help tool for the benefit of young urban people in the Americas. The success of this program has been the driving force behind the program's recent expansion to African states, in this case with the cooperation of UN HABITAT (Nairobi). Our Workshops provide potential trainers and mentors with tools to assist entrepreneurs with the business development as well as the support and guidance they need to make their businesses thrive. They offer technical skills and advice in business planning, marketing, branding; evaluate existing ventures to identify and pursue new opportunities. It provides participants with necessary skills and knowledge to assist current and prospective entrepreneurs on business development. Transmitting knowledge and learning by doing experiences to qualified personnel guarantees the reproduction of the model. It is expected that every participant admitted into the workshops will utilize the methodology, consolidate it as trainer and carry on the training within their local areas.
The New Urban Agenda calls for an urban paradigm shift to change the way cities and human settlements are planned, built, governed and managed. One part of this is effective decentralisation, strengthening urban governance and management. This side event addresses these issues head-on through reflection on long-term programmes, with a focus on mainstreaming the voices of slum dwellers, and improving their access to basic services, comparing approaches and including a range of marginalised groups and of youth.
Practical Action will present the findings from national and regional evaluations of a 4-year process working with nearly 33,000 slum dwellers across 82 slums in 6 cities in Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. This included city-wide approaches engaging with every slum community in three of these cities, improving relationships and making progress on appropriate forms of service delivery in water, sanitation and waste management.
In Kenya, Practical Action has worked with the Bartlett Centre for Development Planning to assess our work on inclusive planning and access to water. They have both evaluated our work, and run fieldwork courses with Masters Students to explore the effectiveness and impact of our work in Kisumu for three consecutive years. They present their findings of the changes in relationships between communities and the local authority, and the challenges of delivering services equally across informal settlements.
Finally World Vision bring an emphasis on youth and the informal sector through discussion of their work in Kariobangi and Korogocho slums in Nairobi. They have demonstrated a decentralised approach for services delivery, specifically in waste management. The project has worked with youth groups, building their entrepreneurial skills to improve waste management and for the creation of safer and healthier public spaces. The session ends with reflection on how these experiences inform implementation of the New Urban Agenda and SDG11.
Exhibit posters and audiovisuals presenting the work of the UNU-IIGH and its partners. In addition the space will be used to launch a publication (see below) and hold a variety of short talks.
Integrated Strategic Planning and Management
In the next 20 years one billion people will be added to the global urban population. This growth will mainly occur in the developing world, while other countries and regions will be facing demographic slowdowns, with repercussions for their functioning and sustainability. Cities and towns around the world will need to be expanded, renewed, and consolidated where appropriate.
To ensure high quality of life for inhabitants, environmental sustainability, including the challenge of climate change, will need to be better addressed in urban development, together with social and spatial inclusion, as well as within a changing economic structure.
Long term integrated strategic planning and management is therefore imperative if cities are to meet these challenges. To do that, a robust urban governance structure has to be built, including adequate institutional, legal, financial and regulatory frameworks, governed by national urban policies that promote enhanced capacity, and stronger coordination and cooperation among all levels of governments and across sectors, with strong accountability mechanisms to ensure transparency and public participation.
The New Urban Agenda proposes an integrated approach to urban and territorial strategic planning and management, leveraging on strengthened urban-rural linkages and polycentric systems of cities and human settlements, towards a balanced territorial development and inclusive economic development based on comparative advantages and assets.
The New Urban Agenda proposes planned and expanding urban extensions based on the principles of equitable, efficient and sustainable use of land and natural resources, compactness, appropriate density and connectivity, preventing urban sprawl and encouraging mixed social and economic uses. Urban infill, renewal and regeneration of urban areas, as appropriate, including the upgrading of slums and informal settlements, should be prioritized, building on high-quality infrastructure and public spaces, including cultural heritage, promoting integrated and participatory approaches, avoiding spatial and socio-economic segregation and gentrification, thereby reinvigorating urban economies.
Well-managed interfaces between spatial planning and fiscal policies in particular through efficient use of land based finance (including revenue generation and land value capturing) will be key for mobilizing resources that are requested for financing equity measures, sustainable land use and consumption.
This High Level Round Table session will focus on discussing concrete initiatives, partnerships, and synergies to strengthen integrated strategic planning and management in the context of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda at all levels.
Guiding questions:
This event focuses on strategies to advocate and effectively implement the New Urban Agenda (NUA) in the diverse regions of North Africa, Middle East, South and South East Asia and other parts referred to as the Muslim world which constitutes a quarter of the world’s population. The challenges of land and housing, sustainable urbanisation, urban economy, gender equality and youth employment are often similar to other regions but in several ways exhibit distinctive features requiring innovative, adaptive and syncretic approaches. The objective of this event is to harmonise and harness universal and traditional land and financing models towards inclusive and sustainable urbanisation. It juxtaposes universal land tools approach with innovative municipal financing models, including ethical and Islamic land and finance towards meeting the Sustainable Development Goals. The event promotes inclusive cities, empowerment, good governance, harmonised communities and pro-poor development through universal human rights as well as opportunities through positive customary and faith based mechanisms. The Event follows the World Economic Forum ‘studio’ format where NUA discussion leaders pitch cutting-edge innovations and proposals in a creative and practical dialogue. Leading policy makers, experts, industry, banks, civil society and the media would be involved. The event will discuss presentations of new research, case studies, strategies and policy proposals, informed by network outcomes, dialogue and new partnerships. A publication on innovative gender responsive land and financial tools led by researchers at University of East London and supported by Global Land Tool Network will be launched. An action plan on alternate municipal financing for inclusive land rights and sustainable urbanisation would be developed by mapping of a range of financing models onto the continuum of land and development rights. The event would interest those working on strengthening practical strategies on sustainable urbanisation, land and housing, urban economy, gender equality and youth employment.
While migration is a global phenomenon, with one in seven people in the world being an internal or international migrant, the effects of migration are most felt at the local level. The reasons are twofold: first, migration is a key driver of cities’ growth. In many parts of the world, migration is driving much of the increase in urbanisation, making cities much more diverse places in which to live. Second, migrants are individuals with specific needs during times of crises, but who can also become agents of development when the right policies are put in place. It is within this context that this multi-stakeholder event will serve to: - Identify key facts and figures on rapid urbanisation triggered by forced migration as a result of conflicts and natural disasters; - Reflect on policy priorities on migrants for city administrations and national authorities which are complementary and coherent, and rooted in the New Urban Agenda; - Provide guiding principles on how to mainstream and implement sustainable migration policy and management measures which complement and are supported by all governance structures – national, provincial and local governments.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals provide a powerful illustration of the challenges and opportunities cities present. Specifically, the SDGs localization process highlights how the empowerment of local stakeholders is essential to make sustainable development more responsive and therefore relevant to local needs, aspirations and lives. This process is closely tied to the New Urban Agenda (NUA), which inevitably lays the groundwork for policies and approaches that build upon the local and urban component of 2030 Agenda. This Side-Event intends to showcase approaches, mechanisms and tools that have been successful in defining and addressing gaps for the promotion of more inclusive cities - leaving no-one behind. Firstly, it will look at the mechanisms available to initialize the SDG localization process. Secondly, it will provide the opportunity to share lessons learned from MDG localization processes and present initial efforts for the SDG localization, facilitating the road ahead in the SDGs’ attainment. Finally, it will highlight the importance of local, regional and national governments in guaranteeing social inclusion, local and national ownership and institutional accountability. The event will also be the occasion for all participants to network around the theme of the SDGs and NUA localization.
Financing the New Urban Agenda: From Challenges to Implementation
This Dialogue will focus on the financing aspects of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda: how municipalities could access, leverage and manage the fiscal and financial resources need to implement the New Urban Agenda and to meet the needs of local populations. The first session of the Dialogue will focus on identifying the key issues and challenges related to municipalities’ expanding access to, leveraging and managing financial resources. These include own-source revenues, fiscal transfers and raising private capital. Panelists will be invited to each give a 10-minute talk on one of the three topics, respectively, followed by a 35-minute discussion to engage the audience. In the second session, the discussion will focus on sharing global experiences which illustrate actions taken by municipalities, central governments and private sector investors to address the identified challenges. Four panelists will be invited to each give 10-minute inputs during this session. The floor will then be opened for another 45-minute Q&A discussion session with the audience.
Guiding Questions
· What are the major financial challenges that municipalities will encounter in their efforts to implement the New Urban Agenda?
· What tools and assistance will local governments need to help them to overcome these challenges?
· Are there current examples of places that have demonstrated particular acumen in tackling these challenges?
· What can we learn from these places and their practices for financing the New Urban Agenda?
· Is it possible to replicate successful local practices in different places and contexts? Is it possible to adapt them to conform to local circumstances? · How do different levels of government (local and national) see their roles in manifesting the New Urban Agenda?
· What roles will other institutions (development banks, think tanks, etc.) play in supporting efforts to finance the New Urban Agenda?
· Given the widely varying strengths and weaknesses of municipal governments, and the deep differences in legal and institutional contexts, how can we meet cities where they are to: 1) assess their fiscal capacities, and diagnose their financial challenges; and 2) provide strategic guidance to help them grow their capacities and fortify their systems?
· Is it possible to monitor the success of municipalities at achieving the goals of the New Urban Agenda? How?
Panel 1: Coordination Across Local Stakeholders to Build Urban Environmental Sustainability and Resilience
The first panel will discuss the need for healthy, low-carbon, resource-efficient, economically inclusive, and liveable cities as part of the dynamic process of building resilient cities. The dialogue will explore different ways of thinking about the implementation of the New Urban Agenda as well as the planning and development of infrastructure within cities, and the particular role that national governments can have in supporting this process.
Panel 2: People-centered, Environmentally-friendly, Data- and Partnership-driven, Integrated Resilience Solutions
The second panel will examine the nexus of data, partnerships, and horizontal integration across a city for the action-oriented New Urban Agenda. This panel will feature a new role in urban governments around the world. This will look across sectors for points of connection and recommend solutions to problems, in order to make the day-to-day life of cities better for all, while enhancing long-term resilience. This creates a resilience dividend on a city’s investment both today and tomorrow. The panel will also highlight how resilience is being institutionalized in to cities, and the benefits it is having.
Guiding Questions
· How can we properly implement the New Urban Agenda in particular an integrated resilience and resource efficiency aspect?
· How can we use data and partnerships and apply them in support of resilience in the contect of the New Urban Agenda?
· How can we promote better horizontal coordination among stakeholders and different cities?
· What is the best way to integrate the point of view of individuals into the discussion on resilient infrastructure?
· How can we take into account the vulnerabilities and needs of individuals when creating resilience solutions?
· What benefits are cities seeing from enacting the New Urban Agenda in terms of the resilience aspect?
· What are the current best practices for implementing and monitoring the New Urban Agenda?
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
· Delivering the New Urban Agenda through the Urban Agenda for the EU The New Urban Agenda and the Urban Agenda for the EU share the same vision for a balanced, sustainable and integrated urban development. The Urban Agenda for the EU was designed for cities to have their say in policy-making. With its 12 priority themes, its multi-level governance and its focus on peer-learning, the Urban Agenda for the EU contributes to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda on EU territory, and in partnership with urban stakeholders – not only cities, but also businesses, NGOs' and representatives from Member States and EU institutions. Action plans for the 12 priority themes are being drafted. They should include policy recommendations and good practices and projects to be transferred and scaled-up in the EU.
· Developing a global, harmonised definition of cities To better compare data, benchmark and monitor, a common definition of cities should be used across the globe. In partnership with the OECD, the EU will develop such a definition, relying on the EU-OECD definition of cities, based on population size and density and the EU degree of urbanisation. An online database will be developed, as well as a global list of cities and their main features. A proposal for a global definition of cities will eventually be submitted to the United Nations.
· Fostering cooperation between cities in the field of sustainable urban development Drawing on the solid approach of the EU-funded URBACT network and on the methodology of the EU's International Urban Cooperation (IUC) programme, cities across the world will be encouraged to link up with one or more partner cities to develop and implement local action plans and projects on common priorities – access to water, transport systems, health or housing. Business partners should be closely associated in the drafting and implementation of these actions plans.
Inclusive and Sustainable Cities: The New Media Agenda
Broadcast and print, digital, and social media all play an important role contributing to the fabric of urban societies and the discussion of urban issues. All types of media have an equally important role to play in helping to foster tolerance, inclusivity, and collaboration between different groups, particularly in densely populated urban areas.
Building on the active collaborative role that media has played throughout the Habitat III process, this roundtable will seek to crystalize definitions of productive media engagement in urban issues in order to provide guidance to media around the world on how their activities can best support equitable and sustainable urban development.
The media, and in particular social media, is uniquely positioned to support efforts to monitor the implementation of the New Urban Agenda on many levels, particularly at the local level. The aggregation and amplification of voices from all types of urban stakeholders into ongoing United Nations-led and other typically top-down decision-making processes should continue throughout the follow up phase. This event will enable the media constituency to explore how it can collaborate and play an active role in this inclusive implementation process.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable 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)?
Urban population in the world has been growing rapidly over the past 50 years, a trend which is estimated to continue unabated. As the largest emerging economy in the world, China has witnessed the fast urbanization of its 1.3 billion people. Cities have served as engines of its rigorous economic development. They have undergone profound economic, social and structural transformation and have become not only consumers of imported commodities, but also producers exporting their manufactured goods worldwide. Nevertheless, Chinese cities are also facing many substantial challenges in terms of sustainable development. The book, written by renown urban scholars at Tongji University, has documented as well as evaluated the practices followed in China in the formulation and implementation of policies by both the central and local governments to facilitate the urbanization process, including their successes, setbacks and lessons learned. The introduction of this new book to the Conference participants will enable both developed and developing countries to understand and share the ways and means that have been adopted in China to address the challenges of sustainable urbanization facing worldwide, and eventually work together to enhance the role of cities in improving human conditions in this fast urbanizing world.
The New Urban Agenda (NUA) puts an emphasis on the importance of national frameworks. Decentralisation reforms in all their dimensions are necessary to enable cities and local governments to play their role as development actors as acknowledged in Art. 89 (NUA). The side event will highlight the role of decentralisation reforms for a renewed local - national partnership. Based on the principle of subsidiarity, decentralised political and administrative systems constitute a necessary precondition to sustain the developmental role of local governments necessary to achieve the transformative commitments. Decentralisation reforms are highly political processes that need to be aligned to the overall public sector reform process, especially regarding national urban policies. It is a multidimensional, and multi-actor-process. The reforms are multidimensional embracing political, administrative and fiscal decentralisation. These three dimensions are mutually interdependent and all need to be addressed in order to make the reform successful. To be effective, reforms require strong partnerships for coordination and cooperation, including vertical accountability between national and subnational levels as well as multi actor partnerships at the local or city level, involving citizens, the organised civil society and the private sector, completed by horizontal networking of subnational levels. DeLoG, the Development Partners Network on Decentralisation and Local Governance, has been created in 2006 and comprises 29 bi- and multilateral development partners. It aims at improving development effectiveness in the field of decentralisation and local governance (DLG) through the promotion of more harmonised and aligned interventions. DeLoG acts as a platform for the exchange of experiences and knowledge amongst development practitioners, thereby creating synergy effects for harmonised and coordinated DLG activities. The network’s main activities are to share and disseminate knowledge; conduct studies on issues of crucial importance for the improvement of development effectiveness in the area of DLG; generate evidence-based advocacy for DLG in the international development debate; contribute to the design of joint development partner support strategies and conduct and facilitate joint learning events for more effective support to DLG. Please visit the website www.delog.org for more information.
Turkey is among the countries most affected from disasters on a global scale due to its tectonic, seismic, topographic and climatic structures. Although disasters such as floods, landslides, rock falls, and avalanches are common in our country, earthquakes take the first place when evaluated in terms of their devastating effects. Turkey is located in a region with the most active fault zone on earth and always facing earthquake hazard and risk. Based on Turkey’s earthquake zone map, 96% of Turkey is located within regions of different levels of earthquake risk. Urban design has begun to be used within local planning for providing and maintaining qualified urban spaces. In order to enhance identity and life quality of residential and living zones within holistic planning, urban design projects are being prepared. Geological-geotechnical and microzonation investigation for development plan are prepared to reduce disaster risk. These plans include detailed and specific geological, geophysical and geotechnical survey to constitute new earthquake-resistant, safe, well prepared and sustainable settlements. Especially after earthquakes, the government decided to take firm steps towards the demolition of illegal/risky buildings and the renewal of aged buildings. The urban regeneration process in Turkey is based on the “Law on the Regeneration of Areas under Disaster Risk” that entered into force in 2012. The Law specifically focuses on risk areas that are defined as areas that may cause loss of life or assets during disasters. The Law is not only deal with natural disaster risk areas, but also include regeneration of slums. The urban regeneration projects show that if they are well planned and developed cities can promote economically, socially and environmentally sustainable societies. From 2012 to 2016, 7 Million m2 risky areas is being carried out in the regeneration activity where is nearly 1 Million people live in these areas.
Questions of land tenure have been of major interest to urban development policy makers and practitioners in cities of the South. Many communities, and particularly the urban poor communities fell victim to eviction, displacement, lack of tenure rights and exclusion from urban services (drainage, water supply, waste collection, maintenance, etc.). In the last 50 years, approaches to these problems have evolved from outright negative attitudes or neglect by public agencies and urban professionals to a more empathic and constructive approach looking for potentially more positive solutions. The Side-Event contributes to the New Urban Agenda by debating and presenting innovative land development approaches which are more accessible particularly for the urban poor or deprived communities The immediate objective of the Side-Event is to 1) explicitate state-of-the-art in innovative approaches to land development, 2) summarize presentations and debates of the Parallel-Event , 3) widely distribute results (including the preparation of a publication), make these results available world-wide and disseminate particularly among government delegates (including local authorities), NGOs and community-based organizations participating at HABITAT III events.
Urban settings are heavily vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters and climate change. Unplanned and rapid urbanisation in many disaster-prone parts of the world jeopardises the resilience of communities, in particular the most vulnerable. Flooding, water scarcity, extreme temperatures and droughts are major climatic threats, along with earthquakes and tsunamis, affecting urban environments with impacts on health, infrastructure, the economy and well-being. At global level, there is widespread recognition of the benefits of integrating the knowledge base, policies and practices for addressing climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction and sustainable development. At local level, this integrated approach becomes a necessity as citizens understand and deal with climate change and disasters in a more holistic way to develop more resilient answers. Building the resilience of urban settings and creating a risk-informed urban development paradigm is therefore critical for resilient and sustainable socio-economic development. The multilateral processes of the past year have made this very clear. The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 recognises cities as critical actors in building more resilient communities. The Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) includes a global urban goal on inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities and human settlements (SDG 11). The Paris Agreement on Climate Change officially acknowledged the role of non-Party stakeholders to address and respond to climate change, including of cities and other subnational authorities. This session explores, through the lens of urban development, the linkages and synergies between the different international processes in an attempt to identify opportunities and challenges that can inform and strengthen the New Urban Agenda. Discussions aim to reinforce the need for strategic urban and territorial planning and management and the importance of addressing the urban dimension in the implementation of the international frameworks. Recommendations contribute to the overall coherence of these international frameworks.
We know that when 1000 cities are decarbonised, we will have achieved what is required to prevent dangerous climate change. Why cities? Cities have a profound impact on the global trajectory of emissions through the decisions that they make. Cities are the hub of economic activity, drive culture, determine land-use, provide transportation choices, and invest in critical infrastructure. Cities cooperate and compete, finding solutions without the political complications encountered at the level of nations. Sustainability Solutions Group (SSG) started as a group of young and experienced innovators working to mainstream the way cities adapt to the challenges of sustainability. SSG developed Canada’s first greenhouse gas emissions model to evaluate the emissions and energy reductions possibilities of city climate policies. Over the past decade, SSG has put our sophisticated open source climate, landuse and energy models to work in various cities, determining the paths to decarbonisation. SSG and our partners are showcasing our CityInSight, Plan4DE, Places and Spaces tools at Habitat III, demonstrating their application in knowledgeable, empowered climate decision making. SSG will also host an interactive expert panel discussion outlining the challenges and solutions required to effectively plan and implement for a decarbonised future.
Public space consists of places for social encounter and exchange, places for political action and participation in public life and plays an important role as places for economic activities. The development of large-scale cities has had a major impact on the organization of social life, not only within those cities, but also in non-urban contexts, as ideas about contemporary ways of life have changed. One of the main challenges its related the financing and maintenance of the public space. In this scenario it’s important to include the private sector in order to incorporate innovative partnerships to improve the quality of the interventions.
While urban populations have doubled in recent years, their footprint has increased nearly five-fold and density levels dropped. Despite the popularity of the compact city model among policymakers, academics and planners, cities across the world continue to sprawl with little control. This panel discussion will examine whether spatial planning policy can tame urban growth and what the impacts of urban form are, if any, on productivity, the environment and social inclusion. Chaired by Ricky Burdett, Professor of Urban Studies at the London School of Economics and Political Science, the discussion will draw on Urban Age research. The Urban Age Programme, jointly organised by LSE Cities at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Deutsche Bank’s Alfred Herrhausen Gesellschaft, is an international investigation of the spatial and social dynamics of cities centred on an annual conference, research initiative and publication.
Sustainable and resilient economy is the way for the nations signatory of the Paris Agreement, can achieve the goal of limiting global warming to 2° C by the end of the century, in order to reach the target of 1.5 ° C. Collaboration is key to achieving the ambitious objectives of this agreement. Throughout its 10 years of operations in Latin America, CDP has promoted partnerships between the public and private sector through learning and exchange of experiences provided by the reporting exercise. Lima Metropolitan one of the cities that report to CDP, has the project Occupy Your Street (OTC) promoted by Lima Cómo Vamos. This initiative seeks to create new public spaces and regenerate and revitalize already-existing spaces through low-scale, low-cost, fast implementation and high-impact urban interventions with the involvement of neighbours and private sector. OTC looks to empower local actors to promote the collaborative recovery of public spaces as places of interaction, social cohesion, and cultural expression.CDP & OTC are promoting a side event in format of panel with:Andreia Banhe / Florianne de Boer: Presentation of CDP cities 2016 report, showing how cities are essential for climate action, as well as how they are collaborating with regional governments, businesses and financial institutions to achieve effective climate action in cities. Mariana Alegre (Lima Cómo Vamos): Presentation of Occupy Your Street methodology for implementing urban interventions as a bottom-up strategy and the link with private sector.Marco Álvarez, Mayor of San Borja (Lima, Perú): Will share the city experiences tackling the challenges on effective climate change actions and public space revitalization that have a positive impact in the local businesses and its citizensRepresentative of private sector: Willshare its experience on how the private sector can collaborate with local government for climate actions.
The conversation around sustainable cities has long included the rhetoric of equity and inclusion, but the ‘who’ and ‘how’ of these concepts remain ambiguous. This lack of clarity has given rise to service delivery, urban transport, and public spaces that neglect the needs of many people without the resources to compensate for poor design. For example, though women comprise the majority of the world’s urban population—a trend expected to continue to rise—their perspectives and voices are significantly underrepresented in local governance. Worldwide, women make up less than 5 percent of mayors: only 10 out of the world’s 195 capital cities are headed by women. As a result, women’s needs and priorities are too often ignored by city officials, urban planners, and policy experts, undermining the opportunities for progress that urbanization can offer. It often remains up to community-based and grassroots organizations to negotiate their demands (at times contentiously) with local authorities – ranging from slum upgrading/resettlement to transparent delivery of water, electricity, and education. As a result, power relations shift in favor of organized communities at the grassroots level, leading to greater inclusion and equity in local decision-making. Thus, as cities grow, a more nuanced understanding of the complexity of factors that create and perpetuate marginalization is needed to support economic and social prosperity. This event seeks to define the concepts of equity and inclusion in the context of sustainable urbanization, to examine the reality of informal settlements and the urban poor against prevailing theory, and to present best practices honoring the right to live in the city. The panel will be comprised of practitioners, community organizers, mayors, and researchers to discuss important insights into this conversation. Recommendations will emerge highlighting an inclusive and equitable framework for sustainable urbanization.
Quito's public space needs to change in order to achieve its inhabitants needs. Habitat III represents an oportunity to overcome this goal. Several proyects already implemented in the city show us the right direction.
Contributing to climate change mitigation, limiting warming to 1.5°C and enabling society to adapt to environmental and climate change is vital for cities around the world. Sharing knowledge on technology and policy options to decarbonise the global economy, is vital for delivering on the New Urban Agenda and this event will show-case some of this work. This event is part a joint initiative and aims to showcase international activities in the areas of sustainable urban development, energy, mobility and climate change mitigation. The partnership that will be launched will focus on closing the implementation gap between applied research and policy action to foster sustainable development around the world.
Africa’s rapid urbanization is placing enormous pressure on the limited infrastructure in many cities, and stretching municipalities financially and socially to their breaking point. Moreover, the failure of policies and the formal housing market to cater to the housing needs of the poor and lower middle-income households have translated to the growth in slum populations. Over 200 million Africans live in slums, with some cities accommodating more than 70% of slum dwellers. This Side Event will present the findings of a continental study on Africa’s housing market dynamics undertook by the African Development and UN-Habitat from October 2014 to August 2015. The objective of the study was to provide a detailed analysis of Africa’s housing market and better understand the main constraints preventing the government, private sector and other stakeholders from serving the lower end. The event will present the main findings related to the finance of housing supply and demand, access to land and infrastructure, cost and productivity in the construction sector, and slum upgrading. The key objectives of the Side Event are the following: 1. Present a detailed housing market analysis covering the African continent, while providing a snapshot of the market’s structure, documenting its main dynamics and actors, as well as the challenges and opportunities for serving the low-income households. 2. Share lessons learned from other emerging countries on solutions to the challenge of private sector provision of low-income housing, and the role of DFIs such as the AfDB. 3. Provide concrete policy recommendations on feasible financing solutions, operations and policy options that can be adopted and implemented by market actors to encourage private sector involvement in increasing access to adequate housing at an affordable cost.
Presentation of the main impacts and outcomes of the GEF funded Project “Market Transformation for energy efficiency in Brazil’ coordinated by the Ministry of Environment of Brazil implemented in cooperation with UNDP. In this side event will be launched and showcased some recent publications and didactic films regarding the Brazilian Energy Efficiency Labelling Program for buildings developed by the project.
Today, 20 years on since Habitat II, more than 17 million RCRC volunteers play an essential function in supporting their communities. Youth represent over 50 percent of the global volunteer base of the RCRC Movement and are therefore critical to fulfilling the Movement’s humanitarian mandate This role as first responders is particularly critical during humanitarian crises, and in complex urban areas. In April this year, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Ecuador. In response, hundreds of volunteers were mobilized to respond to humanitarian needs. In cities facing armed conflict, such as Aleppo or Sana’a, volunteers are again out assisting communities affected, often at great risk to their own safety and wellbeing. In informal settlements and slums young ‘volunteers in action’ lead powerful initiatives to improve their communities.
This side event will on one hand draw upon the experience of volunteers to highlight how they and their work contribute to support, care, help, heal and build social capital in order to find common solutions to humanitarian challenges. On the other hand, it will look beyond crises and disasters, to demonstrate the power and role of youth as real change-makers in their communities, constantly finding ways of interacting with their environment and creating more livable, thriving, resilient and inclusive cities.
The event will be held in Spanish.
Despite the extreme importance of housing in all countries and in a context of rapid urbanization, despite a worldwide increase in homelessness, forced evictions, speculation over housing and land, and gentrification, very little attention is given to the human right to adequate housing, its meaning and the solutions it offers. The causes obstructing access to adequate housing for all are known. Yet business continues as usual. The New Urban Agenda will hold its promise of a “paradigm shift” only if it creates the preconditions for achieving truly inclusive and sustainable cities. In this context, mindsets need to be “shifted”: housing is not a commodity but a human right; homelessness is not the product of individual behaviour; private markets will not house those who cannot afford it; forced evictions are not by-products of development; lack of resources is not an excuse for inaction, land has a social function. This side event intends to set the Habitat III Conference in Quito as a milestone for uniting the voices of any stakeholders – national and local authorities, civil society organizations, international organizations, businesses and communities alike - that strive for making cities places to live in peace, security and dignity.
We live in an urbanizing, complex world. Up to two-thirds of the world’s population – some six billion people – may live in cities by 2050. Cities act as first responders to disasters and urban populations experience the impacts firsthand. In order to reduce vulnerability and to protect inhabitants from current and future risks, cities face the challenge of building their resilience while adapting to growing urban populations, increasing pressures on basic service networks, and climate change. The best way to ensure success would imply immediate intervention by local governments in terms of cooperation, planning and investment. As cities grow and develop at a fast rate, they also increase exposure of their assets to the impacts of disasters snowballing at an alarming rate, thus planning for resilience and disaster risk reduction needs to be a priority for cities. To address these challenges, local governments need to integrate disaster risk reduction in their development plans. The impacts of disasters to businesses, properties and people have been substantial and are expected to grow as their intensity and frequency increase. A major share of natural disaster costs arises from damage to critical infrastructure. Beyond the direct costs of rebuilding, there are also substantial indirect costs associated with losing infrastructure services. The loss of such services affects businesses, communities and the broader economy via delays, interruption, financial losses, loss of customers and broader social impacts such as stress and anxiety. As such, the total cost of infrastructure damage is substantially higher than the direct replacement costs. National and Local Governments, business need to embed resilience in the decision-making process for new infrastructure. In turn, this will improve the cost-effectiveness of infrastructure spending and, more importantly, mitigate the devastating and costly impacts of disasters on businesses and communities. This session would discuss: - the importance of local leadership towards the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and identify critical aspects to achieve it; - identify how current methods of measuring resilience can inform local and national stakeholders in order to enhance resilience building efforts; - means and best practices in addressing resilience of infrastructure;
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) launched the Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot (SC-IAP) to help cities address the challenges posed by mega-trends (urbanization, rising middle class and population growth) of global environmental degradation, in an integrated manner. UNIDO is one of the specialized agencies assisting countries in accessing GEF SC-IAP set aside funds, primarily building on the country allocations the focal areas of climate change and chemicals and waste. UNIDO-GEF projects under this initiative include the Sustainable Cities Integrated Approach Pilot in India, the Sustainable-city Development in Malaysia and the Sustainable cities initiative for Senegal.
The Atlas of Urban Expansion—the 2016 Edition, is an open source of information on urbanization trends and developments in the UN Sample of Cities. The 200-city sample was created, tested, and applied in a series of studies undertaken by a tripartite collaboration between New York University, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, and UN-Habitat. The maps, data, and analysis contained in the Atlas have multiple intended audiences: local and national governments, policy makers, the academic community, and interested individuals. This launch event will provide an overview and discussion of the Atlas’s key empirical findings along three thematic areas: (1) change in urban population and physical expansion, (2) the quality of urban layouts in recent expansion areas, and (3) land and housing regulations and housing affordability. The Atlas’s findings have already been used to estimate both the worldwide expansion of urban areas between 1990 and 2015 and the share of expansion areas that are laid out before occupation, and also to compare housing affordability against local regulations. This analysis of the UN Sample of Cities provides researchers the world over with a generic platform for studying cities and for drawing scientifically valid inferences from these studies to the state of world's cities. It also offers a framework for global and regional monitoring of progress of both the New Urban Agenda to be adopted at Habitat III and the city-related Sustainable Development Goals.
A presentation about and demonstration of Bmaps, an innovative accessibility guide provided by a smartphone application and a website using an internet browser. The Nippon Foundation and Mirairo Inc. will explain the concept of Bmaps and demonstrate how to use it. In the discussion session, participants will discuss its significance and ways to take advantage of the app.
The economic forces of globalization and technological change accelerate urbanization and increase population density. In turn, the effect of urban density on the wellbeing of people depends on the degree to which its negative externalities (such as congestion and pollution) can be offset by its agglomeration opportunities (such as specialization and exchange). Most Latin America cities have not fully benefited from increasing urban density and thus have a lower per capita income than similarly urbanized cities in other parts of the globe. In this context, a most pressing challenge of Latin American governments is how to tilt the balance between the negative and the positive externalities of urban density in favor of the latter. CAF-Development Bank of Latin America will contribute to the understanding of the challenges of urban development in Latin America through its 2017 development flagship report (RED 2017). To this end, CAF is currently funding a dozen academic papers that study, with rigorous methodologies and with original data, important issues such as urban segregation, slums formation, congestion, housing and job opportunities. The funded papers were selected through a public contest. The over 250 submissions received were reviewed by an international prestigious academic committee. This panel features three of the most interesting policy relevant contributions, which illustrate both the benefits and the costs of increasing urban density. For instance, one contribution will show that urbanization increases the diversity of skills and thus fosters more complex industries. This results in an increase of formal employment and productivity. Yet, another contribution will show how the urban sprawl increases segregation and inequality. The third paper will show how newly available satellite data, combined with machine learning techniques, can help us identify the incidence and growth of informal settlements or slums.
En este espacio, los Ombudsman nacionales y sub-nacionales iberoamericanos reflexionaran en torno a sus competencias en defensa de los derechos humanos en el marco del desarrollo urbano; visibilizando la importancia de contar con mecanismos de exigibilidad y reconocimiento para el pleno ejercicio de los derechos de las personas que habitan y transitan en las ciudades, en ámbitos como la articulación de reglas y reglamentos urbanos, planificación y diseño urbano, mecanismos de distribución y redistribución adecuados de los recursos en las ciudades. Las Defensorías del Pueblo participantes consideran que la Nueva Agenda Urbana -NAU- debe contar con un enfoque de derechos humanos, con el Derecho a la Ciudad como piedra angular, cuyo elemento fundamental es el derecho a la vivienda adecuada. Al respecto los ombudsman pueden contribuir desde sus competencias y mandatos institucionales en la determinación de los principales nudos críticos y las opciones para superarlos, atendiendo explícitamente a que actualmente dichas instituciones trabajan en la promoción, defensa y restitución de derechos fundamentales alrededor del ejercicio del derecho a la vivienda, inclusión e integración de grupos vulnerables, prestación de servicios públicos, economía urbana, movilidad, participación social, cultura, entre otros; aportando diariamente desde su labor defensorial como instituciones que permanentemente intervienen en la protección y tutela de derechos humanos en contextos urbanos. Con esta exposición los ombudsman Iberoamericanos, presentarán una visión integral con enfoque en derechos humanos que vincule explícitamente los procesos de seguimiento y monitoreo de la agenda POST HABITAT en manos de las Instituciones de DDHH; atendiendo a que las competencias de supervisión de estado, promoción, difusión y defensa de derechos fundamentales de los ciudadanos, permiten evidenciar el rol de las Defensorías del Pueblo como instrumentos fundamentales en la implementación de la Nueva Agenda Urbana 2016-2036.
In Asia and the Pacific Region, where urbanisation is occurring at an unprecedented speed, cities are faced with tremendous opportunities for growth but also challenges. As an example, Malaysia is facing a rapid rate of urbanization, but this is also coupled with degradation of environmental quality, an inefficient urban transportation system, high living costs, and a decline in quality of living for urban dwellers. Urban green growth is a policy approach which aims to foster economic growth and development while ensuring that natural assets continue to provide the resources and ecosystem services on which our wellbeing relies. Low-carbon urban green growth has been increasingly recognised as a key urban development framework to support both urban and economic growth, but also sustainable urban development. This high-level side event, hosted by Tan Sri Noh Omar, Minister of Urban Wellbeing, Housing and Local Government of Malaysia, convenes policy makers and government representatives to demonstrate how low-carbon urban green growth can be a key transformative policy approach in the context of the New Urban Agenda, and to discuss effective strategies to promote low-carbon urban green growth in Asia and the Pacific Region. The OECD and UN-ESCAP, who strongly support the agenda in the Asia and Pacific region, are co-organising the event. Key questions to be addressed in the side event include: - How can low-carbon urban green growth promote the implementation of the New Urban Agenda? - What are most pressing challenges for promoting actions for lowcarbon urban green growth in Asia and the Pacific Region? - What are effective strategies that enable local governments to foster low-carbon urban green growth? - How can local governments increase their finance capacity to be able to implement actions for low-carbon urban green growth? - What is the role of international communities in supporting member states in fostering low-carbon urban green growth, as a key transformative action of the New Urban Agenda?
Urban planning and design have been recognized as important tools to mitigate conflicts and reduce violence in the cities. These intervention-tools have been propounded and used in many highhomicide contexts of Latin American countries. But, the lives of the urban poor are wrecked by everyday crime, conflicts and violence or fear of these. It is argued that provisioning of housing, basic services and public spaces would have salubrious impacts on local built environment and by that contribute towards mitigating such everyday conflicts and violence or their fear. This strategy of reducing conflict and violence would work even in the larger political economy of lack of employment among youth and their engagement in criminal activities, social fissures in cities and often absence or ineffective law enforcement machinery.This side event will bring together experiences of everyday crime and conflicts in the lives of the lowincome communities and efforts at mitigating them, both through urban planning and design from four different projects, two in India (in Ahmedabad and Mumbai), one in South Africa (Cape Town) and one in three countries of Latin America (Santiago, Bogota, and Lima). These projects have been completed under the Safe and Inclusive Cities (SAIC) Program, funded by the IDRC and DFID. The SAIC is a global research program that documents the links between urban violence, poverty, and inequalities.Darshini Mahadeviawould present every day conflicts in the life of the residents of peri-urban settlements in Ahmedabad; Richard Matzopoulos on pros and cons of taking slum upgrading as an intervention to reduce violence / crime in Cape Town; Hugo Fruhling on spatial segregation and limited state presence in provisioning of public services acting as drivers of conflicts and violence in three Latin American cites; and Amita Bhide on linking urban planning and conflicts in Mumbai.
The world is urbanising fast and there’s a huge opportunity to use new and innovative technologies to solve the social, environmental and economic challenges that cities are facing. While it is not the only solution, technology has the potential to radically improve the lives of people in cities worldwide. It can also empower a new generation of informed citizens to innovate at community scale and better engage with their governments and neighbourhoods. Habitat III offers a chance to bridge the gap between urbanists, sociologists, technologists and city innovators and it is a unique opportunity to better understand the role that innovation has to play in the New Urban Agenda. Future Cities Catapult is hosting a debate bringing together city leaders, civil society and the private sector. We want to hear how cities are supporting innovation new technologies and integrated city systems to address urban challenges. But we also want to provoke discussion around the changing relationship between citizens and local governments, as well as the transformative ways in which cities are engaging with citizens to design products and services. How can technology can be applied to meet the targets under the SDG11? What opportunities and challenges cities and governments are seeing on its implementation? Why is it important to be able to adapt smart city strategies to each city? How do we enable citizens to take part in a collaborative city making process? The debate will be followed by networking drinks, giving the opportunity to further engage with both speakers and participants.
“Ciudades para los Ciudadanos: Visión Zero Plus” A lo largo de la historia de humanidad la gente ha ocupado el centro de la calle, el espacio público. La invasión del automóvil en la ciudad, arrin-conando a los peatones, a las personas, en estrechas aceras, sórdidos pasos subterráneos e incomodos pasos elevados, es muy reciente, no más allá del pasado siglo. El imperio del automóvil, de la minoría de conductores, es dominante en la ciudad. El coche es responsable del 23% de la producción mundial de CO2, efec-to invernadero, cambio climático. Es causante cada año de 1,25 millones muertes violentas y 15 millones de accidentados, 300.000 lisiados por vida. El transporte motorizado es la principal causa de la contaminación am-biental. Cada año por este motivo fallecen prematuramente, envenena-dos por muerte lenta 3,5 millones de personas. No existe actualmente en el mundo causa alguna que genere mayor ex-terminio de humanos. De forma continuada, creciente y perfectamente previsible. Si por lo menos desde el punto de vista de la movilidad urbana el vehícu-lo privado fuera un instrumento eficaz, pero en las ciudades y metrópolis del planeta se circula cada día más lenta y congestionadamente. Invertir este desastroso modelo urbano, ineficaz, injusto, peligroso e in-salubre, es perfectamente posible. Muchas ciudades del mundo, - pocas relativamente-, están en ello con espectaculares resultados. Se trata en esencia de modificar la proporción modal de los viajes urba-nos. Contención del automóvil, (no se trata de eliminarlo) y paralela-mente potenciar los modos de movilidad urbana eficaces, sostenibles, justos, seguros y saludables, a pie, en bici y en transporte público. Este side event, desde diversas procedencias geográficas y profesionales propone para el 2050, el objetivo Visión Zero Plus para las ciudades: 0 muertes por accidentes; 0 emisiones contaminantes; 0 producción de CO2. Reducción del 50% para el año 2030.
Present the main results obtained by public policies implemented by the State, aimed precisely at ensuring social cohesion at the national level through: - Continual improvement and sustainable and inclusive conditions and citizens' living conditions by diversifying the supply of housing by addressing the different housing segments and the terms of access to decent, affordable housing for all by describing the suitable ways of funding, government grants, the land. The eradication of squatter settlements (slums) through the resettlement and rehabilitation operations dwellings maintained including the experience of Algiers; - The policy of the city in addressing the implementation of the new cities and presenting the Algiers’s development plan for the period 2015-2032.
The event will showcase a wide range of information and communications technology (ICT) projects relevant to city planning and management in both developed and developing countries. This event will also provide networking for cities to share urban planning strategies connected with ICT to become more sustainable, resilient and regenerative. The main theme is the relationship between 'Smart Cities' and the New Urban Agenda with particular emphasis on the "Urban and Spatial Planning and Design" Issue Paper. The goal of building a smart city is to improve quality of life through sustainable, (e.g. energy, water, waste, transportation, emissions) or social (e.g. social and economic inclusion, governance, citizen participation), through transparent and inclusive information feedback mechanisms. It commits to continuous learning and adaptation and, through the application of systems thinking, aspires to improve its inclusivity, cohesion, responsiveness, governance and the performance of its social, economic and physical systems. [ICLEI] A 'smart city' approach will be instrumental, if not invaluable, in achieving the New Urban Agenda goals. Implementation of the New Urban Agenda will be strengthened, and-- in some instances--dependent on ICT that is integrated with urban equity and poverty eradication; sustainable and inclusive urban prosperity and opportunities for all; and ecological and resilient cities. Planning and managing urban spatial development will require innovative ICT approaches and tools.
Cities are continually growing and expanding, and information is traveling as fast as ever. With advantages in flexibility, adaptability, and cost, cable transit solutions can dive into the urban market, complementing existing and creating new public transportation networks. Working at every level, cable transit has the unique ability to utilize and expand upon a city´s natural corridors, built form, and existing transit networks. Careful attention to rider comfort and experience, along with community cooperation, and proven benefits can attract both city and resident support. Flexibility in system components and architecture increases opportunity both aesthetically and spatially, optimizing the system for almost any type of urban situation. Cities, especially in the developing world are looking for smart, lessexpensive, and easily implementable technologies to help overcome an ever increasing struggle to provide mobility to their growing urban populations. Cable transit systems are the most economical, safe and environmentally friendly of all fixed-link medium capacity transportation systems. They emit no source-point emissions, create little noise pollution and can be installed with a minimum of disturbance to the stable communities they service. The goal is not only to increase mobility options and cut down on travel times, but also to provide the community with social services to help improve the neighborhood. Children ride cable systems to school, elders can more easily access necessary services. As a leader in the cable industry, we are excited to share our knowledge, experience, and ideas. The event is designed to educate, inform, and inspire about the capabilities and possibilities of cable transit in the urban environment. Examples of existing systems will be reviewed as a way to illustrate the numerous possibilities for alignments, stations, lengths, and applications.
The New Urban Agenda highlights the need for a joint effort between local and national governments, international development assistance agencies, public institutions and private sector and investors to implement efficient and innovative mechanisms allowing local, metropolitan and regional governments (LMRGs) to commit in appropriately financing urban development, using the whole range of funding strategies and opportunities (through better seizing opportunities of endogenous and exogenous resources). Following the mobilization of local and regional elected officials and their networks, and their technical and financial partners in the framework of international and regional meetings, Local Financing Institutions (LFIs) (such as Municipal Development Funds, and Subnational Pooled Financing Mechanisms-SPFMs) have been identified as strategic actors in the debates, and in the drafting of proposals for operational approaches to strengthen the performance of sustainable development and local financing agendas. This is why LFIs and partners are now launching a Global Forum in order to strengthen, adapt, rethink and renew themselves to better tune the performance of their action to the realities of a changing environment, and the implementation of the international agreements, particularly in developing and least development countries contexts. The side event takes stock of the conclusions of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and its 17 SDGs, COP 21 Paris Agreement, and the Mexico City Declaration “Localizing finance for inclusive change” that have placed urban financing and local, metropolitan and regional governments (LMRGs) in the foreground of international negotiations and agreements for the implementation of concerted and renewed policies for sustainable development. The panelists will set an operational discussion to identify cooperation strategies and initiatives between different development institutions and players towards the implementation of the New Urban Agenda through Local Financing Institutions’ (LFIs) action, and their Global Forum, based on the policy paper FMDV will be launching.
As global demand for food, energy and shelter puts unprecedented pressure on our water resources, protecting water supplies at their source is increasingly critical to ensure the water security of cities. By protecting and restoring forests, grasslands and wetlands, and by reducing agricultural runoff that runs to rivers and streams, cities benefit from having nature retain freshwater, filter pollutants and reduce erosion. Water funds are innovative mechanisms that seek long-term investments in green infrastructure through collective action. They are an example of how governments, financial institutions, businesses, communities, and conservationists can work together to protect ecosystems and help to develop sustainable economies that benefit both people and nature. A successful example of collective action is “Agua por el Futuro” program created by The Coca‐Cola Company and its bottling partners in alliance with The Latin American Water Funds Partnership, implemented in six countries of The Coca-Cola Latin Center Business Unit (Colombia, Costa Rica, República Dominicana, Panamá, Guatemala y Ecuador). This program has contribute through restoration and conservation activities to conservation of critical areas for water supplies for cities, with the goal to safely return to communities and nature an amount of water equivalent to what is used in The Coca‐Cola Company’s portfolio of beverages and their production by 2020. Goal achieved five years early as announced globally in August 2016 in Stockholm during World Water Week. In Ecuador, it is implemented by Coca‐Cola Ecuador, its bottling partner Arca Continental, The Nature Conservancy and local Water Funds.
Presentation that contain 4 main points 1- statistics and infographics about the youth initiatives in Saudi Arabia 2- highlighting the contribution of Warif to Future Saudi Cities Program 3- Real stories about Warif initiatives (photo and videos) 4- Gave away and brochures distribution
The Meeting of the Municipalities with the Sustainable Development - EMDS – is in its fourth edition, is held every two years by the National Front of Mayors (FNP), a brazilian association of Mayors, in partnership with SEBRAE - Brazilian service of support for micro and small enterprises. It is the biggest event on sustainability of Brazil. The third edition was attended by about 10,000 participants, more than 500 mayors of the largest cities in Brazil, 400 speakers, 17 international delegations from the 5 continents and the support of 109 national and international institutions. The next edition of EMDS will take place on April 24th to April 28th, 2017 in Brasilia/DF, and will feature the new generation of Brazilian mayors who will take office in January 2017, an appropriate time for reflection on the implementation of new urban agenda in Brazilian cities. At the side event, will be made a discussion about the accumulation of debates related to sustainable urban development in the last three editions of EMDS and will be discussed the prospects of absorption of the municipalities in New Urban Agenda. In this occasion, the National Association of Mozambican Municipalities (ANAMM) will promote a reflection about international experiences, especially Brazilian and Mozambican cities, of public policies in the urban planning that includes climate change adaptation. It is intended to promote the exchange of experiences in successful public policy planning of cities. It is hoped that with the exchange of information on different realities we can save resources, time and energy to make cities more resilient to climate change.
The main theme of the event is the exhibition of the Participatory Paintings project in two different territories in the city of Antofagasta, Chile. The Participatory Paintings project was born as an idea by the community and consists on the painting of 3.500m2 and 5.000m2 of facades in René Schneider South and Corvallis neighborhoods, implemented by a mixed team that included residents of the neighborhoods, international artists, local artists, graphic design students and architecture students. The exhibition will focus on the work methodology considering the idea by the community –according to a Master Plan implemented by CREO Antofagasta–, the planning process of the project –defining the stakeholders and dates–, the scouting phase –alongside the community, the international artists, the local artists and students which participated in the process, the choice of the intervention area and the definitive designs–, logistics management and pre-plan execution –definition of the work plan– and the whole implementation process of painting in the neighborhoods with the community, international artists, local artists and students. The relevance of the project is that the whole process of it considers several subjects such as social inclusion and social interactions, empowerment and community engagement through participation in decision-making and planning processes, promotion of social and cultural expressions and the feeling of belonging and ownership, exposing it as an example to know, learn, discuss and improve.
Affordable Network Ghana is hosting a Panel Discussion on the Affordable Housing Situation in Ghana and Across the West African Sub Region.
Our Discussion seeks to draw from a varied range of resource persons involved in Housing Delivery among the Low Income Communities, Poor and Under Privileged communities here in West Africa.
The discussion seeks to among other things explore the following topics;
• An introduction of some of the unique Affordable Housing Products across the Region.
• Is there really a definition for affordable housing?
• Who are the main practitioners in the Affordable Housing Space in West Africa
• Who are the various categories of providers? Local Real Estate Developers, Foreign and International NGO’s etc.
• Financing, micro mortgages, traditional mortgages and impact of local savings and loans schemes
• What are the common or Unique practices and Technologies commonly used? (A special look at the activities of La Voute Nubiene (LVN) activities in Northern Ghana, Benin and Burkina Faso).
• How involved is Government in Affordable Housing Delivery?
• What specific Government Policies exist across the sub region?
• Question and Answer Session.
Also special mention and launch of Ghana’s first Affordable Housing Schematic Design Competition for Built Environment Professionals.
There are about a million neighborhoods in thousands of cities worldwide that are informal settlements, or slums. These neighborhoods present the greatest challenges to human sustainable development and to issues of equity, safety, environmental quality and resiliency central to the New Urban Agenda. To be successful the New Urban Agenda must quickly and effectively promote open-ended development that enables poor and disadvantaged populations living in slums to participate in the processes that transform their own neighborhoods and cities. Given the magnitude of the problem, it is unlikely that traditional top-down development programs will be singularly effective, especially since such approaches often fail to incorporate and utilize the knowledge and priorities of the urban poor. Over the last few years three developments have arisen that create a novel class of approaches that can succeed at creating equitable development at the necessary speed and scale . These are i) the power of peer-to-peer community organization to create methods and collaborations for participatory neighborhood development, ii) an immense technological revolution that allows neighborhood residents to map their neighborhoods and leverage assets relative to objective needs and future priorities, iii) a major shift in our understanding of cities that now emphasizes how their networked and interdependent character impacts the relationships between social, economic, environmental and technical development processes. This event will describe processes of slum upgrading in Brazil, South Africa, India, and other Sub-Saharan African Cities. We will show how traditional participatory processes of slum upgrading are being increasingly facilitated and formalized by new technologies that advance participatory spatial analytic techniques for collaborative planning. We will also show how such instruments – developed through collaborations between communities, governments, NGOs, researchers and technologists – can increase the efficacy of resulting solutions by helping local stakeholders solve technical problems and promote decision-making processes between communities and governments.
This publication intends to stimulate further critical thinking on the key challenges of our rapidly evolving urban world and hopes to inspire policy makers, practitioners and engaged citizens. It draws on an ongoing rich dialogue Dr. Joan Clos had the pleasure of taking part in over the last years with thought leaders such as Richard Sennett, Saskia Sassen, and Ricky Burdett from the London School of Economics Cities Programme and the Urban Age series and Shlomo Angel of the New York University.
Food Systems and the Urban-Rural Nexus in the Age of Urbanization
Serving as the backbone of the world’s food supply, farmers are on the frontlines of the rural concentration of extreme poverty and face the threat of displacement at the hands of urban sprawl. Agricultural producers find themselves doubly burdened as global urbanization continues to spread: a growing world population demands greater quantities of food production yet land grabbing and residential expansion into rural and peri-urban areas subtracts from the amount of arable land available for agriculture.
The New Urban Agenda promotes integrated territorial development and planning which strengthens and maximizes the linkages between urban and rural areas. An improved rural-urban continuum has great potential to generate widespread sustainable development, by bolstering rural livelihoods, managing urban growth, and facilitating a mutually-beneficial transfer of goods, services, and knowledge.
This Roundtable will promote a multi-stakeholder approach to urban-rural development by bringing together farmers, planners, professionals, and local authorities to discuss and forge a new framework for responsive territorial planning. As an empowered constituency, the women and men dedicated to agriculture bring their lived experience and practical development solutions to the table, making them essential actors in the planning, implementing and monitoring of any urban framework. Consideration must further be given to the creation of decent work in rural areas as well as the challenges faced by smallholder farmers in accessing global markets and even in their special needs when travelling to sell products in urban and peri-urban markets.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
In this metropolitan century, cities are crucial for a successful transformation toward a sustainable future. This is the starting point of the new reports by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) and the World Resources Institute (WRI). Through a cross-sectoral lens, WBGU’s state-of-the-art analysis emphasizes the transformative power of cities and the importance of urban governance and citizen engagement. While WBGU’s work provides an overarching framework and necessities for the city of the future, WRI’s presentation will draw from the World Resources Report (WRR) to dive deep into the issues of accessibility and sustainable mobility. The WRR will focus on strategies and practical solutions for enabling transformative change.
Indigenous cities: an intersectional look to the inclusion of indigenous peoples in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda
It is critical to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda to ensure that groups that are often marginalized from the governance, economy, and social life of the cities be heard. One such group is indigenous peoples; of the 370 million indigenous peoples living in over 70 countries and speaking over 5,000 different languages, 50% live in cities. The challenges faced by urban indigenous people are many fold – poverty, discrimination, lack of affordable and decent housing, and high unemployment, to name a few. Walking the edge between perserving their identity and maximizing the benefits of urban society, indigenous peoples must additionally be recognized for their positive contributions to cities in many areas.
In order for the New Urban Agenda to successfully promote urban governance where social inclusion is promoted and urban sustainability is developed, it is necessary to include indigenous people and their communities in all decision-making processes at all levels. It is also crucial to understand and recognize the diversity within the indigenous peoples, generating intercultural awareness and mechanisms for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda that adopt an intersectional approach to development.
Likewise, it is of key importance to promote the role of indigenous women in decision-making, recognizing that women are a pillar of the reproduction and preservation of indigenous cultural values and practices in everyday lives in the cities.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
The side event will consist in a panel discussion among high level country representatives, subnational governments, representatives of financial institutions and of international organizations to discuss the different institutional and financial instruments that can support partnerships across the national and subnational governments to promote investment. Too often the strategies or financing mechanisms from national or subnational governments are thought in a disconnected manner. The side event will include the official launch of the OECD report on Colombia: “Making the most of public investment across levels of government in Colombia” as well as the National Program of the Government of Colombia.
The side event “Cities in Crisis/Crisis in Cities” will feature a panel discussion on how the implementation of the New Urban Agenda can advance the work of the Global Alliance for Urban Crises, with a focus on the humanitarian-development and recovery nexus, in an effort to adapt humanitarian action to an urban world and leave no city behind.
Urban Land Management: Building the Foundations for the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda
Land is fundamental for the enjoyment of a wide range of human rights and a key foundation in tackling urbanization challenges. However, this is not always reflected in policies that address urban realities and city needs. Governance of land is central to reducing inequalities, multi-dimensional poverty, and the realization of human rights, including the right to an adequate standard of living for all (e.g. housing) and the right to adequate food and environmental sustainability. It is important to harness sustainable and transformative urbanization and to improve municipal revenues. Since land cuts across all sectors of urban development, urban land management offers a unique opportunity to reinvigorate the commitment towards urban land management. The inter-dependence of urban and rural areas economically, socially, and environmentally continues to increase as cities continue to expand. Sustainable urban development, therefore requires consideration of the carrying capacity of the entire ecosystem supporting such development, including the prevention and mitigation of adverse environmental impacts occurring outside urban areas and enhancing municipal revenues. This calls for the adoption of land management and planning tools that are innovative and fit-for-purpose.
The development of the New Urban Agenda has been an inclusive process involving participation from all relevant actors at every level, including key land actors, women and grassroots organizations and stakeholders. The process includes substantial contribution from multiple issue papers, policy units, and regional meetings as well as constant advocacy and information sharing with partners and civil society. This reaffirms global commitment to sustainable urban development in an integrated and coordinated manner at global, regional, national, sub-national, and local level. This special session will therefore bring together a variety of actors from all over the world to discuss key urban land challenges and opportunities, in addition to taking stock of achievements in entrenching core messages on equal rights and access and control of land within the context of the New Urban Agenda. The Session will identify specific actions and recommendations for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Guiding Questions
· What is needed to address land issues for the New Urban Agenda to be a game changer?
· How does urban land management contribute to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
· What are the key implementation challenges and opportunities for urban land management?.
· Who are the main actors in urban land management? And what are their key roles? How can we ensure women’s groups and grassroots organizations’ full participation in urban land management?
· How should urban land management issues be addressed? What are the critical innovations or potential solutions needed? What specific urban land management actions can be put in place through the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
· How can the Sustainable Development Goals, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security and other frameworks be used to support urban and rural dynamics?
Towards a Global Partnership Initiative on Safer Cities in the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda
The New Urban Agenda captures crime and violence as major challenges to progress in achieving sustainable urban development and a key symptom of social and governance breakdown in cities around the world. Crime and violence in cities continues to cause significant harm to people and loss of quality of life and so to development and human rights. Women, youth and children face particular risks in relation to urban crime and violence. Safer cities are recognized as essential for successful and sustainable urban development. It demands urgent and "smarter ̈ investment in effective solutions and from a gender and age based approach, generating positive impacts which can be sustained over time. In 2016, the world has compelling knowledge of -crime prevention solutions that have reduced crime and violence significantly. These are now accessible through prestigious national and international sources. While some governments and inter-governmental agencies have invested in effective strategies that prevent and reduce crime and violence in cities, including sexual harassment and other forms of violence against women and children in public spaces, much more needs to be done to support comprehensive evidence based and human rights based approaches to generate transformative change in the lives of women, youth, and children. The New Urban Agenda calls for Governments and inter-governmental agencies to urgently support and coordinate their efforts in safe and sustainable cities. The session will focus on a United Nation-system wide support to Member States for the implementation of the safety/security aspects of the New Urban Agenda. In particular, on how national governments will integrate inclusive measures for urban safety, and crime and violence prevention, including violent extremism, engaging relevant local communities and non-governmental actors, where appropriate, in developing urban strategies and initiatives, including taking into account slums and informal settlements, as well as vulnerability and cultural factors in the development of public security, and crime and violence prevention policies, including preventing and countering the stigmatization of special groups. As we build a global implementation plan for the new urban agenda, it is essential that we consider what we already know, make existing tools available, demonstrate how these tools have been adapted in different country/city contexts, and enable learning and exchange in cities around the world to share lessons on what works, and what has not worked so well, and how best to support implementation of comprehensive approaches to prevent and respond crime and violence, including violence against women and children. This will best inform future safer cities initiatives.
Guiding Questions
· What can cities do collectively, including through communities of practice, to meet the ambition of safer cities in the New Urban Agenda and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals targets sustainably?
· What tools and funds are needed to make cities much safer (i.e. NUA 100 and 103) by 2036, and how can they be provided?
· How can local authorities strengthen participatory processes in their municipalities, including participation of women, children and youth?
Enhancing Productivity in the Urban Informal Economy
Urbanisation is one of the 21st century’s most transformative trends. In parallel the informal urban economy has assumed an increase in prominence, creating jobs for millions of urban residents and contributing to the economies of fast growing cities. Yet policy and practice has been slow to catch up in harnessing the potential of informal economic enterprises and workers. Habitat III and its outcome document, the New Urban Agenda, set out a new vision for urban futures, anchored in the concept of cities for all, where all inhabitants, present and future, can inhabit and produce just, safe, healthy, accessible, resilient, and sustainable cities and human settlements. In this session, experts and representatives from informal economic sectors will explore various ways to support economic inclusion and the pathways out of poverty for informal workers, with a focus on the needs of women, young people, and disadvantaged groups. Recognition of the important contribution of informal workers can lead to innovations in urban planning and design, and the creation of a legal and policy framework, which supports the working poor. During the session panellists will share examples of partnership and good practice where local governments and informal workers have worked in partnership to implement a shared vision of economic inclusion for all, a key objective of the New Urban Agenda.
Guiding Questions
· What are key governance issues facing urban local authorities in addressing the challenges to informal urban economic workers? What are the solutions to these challenges?
· What type of planning and design methods should cities adopt to address the challenges facing informal urban economic workers?
· What legal and regulatory frameworks should be introduced to address the challenges faced byinformal urban economic workers?
· What policies and practices confirm rights and representation of informal urban economic workers?
· What are the mechanisms to promote linkages between formal and informal enterprises?
The discussion will explore how art can contribute to sustainable urban development, and more particularly to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. This session will give the floor to artists, among them photographers, who have a particular relationship to cities and human settlements. It will focus on different urban contexts and urban topics, according to each artist’s work and experience.
Panel discussion and book launch focusing on how urbanization policies can tackle and address inequality and promote participation. As the rate of urbanization worldwide grows, this process is not always accompanied by social measures that reduce inequality, and urban development policies are not always created within a multi-stake holder approach. In addition, policy measures need to address ecological sustainability within city planning. This panel and book launch will bring together representatives from politics and civil society to share experiences and discuss the current situation of inequality and social democracy, and their ideas and visions for shaping just and sustainable cities.
The initiative of this networking event is present the book of the Participatory Democracy, Civil Society and Territory Working Group in Centre of International Studies on Government (CEGOV) of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA). The proposal seeks to cross the themes of participation and urban territorial strategies in four areas: 1) PARTICIPATION and disputes in building urban public policy; 2) CONFLICTS and tensions in urban-metropolitan policies; 3) INTERVENTIONS non-state actors and urban resistances and 4) HABITAT III – Urban Brazil Balance. PARTICIPATION and disputes in building urban public policy is about: a) claims for urban infrastructure b) Institutional channels of participation in urban policy c) Mobility: car versus public transport d) Protests: June days of 2013, and public transportation d) Media 's position in the construction of narratives. CONFLICTS and tensions in urban-metropolitan policies is about: a) shared Management, b) Streamlining the real estate market and Statute of the Metropolis. INTERVENTIONS non-state actors and urban resistances is about: a) “Minha Casa Minha Vida” (My home, my life) Housing Programme in Brazil b) Social housing and housing cooperatives c) Review of occupations: Porto Alegre and Belo Horizonte d) Social participation in the preservation of historical heritage. The event could contribute to the area 1 proposed by Habitat and Social Cohesion and Equity - Livable Cities: Right to the City and Cities for All Socio-Cultural urban structure. The Policy Paper unpacks the Right to the City through examining three pillars: Spatially Just Resource Distribution, Political Agency, and Socio, Economic and Cultural Diversity. It further identifies several core thematic crosscutting challenges that the Right to the City confronts when being implemented: urban spatial strategies, urban governance, urban economy, social aspects, and urban environment."
Urban population is vastly growing especially in developing regions, where megacities add to the massive transformation of societies. This growth is usually not paced with equal growth in urban services or adequate infrastructure resulting in insufficient provision of services, increasing traffic congestion, severe environmental degradation as well as the spreading of squatter settlements and slums and eventually the increased Urbanization of poverty. Recently, Egypt has faced such multidimensional challenges of declined economic growth rates, growing environmental threats, in addition to various socioeconomic, and governance challenges. This resulted in unbalanced distribution of population and economic opportunities, and unclear roles and distribution in the system of cities and further expansion over agricultural land affecting quality of life. In response, the government of Egypt has developed its national vision including programs and a set of Mega National Projects. This networking event will focus on presenting the main pillars of the National Urban development agenda in Egypt, and how the newly introduced principles of sustainable neighborhood and vibrant, efficient, sustainable cities shall affect development process and results. The presentation from Egypt will link these principles to key National projects including the New Administrative Capital, East Port Saied, New Alameen City, development of Suez Canal Corridor, developing the Northwest Coast and the Golden Triangle. Alternatively, comparative experiences from Arab Countries, Latin America and Asia will also be presented to shed light on the different urbanization situations and the efforts made to ensure national sustainable urbanization in various contexts and governance settings. Presentations will link to concepts of urban land management, including addressing urban sprawl, enhancing urban and periurban food production, addressing urban mobility challenges and improving technical capacity to plan and manage cities. The event and dialogue shall present lessons learned and recommendations for sustainable urban development to be included in the new urban agenda.
This networking event brings together key actors from different countries that are striving towards building inclusive cities (youth, women, local and national government representatives, non-profits and researchers) and engages them in a dialogue to produce tangible building blocks for urban inclusion, illustrated by real stories of urban life. Inclusive cities reflect their diversity and provide greater chances for equality. Our time is marked by rapid urbanization and climate change as the biggest global drivers of change. Urbanisation, climate-resilient and lowemission development can open new doors towards creating environmentally sustainable and socially just cities – a winwin scenario if all stakeholders are engaged and empowered by the right means to harness change. At the same time, opportunities for urban inclusion are often put to test by the impacts of climate variability and change through floods, fires and sea level rise with disproportionate impacts on the most vulnerable. In this context, understanding the significance and interlinkages of local and national actors’ roles for paving the road to inclusive cities is essential to ensure conducive governance and political commitment to capture the opportunities for inclusion. The objective of the event is to co-design with them building blocks for a pathway of implementation of the New Urban Agenda, informing and exchanging on multi-level governance and supporting the development of key characteristics of inclusive, climate-resilient cities. Real-life examples to illustrate topics of urban planning, inclusion and climate action will be the basis of discussing concrete building blocks for urban transformation towards inclusion (e.g. universal access, spatial equality, participation, decentralization and accountability).
Metropolitan planning agencies and urban labs are one of the essential tools for implementing the New urban agenda. Metropolitan planning agencies are playing a key role in supporting local authorities in smart planning, designing and monitoring metropolitan and urban developments. These territorial engineering bodies are working at the metropolitan level in an integrated manner with urban and rural areas. They gathers multidisciplinary teams to deal with the complexity of metropolitan developments. They can take different status as public administration, association, foundation, but their purpose is to serve a complex governance system: inter sector, inter territorial, multilevel (from State to municipalities). Their role is to integrate intelligence in a complex system to make understandable for knowledge, and to prepare vision, strategy, policies, programs and projects to better managed cities and territories. Their role is essential to help decision makers to feed public debates and deliver sound analysis and proposals for city futures. The event will present the action of some metropolitan planning agencies (Paris, New York, Beijing, Dehli and Sao Paolo), and national networks of metropolitan planning agencies (France, Mexico, India and China) to discuss with global actors from States (UN-Habitat), local authorities (UCLG), civil society (World urban campaign and GAP), professionals (Habitat Professional Forum) and Funder (French cooperation agency). The “Metropolitan Planning Agencies global networking (MPA-gn) aims to become an advocacy platform to help states and local authorities to implement the new urban agenda and strengthen territorial engineering for cities to foster sustainable, resilient, secure and inclusive cities of tomorrow. Proposed by the French Network of Urban planning Agencies (FNAU) this initiative will be launched during the event and a charter for the creation of the “Metropolitan Planning Agencies global network” will be signed at the end of the event.
The New Urban Agenda commits to achieve “E nvironmentally Sustainable and Resilient Urban Development” while fostering sustainable economic development and all persons’ well-being and quality of life, through environmentally sound urban and territorial planning, disaster risk reduction management, infrastructure, and basic services. This will be possible with a holistic vision that takes into account the social, spatial, economic and ecological aspects of building resilience to climate and disaster threats. For grassroots women living in areas vulnerable to climate change and disasters this is of utmost importance, since communities living in poverty bear an unproportioned weight of the risks and women are more affected by these risks, given their unequal access to assets and knowledge that are key for mitigating them and building resilience. This Networking E vent will present the continuous efforts of grassroots women’s groups and civil society organizations in partnership with government and institutional actors to effectively lead the localization of global policy frameworks, such as the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction; showcasing a clear example of how to localize global policy processes that is gender-responsive, inclusive and participatory, where local communities are not the object of development programs and projects but the main agents resilience building from the local to the global level. In this manner the panelist will: i) analyze successful experiences of localizing global policy frameworks (i.e. Sendai Framework) that are led by grassroots women and communities in partnership with other local and national level actors; ii) showcase women and community-led practices that exemplify how to effectively localize and promote resilient and sustainable urban development; and iii) foster the commitment of institutional actors to form mutually beneficial partnerships with organized groups of grassroots women and communities in the implementation of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
In the context of The New Urban Agenda, the current debate focuses mainly on how local financial systems, its fiscal base and its capacity might be able to guarantee resources for urban infrastructure. However, in order to be able to cope with the expansion of cities and their rapid urbanization processes, it is crucial to identify innovative and effective financial mechanisms that development financial institutions are designing or implementing to cater all sorts of urban financial needs, which are beyond local government’s direct responsibilities, but undoubtedly are determinant for the performance of the urban economy and the resilience of a city. Understanding the role of development financial institutions, their capacity of mobilizing resources – both private and public-, and their unique position of effective actors in the market or territory, reveal them as key allies for the implementation of urban policy and the powerful possibilities for achieving action-oriented initiatives for the New Urban Agenda. In such context, the event pretends to bring together development financial institutions’ authorities and urban studies’ experts so that they find common field of action and opportunities derived from innovative mechanisms that development financial institutions are able to implement. The two subjects chosen for the discussions are “Urban Ecology: Environment and Green Financing” and “Urban Economy: Innovation, entrepreneurship and development strategies” since they both connect current and relevant urban issues with most recent trends in financial programs offered by development banking."
The success of low income housing projects in the global South, including settlement upgrading, requires the participation of all stakeholders including residents. Howe ve r, traditional participatory methods are limited in involving the wider community, tend to be dominated by specific community interest groups and therefore often fail to enable genuine coproduction and bottom up decisions making. Major technical constraints here relate to tools for wider collaborative practices and information sharing. E merging BIM and related mobile devices can overcome such constraints by facilitating deeper participation of residents and other community stakeholders (e.g., CBOs, NGOs) in housing and community upgrading. The technologies can greatly enhance residents’ capacities to easily participate in the design and execution of upgrading and housing projects. BIM systems can be linked to mobile devices through freely available mobile apps and cloud-based systems that now have increasing penetration among all income groups including informal communities. Accordingly residents’ requirements can be captured through their direct input into the project BIM system and merged with existing housing data to gain in-depth understanding of design optimisations and their implications for housing and occupants. This will also enable virtual assessment of design options by residents and other stakeholders that allows their informed participation in the decision making process. The proposed event, therefore, aims to introduce and critically appraise a new approach to building local community capacities through the use of BIM and mobile technologies in the design and delivery of sustainable housing and settlement upgrading. This will include demonstrating how BIM can be used to collect, analyse and model housing performance data; managing development and upgrading projects’ information; and how residents and other stakeholders can participate constructively in the lifecycle of the sustainable housing and upgrading delivery using emerging mobile/cloud BIM.
The pace of urbanization in India is set to accelerate due to migration of people from rural to urban areas, natural increase and inclusion of new areas under ‘Urban’. The total population of India of 361.1 million in 1951 has grown to 121 0.2 million in 2011 i.e. 3.4 times growth during the last six decades. During the same period, the urban population of India has increased from 62.4 million to 377.1 million in 2011 which is a sixfold increase and contributing to 60 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) of India. In another two decades, urban population is estimated to be 600 million that will contribute to 70-75 per cent of the GDP and 70 per centne w jobs are likely to be created in urban India. In India, housing plays a significant role, as it is the second employment generator after agriculture. Housing ranks fourth in terms of the multiplier effect on the economy; third among the fourteen major industries in terms of total linkage effect. Housing sector has strong backward and forward linkages supporting more than 250 ancillary industries. The Technical Group on Urban Housing Shortage of the Government of India has projected the total housing shortage of 20 million units; majority (96%) pertaining to Economically Weaker Section (E WS) and Lo w Income Group (LIG) categories. A house is an economic asset and contributes to upward social mobility with salutary impact on health and education. The tangible and intangible benefits flowing from a permanent house are numerous and invaluable to both family and local economy. The Government has recently launched the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Housing for All (Urban) by 2022 Mission. Every family will have a permanent house with water connection, toilet facilities, 24x7 electricity supply and access.
The “New Urban Agenda” that will be signed in Quito, Ecuador in October 2016, refers in several paragraphs to the importance of public space. But who will focus on this aspect of our cities? What tools and strategies will they use? Where can these resources be found? How can they be developed, shared, and refined for local application under diverse conditions? These are questions that will be discussed in this networking event.
During Habitat II, urbanization and the role of local authorities were not still identified as an important engine of development. Generally, it was understood that economic growth and job creation depended on macroeconomic aggregates and exogenous conditions. Today the economic urban thinking has been remarking that local governments can be crucial fostering competitiveness in both national and city levels. Agglomeration economies, both specialization and diversification, could be the great lever for local economic growth and even for national growth. Although Latin America is showing successful results in the fight against poverty, income inequality and inequality of opportunities are still remarkable high. Inequality of opportunities remains as one of the most significant challenge for the region. Cities should overcome the conventional framework based on the primacy of efficiency and economic growth, in order to implement broader approaches, which includes multidimensional objectives, equity and sustainable concerns. Focusing on people, productive inclusion and social inclusion should be achieved simultaneously during the urban development process. A suitable implementation of the new urban agenda proposed by UN-Habitat could be directed to enhance cities to achieve a strong pattern of social and productive inclusion. The proposed event aims to discuss the specific role of local governments in the economic performance of cities and how they can incentivize the exploitation of agglomeration economies. Additionally, the event will include the discussion about mechanisms to introduce the notion of a simultaneous pattern of social and productive inclusion in the urban public policy agenda.
To address the growing process of metropolization around the world, the Montréal Thematic Meeting on Metropolitan Areas objective was to put forth the role of metropolitan areas in achieving global sustainable urban development goals. If metropolitan areas grow according to well-coordinated and thought out plans, e.g. through integrated participatory planning, solidarity and management approaches, they can help promote communities that are economically, socially, culturally and environmentally viable and equitable. Innovati ve collaborative partnerships, within and among metropolitan areas, result in sharing areas of expertise needed to overcome common issues and challenges in view of strengthening technical capacity and metropolitan governance, as well as interaction with other government authorities (local, regional and national). The event aims to discuss innovative collaborative partnerships as regards to public participation, integrated land and transportation planning, climate change, economic development, social cohesion, waste management, financing and implementation of metropolitan projects. Focused on actionoriented initiatives at the metropolitan level which contribute to the implementation of the SDGs and are in line with the New Urban Agenda, representatives from all level of governments as well as stakeholders and civil society will share their experience in overcoming metropolitan challenges by showcasing successful and creative initiatives relating to metropolitan cooperation.
Deltas are drivers for economic development and historically ideal places for urban settlements because of their positions on the crossroads of land, rivers, seas and international trade and because of the fertility of alluvial plains and richness of the coastal waters surrounding them. At the same time, urbanizing deltas are among the regions in the world that are most vulnerable to climate change and the impact thereof is aggravated by their high population density, fragile ecosystems and the concentration of economic assets. Reducing this risk and impact is particularly important given urbanizing deltas' contribution to food security and their significance to the global economy. Therefore, the sustainable development and management of delta cities and their peri-urban surroundings is vital for poverty eradication, disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation, livelihood improvements, economic growth and the health of ecosystems. Urban deltas deserve specific attention in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in particular Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11. During this challenging network event concrete actions, innovations, proposals, research and best practices will be presented, all of which will focus on the implementation in Delta cities of the broad New Urban Agenda and the localization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The event will be co-hosted by the government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands as chair of the Delta Coalition, together with Bangladesh, the delta city of Beira (Mozambique) and the Delta Alliance knowledge network. It will bring together national and local governments, the private sector, research organizations and civil society around an (local) action agenda of innovative solutions for challenges in delta cities. The event aims to strengthen partnerships as learning labs for effective implementation.
We invite teachers, learners, researchers, practitioners, NGOs and grass roots activists to join us in a conversation on participatory and collaborative approaches to design and planning education and practice that support the implementation of the NUA -- and the SDGs.
To start the conversation, presenters will share their approaches to urban pedagogy. In diverse ways these initiatives demonstrate inclusivity. For example, incorporation of local knowledge, putting people at the center of development, fostering of civic engagement - and the creation of co-learning environments. We want to ask participants how they make on –going collaborations, and sustainable, inclusive and equitable design and planning outcomes. And what are the difficulties.
To get the conversation going, four short presentations will cover: Water urbanism in India and Brazil, 2016 (GSAPP, Columbia University); Community led sanitation upgrades in Johannesburg 2007- present (Global Studio, Sticky Situations, Healthabitat); Democratizing access to Nairobi’s public transit, 2010- present (CSUD, MIT, University of Nairobi & Digital Matatus); Disseminating principles for inclusion in 10 countries, 18 cities- 2013-15 (CSUD and Global Studio)
Successes and challenges will be shared, as will case by case methodologies that demonstrate inclusivity and proposals for generalizing and up scaling. To conclude, we will engage all participants in discussion of a draft document, “Pedagogical principles in support of the NUA and SDGs”. The aim is to align principles and methods participants have shared with NUA social, spatial, design and planning objectives. Our hope is to collectively begin to articulate a ‘pedagogy to practice ‘NUA roadmap, and to launch an “Urban Change Makers Resource Network’.
Polis Institute Habitat International Coalition Avina Foundation ActionAid Women in Informal Employment: Globalizing and Organizing – WIEGO Shack/Slum Dwellers International – SDI United Cities and Local Governments – UCLG Colégio Nacional de Jurisprudéncia Urbanística – CNJUR Habitat for Humanity, Rosa Luxemburg Foundation Techo Cities Alliance, Huairou Commission, International Alliance of Inhabitants Réseau Intercontinental de Promotion de L'Économi Sociale Solidaire - RIPESS.
At the 3rd session of the United Nations Conference on Housing & Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), the National Union of Tenants of Nigeria will, in collaboration with Government of Rivers State, organize a networking event to examine a key urban challenge of the century and underscore an innovative solution to the challenge. Urban Regeneration, being the title of the networking event, cannot be properly understood without recourse to a full orbed analysis of the characters of slum. In fact, the main title of the event, which is fine-tuned to “urban regeneration and the challenge of informal settlements” is intricately connected with human settlements challenge being a development that makes cities socially unwelcoming and mitigates the attainment of inclusive, safe and resilient cities objective of the SDG. The event, therefore, intends to showcase a contemporary approach to slum-mitigation – using the Greater Port Harcourt City Development Project as a centre of reference for good practice Idea of the event is hatched from the fact that slums have been established as a glaring vestige of urban exclusion and could be diagnosed as suffering from a combination of ailments connected with inadequate housing and poor urban governance if viewed from the clinical lens. Slums are found to be a ubiquitous factor in developing countries while the proportion of urban population in Africa and Asia that lives in slums is fantastically high. It has been further established that population pressure on affordable housing extravagantly accounts for the increased level of slum-formation which could be tracked to “one-city” policy of development. Under the policy, basic infrastructure projects, including housing, are profligately centered at the capital cities, living the rural centers destitute of such projects. This has led to massive population flee from rural communities to capital cities to explore the benefits of basic infrastructures thereat.
Recognizing the results of the Side Event held in Toluca, this Networking Event aims to strengthen the influence of territorial observatory policies, in promotion of regional collaborative networks and in mobilization of resources to encourage their financial sustainability. Public authorities, especially in developing countries, are constantly seeking for solutions to the high range of urban problems they face. The success of technical support, orientation for decision‐ making and public policies implementation will depend on the availability of accurate and degree of knowledge and information on demographic, economic, cultural, physical and environmental dynamics in their cities. However, the availability reliable, updated and standardized information (indicators, datasets, geo‐referenced data, surveys, etc.) is usually limited in these knowledge management processes. Established in 1997 to help to find scientific solution to the urban information crisis, the Global Urban Observatory and its World Network, initiated a partnership with local and national authorities in selected countries to develop a system for urban da allowing citizens and decision‐makers acquire the knowledge they need to makes a positive effect in their cities. The subject of this Ne will therefore be these Urban Observatories, whether international or local (academic, private, associative), understood as advisory bod and participatory centers of reference in the generation and distribution of value‐based urban data and the support of decision‐making urban policy development. To answer the question of how territorial observatories contribute to the construction of the New Urban Agenda, The Networking Event will focus on three areas of discussion: i) To delineate methods that improve the survey and systematization of information; ii) To define how information can be used to productive ends and define strategies to communicate it; and iii) To outline the influence they have on decision‐making at different scales. Finally pointing out that the main objective of the observatory is to base the decision-making process on scientific evidence and various interdisciplinary methodologies, which integrates the broad participation of civil society, democratizing public decisions and facilitating social control.
Observatorios y Territorios Sostenibles: Mejor Información para Mejores Ciudades
El Networking Event tiende a fortalecer la influencia de los observatorios en el accionar público, robustecer redes de colaboración a nivel regional y estimular la necesidad de apoyarlos financieramente para su sustentabilidad. Proponer soluciones a las problemáticas urbanas es motivo de preocupación permanente de las autoridades públicas, especialmente en los países en desarrollo. El éxito del apoyo técnico y la orientación para la toma de decisiones, depende en parte de la cantidad y calidad de la información sobre el estado del territorio y sus procesos sociales. Sin embargo, la disponibilidad, el grado de actualización y estandarización de esta información resultan por lo general ser fuente de dificultades en los procesos de gestión de ese conocimiento. Consecuencia en parte de esta constante, el Observatorio Urbano Global y su Red Mundial promovidos por Naciones Unidas desde 1997 para reunir la información sobre el estado de las ciudades del mundo, motivaron la creación de observatorios a nivel nacional y local, brindando al ciudadano un panorama sobre la situación del espacio que habita y de sus necesidades. Ya sea directamente bajo este aliciente internacional, u otro de tipo local (universidad, empresa, asociación), los observatorios del territorio (urbano-rural) son el objeto del Networking Event. Se entienden como órganos consultivos, centros de referencia en temáticas relacionadas con políticas públicas de desarrollo territorial, resultado dinámico, participativo y permanente de producción de nuevo conocimiento, sustentada en información objetiva y actualizada. Para responder a la pregunta ¿qué aportan los observatorios del territorio a la construcción de la Nueva Agenda Urbana?, nos focalizaremos en tres ejes de discusión: cómo mejorar el levantamiento y la sistematización de información; qué producir a partir de la información colectada y cómo difundirlo; la injerencia en la toma de decisiones en políticas públicas a diferentes escalas. Resaltar finalmente que el objetivo de los observatorios es fundamentar el proceso de toma de decisiones, con base en evidencia científica, interdisciplinaria y con diversas metodologías, que integra la participación amplia de la sociedad civil, democratizando las decisiones públicas y facilitando el control social.
This event will unpack the Know Your City (KYC) campaign – a joint initiative of Shack / Slum Dwellers International (SDI), United Cities Local Governments-Africa (UCLGA) and Cities Alliance, – that seeks joint information collection to produce change in cities. The event will highlight the ways this joint project supports collaborative planning between organised communities of the urban poor and their local authorities, using data collected by the poor, about the poor and for the poor as standard benchmarking data for urban policy makers and planners. This event will draw on examples from SDI, Cities Alliance and UCLG-A’s joint work in Uganda, Ghana, Zambia, and Kenya, to highlight the effective use of community-collected data as the basis of collaborative planning between organized communities of the urban poor and local and national government authorities. The key takeaway from this event is that organized communities of the urban poor and cities can and should be generating data on poverty with the poor, by the poor, and for the poor, and that this data should serve as the basis for all city development and upgrading strategies. This event will help answer questions of how and why cities should do this and present case studies that explore how partnerships around data collection are leading to innovative upgrading solutions at scale. In addition, we will feature a launch and demonstration of the updated Know Your City web-based data platform to be launched at Habitat III. This will include community-collected data on 1,500+ slums across the Global South, including data on housing conditions, access to basic services such as water, sanitation, and energy, employment, tenure security, and more.
This side event will discuss Urban Metabolism (UM) as a powerful framework of analysis to shape the development of cities. It will articulate the definition and utility of UM for city practitioners and illustrate the links between the study of urban metabolism and infrastructure development. It will also introduce key elements of UM, such as methodologies that have been developed to study it (e.g. Material Flows Analysis). The audience will be presented with evidence of effective partnerships (including the Global Initiative for Resource Efficient Cities) that are making gains in implementing urban metabolism at the local level. The UM approach is linked to the principles espoused by Policy Unit 8 and the New Urban Agenda.
In the framework of Habitat III and its New Urban Agenda, and mobilizing a Multisectoral, Multidisciplinary Platform for Urban Resilience, UNESCO will organize an event in which the themes of inclusive cities, migration in urban areas, urban culture and heritage, education and water resources management under climate change, will be reflected. With its transversal mandate and global networks of city-level actors, UNESCO acts as a catalyst and convener to mobilize partners to launch innovative action, collaboration and dialogue to enhance the importance of water resources management, cultural heritage, education and anti-discrimination. An interactive panel discussion will address challenges of reducing water footprint under climate change, racism and discrimination in cities and developing informed, skilled citizens. The panel will bring together mayors and city-level decision-makers, practitioners and representatives of civil society, water utilities and international experts and chart a roadmap to leverage the networks and resources available for effective city-level action. The outcome of discussions will feed into the implementation of relevant objectives of the New Urban Agenda as well as of relevant Sustainable Development Goals. In addition, UNESCO will launch and disseminate the publication: “Water, Megacities and Global Change: Portraits of 15 emblematic Cities of the World” by the International Hydrological Programme
The Launch publication centred in the community-driven transformation of cities and towns, and how this approach can foster and strengthen inclusion in the world’s urban areas, particularly in what refers to the upgrading of slums and other urban informal settlements. This publication will both explain why and how communities are part of the PSUP implementation process and provide a broader action framework for community’s involvement in the enactment of the Habitat III’s New Urban Agenda (NUA) as well as that of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The publication, aimed at positioning the PSUP’s community-approach in relation to the realisation of sustainable urbanisation, will be presented in the form of a book box set containing different booklets explaining each of the key thematic areas for community participation and action in the upgrading of slums, and it is aimed at reaching out the communities as well as the authorities taking part in the execution of PSUP and other slum upgrading initiatives in a visually engaging and straightforward style, empowering slum dwellers and preparing urban managers for the joint development and implementation of sustainable responses to the challenge of slums and urban poverty.
Implementing the New Urban Agenda at All Levels and with All Actors
The approval of the New Urban Agenda is a global milestone and achievement. This will contribute to the solution of challenges in sustainable development the planet is currently facing. Moreover, it will accelerate development in all countries, while addressing existing and emerging social, economic and environmental issues. However, the desired impact can only be achieved if implemented with participation of all actors and at all levels of governments, following an inclusive process of prioritization and strengthened ownership at the country and city level. Undoubtedly, the iimplementation of the New Urban Agenda will be closely linked with other international agendas, such as Agenda 2030, Addis Ababa Action Agenda, Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction and Paris Agreement.
At the global level, the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, including its follow up and review, should be inclusive and ensure coherence and integration with other development frameworks, as well as considering the relevance and key contribution that the national, sub-national and the local levels assume. In particular, local governments as direct implementers and key experts, should be taken into consideration and supported in the implementation process and they should be involved in the global debates and multilateral frameworks in order to receive and incorporate their feedbacks.
Moreover, the New Urban Agenda proposes that the element of public participation should be further developed and introduced at all stages of the implementation, starting from identification of needs and priorities, policy design and intervention as well as monitoring and review, introducing adequate mechanisms to ensure inclusivity, transparency and accountability.
The participation of private sector, businesses and industries, with developed social responsibility, should also be strengthened for their capacity to mobilize resources critical for the implementation of the new urban agenda as well as to bring creativity and innovation towards solving challenges of sustainable urban development. The implementation of the New Urban Agenda could help to create a strategic collaborative framework with clear and transparent rules, on the foundation of strong accountability principles and mechanisms.
In order to achieve its effective implementation, the New Urban Agenda, for its effective implementation, also advocates for multi-stakeholder partnership engagement as well as better coordination and cooperation among all levels of governments both horizontally at the urban and territorial level and vertically among the different tiers of governments, including sectoral departments, towards an integrated approach to sustainable urban development. The entire process must permeate the concept and practice of learning through extended exchanges of urban solutions and practices between cities and territories and with the support of international communities.
This High Level Round Table session will focus on discussing specific and concrete initiatives, partnerships, synergies and mechanisms conducive to an effective implementation of the New Urban Agenda at all levels and with all actors.
Guiding questions:
An audio-visual presentation of 45 minutes to share the experience of the City of Cali in formulating an Integrated Habitat Policy (IHP) and carrying out the Territories for Inclusion and Opportunities (TIO) Strategy. We will share our collaboration with international financial institutions to integrate urban and rural development and develop in a participatory long-term Strategic Housing Plan to prevent future social conflicts due to spatial segregation. The presentation will evidence –best practices, lessons learned and critical issues– on how these actors have worked in a collaborative system prevailing the integrated approach over a sectorial approach.
Planning to Implement the New Urban Agenda
The Dialogue will start by discussing the New Urban Agenda’s recognition that sound planning is a key instrument for achieving sustainable urban development.
Experts from different geographical fieldsand disciplines will help develop this paradigm by exploring different areas of implementation such as appropriate design, public transport, technology, public space, urban analysis, resource mobilization, environmental protection, participatory governance, monitoring, and evaluation.
Panelists will illustrate practical experiences, visions, and proposals on how to implement the New Urban Agendaat the city and regional levels. Offering perspectives from different regions and fields of expertise, the dialogue will stimulate a debate on how the New Urban Agenda can be implemented in less developed countries facing the consequences of rapid urbanization, while taking advantage of contributions inspired by innovative technologies. The dialogue will also attempt to answer questions about potential synergies between the New Urban Agenda and other international agreements.
Guiding Questions
· How can poorer cities and countries fund the implementation of sustainable urban spatial strategies within the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
· Why is land so often used to create inequality and segregation instead of being a resource for public investment?
· Sound planning and design can make the difference between land waste coupled with socially irresponsible urban growth, and quality cities. Have we managed to bring the point across? How can this realization give new urgency to our commitments in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
· Is it time for a public space-led approach to urbanization?
· What partnerships are you and /or your organization prepared to put in place to implement the New Urban Agenda?
Building Productive, Sustainable, and Inclusive Urban Economies
This Dialogue will address how to promote urban economic development at city level effectively and how to leverage urban economic development for social and environmental sustainability. The dialogue is action-oriented, and aims to promote the integrated and coordinated implementation of sustainable development, which is the focus of the New Urban Agenda. This Dialogue aims to encourage discussions among different stakeholders on urban economic development strategies and reflect on past and present experiences in developed and developing countries. It is argued that the right kind of urban economic development strategies can directly contribute to the development of productive, sustainable, and inclusive urban economies, support social and environmental sustainability, and help meet the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular: Goals 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13).
Guiding Questions
· What are the key challenges facing cities in order to build productive, sustainable and inclusive economies and provide opportunities and prosperity for all?
· What are the key elements/characteristics of effective policy and strategy for achieving such outcomes in the framework of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda?
· How can different stakeholders help in this process and work with each other?
· What can we learn from past and present experiences in developed and developing countries?
· What changes are required in the structure of urban economies and the supporting institutions in order to make urban economies not only economically sustainable, but also supportive of social and environmental sustainability?
· How can we best leverage cities and human settlements as drivers for sustainable development?
The ISOCARP Review is the annual publication of the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), which has been produced regularly for over a decade. This year’s edition, Review 12, titled “Envisioning Future Cities”, presents 17 articles which document and analyse the successful efforts of cities around the world to achieve a more sustainable and ecologically friendly environment for their citizens. The articles are divided into five sections. The opening section consists of a single article which defines ten characteristics, found in existing cities, which make them both sustainable and ecologically sensitive. The second section highlights specific sustainability elements by providing cutting-edge examples of existing sustainable infrastructure and sustainable planning methods. The third section, developed in cooperation with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Bartlett Development Planning Unit (DPU) of the University College London, provides world-wide examples of efforts to integrate food into city planning, an emerging theme that is also reflected in the New Urban Agenda. The fourth section provides examples of planning efforts to transform cities and land use plans in South Africa, the site of the ISOCARP’s 2016 Congress, reflecting yet another thematic area central to the New Urban Agenda. The last section reports on the Future Cities educational program which is a competition for students in 6th through 8th grade designed to nurture careers in science, mathematics, engineering and planning. This is an innovative dimension of Review 12 which attempts to bring in the voices and perspectives of young people into a debate traditionally dominated by adult experts.
The Next Generation of Affordable Housing NYC panel will be moderated by Jan Peterson of the Huairou Commission and include experts in affordable housing from around the world. Preceding the discussion will be a power point presentation illustrating the innovative JOE-NYC Model and the challenges this project will address.
The event aims to demonstrate how Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) that is implemented in 35 countries in the African, Caribbean and Pacific Regions as transformative programme that is bringing positive urban change at regional, national, city and community levels by advocating for and initiating projects focused on achieving integrated, inclusive and incremental in-situ upgrading approach to informal settlements and slums. The event will further demonstrate the role, effectiveness and commitment of the tripartite partnership between the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries (ACP), European Commission (EC) and UN-Habitat on the PSUP and value of the partnership in contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Target 11.1 and its linkage and adaptability to implementing the New Urban Agenda principles and levers. Through a regional, gender and institutional representative panel made up of representatives from the ACP, EC, UN-Habitat and interested PSUP implementing countries, the event is planned to be conducted through the ‘talk-shop’ model. The panelists will provide contribution to key topics related to the PSUP approach and its role to contributing to transformation of the 1 Billion Slum Dwellers worldwide within the framework set by the SDG 11.1 and the New Urban Agenda. The participants will take active role in the discussion by moderated interaction with the panelists. The objectives of the event are to demonstrate: 1) National priorities identified enhance PSUP to achieve New Urban Agenda goals on urban poverty and integration of informal settlements 2) Spatial planning as a way of promoting inclusion contributes to sustainable urban development including achieving sustainable neighborhoods through consideration of energy and transport needs of all people to counter rising number of slum and informal settlements dwellers. 3) Demonstrate how resilience in informal settlements can be achieved.
This side event will present the key drivers of future UNICEF programming in Latin America and Caribbean urban settings and the results of a study on intra-urban inequalities in childhood.
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Urbanization as Catalyst for Disability Inclusive Development
Based on many decades of the United Nation’s work to advance the status of persons with disabilities and since the adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2006, the commitment to disability-inclusive development has been further strengthened at international, national, and local levels in a variety of ways. For the estimated one billion persons with disabilities across the world, towns, and cities often present a combination of physical, environmental, and social barriers to facilities and public services. Poor planning and unregulated urban development can have particularly devastating consequences for persons with disabilities. The New Urban Agenda is an action-oriented document which sets global standards for sustainable urban development. Rethinking the way we build, manage, and live in cities has provided an historic opportunity to advance disability-inclusive development, and to achieve the goal of the United Nations in the field of disability: the full and effective participation of persons with disabilities as beneficiaries and agents for transformative changes in society and development. This needs to be further explored in the context of urbanization. It requires that the rights, concerns, and perspectives of persons with disabilities to be fully taken account, and that national governments, development partners, and all other stakeholders engage in specific action to effect the inclusive and accessible urban development for all.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
Access to adequate, aspirational and appropriate sanitation continues to be a great challenge in many cities, particularly those that are growing rapidly, and especially for those in slums and informal settlements. Although there have been efforts made to increase access, with some modest success, the MDG target on sanitation was significantly missed, and 2.4 billion people remain without a toilet today. Furthermore, between 1990 and 2015, the proportion of those living in cities without access to sanitation declined by only 3%. The challenge of adequate, sustainable and lasting sanitation requires a variety of angles and areas of expertise. It is a technology challenge that lends itself to adaptation and innovation; it is a market development challenge that requires a systemic approach that supports access to affordable financing mechanisms, products and services to serve the poor; it is a city services and infrastructure challenge that is place and resource defined, and that requires political will to reach the poor; and it is a cultural and community challenge that includes considerations of land, maintenance, health, safety, behavior change, and decision-making; and finally, it is a challenge of gender equity, with cultural concerns and challenges specific to women. The New Urban Agenda envisions a world with equitable and affordable access to physical and social infrastructure, and realization of the human right to sanitation. This requires sensitivity to the particular needs of women, children, and people who face additional barriers from fully participating in urban life. This networking event will bring together representatives from foundations, implementing agencies, and research/advocacy organizations to address the intersections of technology, infrastructure, market development, community engagement, and gender issues. Panelists will identify best practices and lessons learned for coordinated implementation of sanitation projects for the urban poor in less developed countries.
Urban development will require massive construction and building.Numbers are well known. Buildings are responsible for over 30% of GHG emissions as a sector, as well as over 30% of resource use. This figure is growing rapidly and could reach 50% of CO2 emissions by 2050. Rapid urbanisation, especially in emerging economies will accelerate this impact. Harnessing the projected potential of 80% of CO2 emission reductions by 2050 will be critical in implementing the Paris Agreement. SDG 11 calls for adequate, safe and affordable housing for all. Building homes for the 2.5 m projected additional people on the planet and tackling the existing quantitative and qualitative housing deficit, provides a formidable opportunity to make investments climate-proof from the outset. Returns on investment make also the refurbishment of the building stock a good business. But contributions of actions go well beyond SDG 11, and include SDGs 1, 3, 7, 12, 13, and 15. The urban challenges we face will not be met without taking into consideration this need and assuring an affective transition to sustainable buildings and constructions. Business asusual is not an option. The buildings and construction sector is an economic powerhouse. It represents more than 50% of global wealth. The sector also offers one of the most cost effective and an economically beneficial path for reducing energy demand and associated emissions while at the same time supporting adaptation and resilience to climate change. Many solutions are available. Proven policy, finance and technology actions exist. In this context, the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (Global ABC) was launched by 20 countries and over 60 organizations at COP21, as part of the Lima Paris Action Agenda (LPAA), to scale up actions to help realize the huge potential for the buildings and construction sector to reduce its emissions throughout its life cycle, while harnessing multiple benefits including air quality and better health.
Communities that are able to manage their own land information have greater negotiating power with local and national governments, and can take a more active role in informing sound development programs, policies and implementing the New Urban Agenda, which requires building capacities for data collection, monitoring, and evaluation at the local level. This panel will discuss how technological tools can add value by improving community participation, disseminating technical knowledge, connecting communities and stakeholders, and by informing and monitoring implementation of development programs. Members of the GLTN’s Civil Society Clusters will bring lessons from their own experiences in Kenya, Uganda, Philippines, Bolivia, the Land and Poverty Conference, and the World Urban Forum in Medellin to a larger audience, and discuss how such tools and technologies can be made more accessible. GLTN civil society members will discuss efforts for crowd-sourced land information, and data sharing with national or local authorities to support incremental improvements in tenure and living conditions.
The New Urban Agenda can only be realized with decisive actions in cities. Implementation of these actions hinges on an innovative and effective financing framework which allows cities to have access to resources to realize their priority urban infrastructure projects. However till date local governments face the challenge of mobilizing the resources needed. As such there is a lot of work to be done in order to create enabling national frameworks; improve urban financial management and creditworthiness; address financial market deficits and strengthen local capacities for the preparation and implementation of better and bankable urban infrastructure projects. This networking event will provide a platform to exchange views and experiences on the strategies required to ensure cities have the funds for their priority projects and contribute to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Some of the key questions which will be addressed during the networking event include: · What are the most pressing challenges for financing local actions? · What role can the various stakeholders play in promoting investments at the local level? · Which good practices can be shared to inspire others? · What are the key factors for enabling local governments to diversify their funding resources? While a diverse group of speakers representing different levels of governments, as well as private sector and multi-lateral financing agencies, will share their thoughts on the above mentioned topics, substantial time will be allocated to ensure participants can raise their concerns and share experiences related to linking cities to financing.
Managing urban regions has become one of the most important development challenges of the 21st century. The Urban population of developing countries is predicted to rise from one third in 1990 to over 50% by 2025. Today, 54 % of the world’s population lives in urban region that is expected to increase to 66 per cent by the year 2050. By 2050, India is projected to add 404 million, China 292 million and Nigeria 212 million will account for 37% of the projected growth of the world’s urban population between 2014 and 2050 The UN report notes that in 1990, there were 10 “mega‐cities” with 10 million+ inhabitants , with total 153 million people or slightly less than 7% of the global urban population at that time. Of today’s 28 mega‐cities, 16 are in Asia,4 in Latin America, 3 each in Africa and Europe, and two in Northern America. By 2030, the world is projected to have 41 mega‐cities. Much of the expected urban growth will occur in countries of the developing regions, particularly Asia and Africa. As a result, these countries will face several challenges in meeting the needs of their growing urban populations, including for housing, infrastructure, transportation, sanitation, energy and employment, also for basic services such as education and health care. Therefore building sustainable cities will be a major factor in economic development. Looking at the rapid urbanization, successful urban planning agenda will require that adequate consideration be given to urban settlements of all sizes. For sustainable urban management, cities offer important opportunities for economic development and for expanding access to basic services, including transportation, electricity, sanitation, health care and education, for large numbers of people. The Digital governance for sustainable management of urban services in smart cities will be a great challenge in 21st century.
Developing countries, faced with environmental and demographic challenges, are acutely aware of the need for a transition to a more resource-efficient and inclusive economy while bettering the quality of life for all. Housing is recognized as one of the key sectors for achieving this transition. Realising Sustainable Consumption and Production patterns will not be possible without strong political and scientific leadership as well as appropriate and accessible tools for the producers and users of housing.The event brings together leading experts and institutions working in the field of sustainable housing from Kenya, Burkina Faso, Nepal, Ecuador, France, Finland and the UK. The first part of the event will consist of an open panel outlining the challenges around the production of more sustainable housing. The discussion will focus both on what was learned through research into alternative materials and technologies, but also from implementing housing projects with communities in different parts of the world. The panel will also offer insights into the impact implementable housing policies can have in this regard. The second part of the event will present a project funded by the 10- Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production’s Sub-Programme on Sustainable Buildings and Construction, led by the Ministry of Environment of Finland, to develop a free, universally accessible and locally adaptable Sustainable Housing Design Tool entitled SHERPA. The methodology underlying SHERPA builds on an initiative by partners of the Global Network for Sustainable Housing (GNSH), intended to guide field staff, project managers and project designers make decision considering the economic, social, cultural and environmental impacts of housing projects at various phases of a project’s life-cycle. Finally, the event is intended as an open discussion forum to directly feed into and be part of the development of SHERPA in the months to come.
This networking event is opened by H.E. Kimmo Tiilikainen, Minister of Agriculture and the Environment, Finland. First results of the Sustainable Buildings and Construction Programme run under the UN 10 Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production will be presented. This includes three projects supported by the 10YFP Trust Fund. One of these aims to foster ecoefficient, socially inclusive and economically viable urban development in Colombia. The other two focus on mainstreaming sustainable social housing in India and developing a digital sustainable housing design tool with housing practitioners from Kenya, Burkina Faso and Nepal. The SBC programme has several Flagship projects under preparation. One of these, led by UN-Habitat and co-led by Bioregional, Energies2050 and RICS, will be presented. It promotes key urban interventions through sustainable social housing in a selected Sub-Saharan countries. The project aims to improve the financial and technical capacities of one municipality in each participating country. The event includes also a facilitated panel on sustainable housing policies. It focuses on local challenges and good practices, highlighting the importance of value chain as well as financing aspects. The panel intends to develop a lively discussion with the audience. It crystallizes action points that can be brought forward in global platforms, such as the 10YFP Programme and championed locally by all major stakeholders involved in sustainable housing. Our aim is to extend the existing network to include new partners and to reach new audiences, to improve the impact of our collaborative efforts and develop new sustainable housing projects meeting local needs. We intend to expand our knowledge on how all stakeholders can support sustainable housing in line with the New Urban Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals for a more sustainable built environment.
It is being acknowledged that cities are responsible for a resilient and low carbon urban development. On the one hand cities contribute significantly to climate change, on the other hand they are especially prone to the adverse effects of climate change. In order to support cities as actors of sustainable development, states should be encouraged to incorporate effective mitigation and adaptation strategies into their national urban development policies. This should serve to guide and provide capacity support to cities to formulate and realize appropriate climate sensitive urban planning, management and governance strategies that enable integrated climate change responses at local level. Therefore the benefits of properly planned and managed urbanisation and urban development can be maximised, tackling global challenges like climate change at local and national level. A national urban policy complements and reinforces local urban policies, by creating incentives, elaborating programmes, and providing or easing access to funding for cities. This networking event will offer a space for policymakers responsible for urban policy and city-level urban climate practitioners to interact with and learn from representatives from other countries that have experiences in addressing climate change as an urban governance and development theme at national and city policy levels. This networking event will be structured as an interactive dialogue between national governments as well as cities, from Germany, South Africa and Chile to explore opportunities and lessons learned with regard to the positioning of climate change within national urban policies.
Latin America is simultaneously the most urbanized and the most inequitable region in the world. High inequality levels are evident in the region’s cities, and often contrast with the dynamism that makes them productivity, knowledge and innovation centers. Other problems such as poverty, environmental degradation and climate change only exacerbate the challenge posed by inequality, calling for innovative solutions and policies that guarantee social progress and equity, while respecting nature’s limits. This requires a new approach to sustainable urban development: one that gives purpose to innovation and that promotes collaborative processes and citizen participation. This event will showcase some of the most successful urban transformation experiences in the region, providing evidence around the power of combining social, technological, business and political innovation in urban contexts. It will provide concrete examples from agendas like migration, urban resilience, inclusive recycling, gender, impact business and civic technologies. The session will explore the contribution that innovation with purpose can make to the New Urban Agenda and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, with a focus on regional and global partnerships for urban development. Speakers will include representatives from the public and private sectors, grassroots organizations, local governments and NGOs. The event will start with an overview of current trends and perspectives around inequality in Latin American cities, followed by a “talk show” that will present the different experiences/perspectives and public policy recommendations for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
This is a high level event which convenes policy makers, government representatives and experts to discuss National Urban Policies (NUPs) with specific focus on how to monitor and evaluate the progress of member states’ efforts, in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. The itinerary for the event includes speeches and presentations by high-level country representatives who share their experience and by international organisations and experts who provide professional knowledge and experience on monitoring and evaluating NUPs. The networking event will also aim to deepen the understanding of NUP and invite more commitment and support of member states. A NUP has been recognized internationally as a tool for the implementation and monitoring of the global urban agenda. The Policy Paper on NUP, developed and submitted by the Habitat III Policy Unit (PU) 3, presents key issues involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation of NUPs and provides action-oriented recommendations. The draft New Urban Agenda also recognises critical roles that national governments can play in urban policy and positions NUP as a critical instrument to lead transformative actions, which we highly appreciate as a co-lead organisation of the PU. Despite the recognition of NUP as a key implementation tool for the New Urban Agenda, as the Policy Paper on NUP highlights, there are a number of challenges to implement NUPs. In particular, in many countries, governments often lack the data, knowledge, and tools needed to effectively monitor the progress and evaluate the outcomes of NUPs. This is partly due to the fact that NUPs can take such diverse forms (explicit or inexplicit), legal status, contents, processes (the extent of stakeholder engagement, etc.) and stages of development (consensus building, designing, implementation, etc.) that no comprehensive framework for monitoring and mechanism which can be applied globally exist. The New Urban Agenda indeed anticipates an extensive monitoring and evaluation programme of research to accompany implementation. In this context, the event will demonstrate that various actors including governments, universities, NGOs and international communities need to join forces to develop effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms of NUPs, based on different country contexts. A particular focus of the discussion will be the information base that is needed to both implement, monitor and evaluate NUPs against the goals and targets of the New Urban Agenda and the role that institutions such as universities, NGOs and intergovernmental organisations can play is supporting this task.
From the understanding that social housing is crucial to guarantee the access to infrastructure and public services for all, this event aims also to approach the importance of the promotion of innovative construction practices with low environmental impact in order to helping face today’s challenges.
This Networking Event has the following key-objectives: (1) present alternatives for intervention and technological solutions for social housing that contribute to the diminishing of environmental impacts and help on the establishment of a more sustainable urban culture; (2) analyse how policies and design development could help on the implementation of the NUA and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals’ targets, especially goal #11; (3) discuss over how housing policies can contribute to shifting sustainability standards and establishing of adequate models of intervention for emerging economies, also provoking the rethinking of institutional arrangements for the production of social housing.
Thanks to UN Habitat, we know what a national urban policy should be, and why it is "a crucial ingredient for building cities that are sustainable, productive, livable and inclusive. But what do those words really mean, when translated into practice, in different countries? We know less about how: what are the methods and processes by which governments, municipalities and civil society work together to produce national urban policy? Our recent experience in Israel leads us to ask: does it really make sense to start by formulating a shared vision, or could it be more effective to focus first on urban policies and through them derive a shared vision? Can a ‘middle-out’ professional approach be sufficient? The session opens with high-level presenters describing the ‘behind the scenes’ look at getting to a National Urban Policy, including responses to questions such as: - What was the impetus that ignited the formal process? - What were the main steps, and how long did they take? - What were the trickiest challenges you faced? - What would you do differently, if you were starting over? - What steps were particularly effective? - What are the main benefits of promoting a national urban policy? - Who was involved? What was the balance between politicians and professionals? How did you involve disadvantaged people, and how was the public involved and informed? In the second hour of the event, participants are invited to join small group discussions sharing questions and insights about National Urban Policy processes in their own countries, in order to meet potential partners and create a better understanding. Participants will receive a summary of the main questions and responses after the session. Following the session, we will distribute a summary of main questions and responses.
Fancy yourself as a city leader? Investing in a new generation of competitive and sustainable secondary cities is key to unlocking the ‘urban dividend’ in Uganda and other countries. This networking event will feature the vision and challenges faced by the Town Clerk of Jinja - an emerging Ugandan secondary city poised to grow rapidly in the coming decades.
You will hear directly from the city leader about the fascinating context and development challenges of Jinja, with the city acting as a real-life practical case study for the participatory session. As an attendee you will be set a facilitated task to brainstorm and advocate shifts, policies and actions that could assist Jinja in implementing the New Urban Agenda. By sharing your ideas with the City and each other you might just land on a transformational idea, or at the very least will develop a more complete appreciation of inclusive economic development challenges and solutions by working with other practitioners and city stakeholders from a range of backgrounds.
The facilitated session will address themes of urban economic development and competitiveness, infrastructure, connectivity and sustainability. The event will conclude with a response to the best ideas from Jinja’s leader complemented by perspectives from ongoing activities in Uganda including the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), the World Bank and Cities Alliance.
Housing and housing finance that are accessible and affordable to most are at the core of Habitat III and of sustainable urban development in developed and emerging economies, and in low-income countries. Unplanned urbanization has worsened the world's housing situation, and today many countries face situations of shortages of affordable housing stock despite high demand. In other countries, the issues are more about housing price increases outpacing the rise in personal income. In both instances, governments may be making progress towards addressing these issues and re-defining the objectives of their national housing policies, but most will require access to some form of housing finance as a component of their strategy. This networking session will begin with a presentation on potential options to enhance the affordability and access to housing finance as a means to address the housing needs of moderate to low-income households and persons in vulnerable situations. It will be followed by two panel discussions with prominent housing finance leaders from a range of countries on the development curve, with experts from the public, private and non-profit sectors. They will bring together diverse experience and knowledge of housing financing mechanisms like mortgage financing, contractual savings, loan guarantees, microfinance and community-based savings. These experts will provide their insights and experiences in the financing of housing as well as alternative ways to finance housing policies through approaches like public-private partnerships. The discussion will underscore innovative solutions to expand the reach of housing finance particularly among lower-income households. Ultimately, this networking event will be a unique opportunity to share knowledge and brainstorm on possible approaches to achieve the housing goals in the New Urban Agenda. It will start an international discussion on sustainable approaches to conventional and non-conventional housing finance for moderate and lower-income households, the urban poor and persons in vulnerable situations that will lead to new ideas and positive results.
During Habitat II in Istanbul, IHS worked with UN-Habitat, DPU and Lund Universities to research the experience at that time and organize a series of major events. The result was a strong increase in the recognition of the importance of capacity building and a recommended approach encapsulated in the publication “Capacity Building for Better Cities”. We consider that it is timely to revisit the subject in terms of what we have learned and what is the most effective way to move forward. From the position of a training and education institution, we see two major trends; 1) An increase in the access to learning and information via internet and 2.) We recognize a shift in the way learning takes place in cities themselves. The bulk of capacity building funds have historically been invested in centralized learning from expert institutions for selected individuals within national or local governments. Access to knowledge has also been widened with Internet. Learning and knowledge transfer increasingly happens in a diffused way where international and national universities establish partnerships with civil society organizations and businesses for educational or research purposes. The event rotates around a central question that is: How can international and national urban capacity building institutions work so as to help local organizations make better use of their participants’ new knowledge and skills and to help participants learn better from local situations and stakeholders? Sub questions are: - What have been the main lessons in trying to apply the capacity building recommendations developed for Habitat II? - Have innovations of access to centralized knowledge, such as distance learning been effective? - What is the evidence that the concept of decentralized urban learning is relevant, and how can the effectiveness of decentralized learning be best evaluated?
- How can Governments and International and National capacity
building institutions change policies and practices to realize the
potential of decentralized learning?
- What is and should be the nature (principles, good and bad
practices) of the interaction between international, national
universities and local actors in producing and transferring knowledge
about urban planning and development?
Urbanization transcends administrative boundaries. Migration flows, urban and rural living conditions disparities, environmental impacts, climate change and limited natural resources call for a paradigm shift from the urban-rural dichotomy towards an integrated approach based on the interdependency of places. Well-planned and managed urban-rural linkages that “leave no one and no place behind” can contribute to sustainable urban development with social, economic and environmental opportunities for all urban, peri-urban and rural inhabitants. Multidimensional strategies are needed to integrate spaces, sectors and actors. Integrated territorial development (ITD) considers functional linkages and spatial interactions. It also fosters cooperation and coherence across government levels and beyond administrative boundaries. Moreover, ITD encourages inclusive decision making for public policies and investments.
An integrated approach to urban and territorial development that strengthens urban-rural linkages is central to the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs), as well as to the New Urban Agenda (NUA). Key instruments at different levels – such as national urban policies or the the international Guidelines on Urban and Territorial Planning - that promote improved governance structures, capacity development and knowledge generation – must enable especially local governments and civil society to adequately master the challenges of inclusive and sustainable urban development with cross-spatial and cross-sectoral solutions.
This networking event will convene representatives from national and local governments, community and professional organizations, as well as development agencies, to share concrete experiences by city-regions for implementing ITD. We will focus on the fields of infrastructure development and natural resource management, climate change mitigation and resilience, adequate housing and public spaces, and food and nutrition security. We will emphasise:
(i) the enabling conditions for integrated approaches to inclusive and sustainable urban and territorial development, and (ii) the implications for legal and institutional frameworks, financing instruments, participatory planning and management tools, and implementation and monitoring mechanisms at the national and subnational levels.
The progressive urbanization of the globe and increasing responsibilities of local authorities together with the civil society are two trends conditioning the international cooperation. Cities are becoming centers of vastly dynamic economies. In consequence massive population shifts to cities. The large majority of these populations end up in poverty-stricken informal settlements, which create persistent problems regarding unemployment, exclusion and poverty. In the event Informal workers will take the floor together with international organizations, Mayors, civil society practitioners, scholars, and the donors to develop global agendas and local solutions on urban poverty. The essential objective of the Networking Event is to discuss how a global cooperation and commitment on poverty reduction can be incentivized among cities. The participants will seek how a commitment agreement can be evolve among cities. The exchange of view in networking will aim at future cooperation and action on the following questions. · How to develop models and standardized measurement on urban poverty reduction? · How to propose to the cities to develop adequate administrative structures, in order to undertake the necessary actions for poverty alleviation? · How to support cities to develop an urban poverty Action plan including concrete measures leading to urban poverty reduction? · How the action plan can be used for evaluation, monitoring and verification purposes? · How to develop models to mobilize local stakeholders in the development of Action Plans on urban poverty? · How to ensure Sharing experience and know-how with other local authorities; · How can we Spread the message of the commitment in the appropriate environment and, in particular, encourage other mayors to join the initiative
Addressing climate change through good urban and territorial policies has been identified as a strategic dimension by several international processes, including the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the Habitat III preparatory process, including the draft New Urban Agenda. Several efforts required to promote resilient cities frequently extrapolate city boundaries, and thus relies on a multi‐level governance structure, highlighting the important role of regional governments in integrated territorial interventions to promote urban resilience. Hence, this event aims to present some contributions to urban resilience carried out by members and partners of RegionsAdapt, with the objective of advocating for a comprehensive approach that values horizontal and vertical integration among different levels of governance while facing climate adaptation. RegionsAdapt was launched in Paris, alongside COP21. It represents the first global initiative for regional governments to take concrete actions, cooperate and report efforts in climate adaptation. As such, it also provides an important bridge between the global climate agenda and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Panelists will, therefore, present emblematic cases that foster urban resilience, by exploring the contributions of regional governments and their associated partners in areas such as water management, sustainable agriculture, forestry and biodiversity, disaster risk reduction, and social and economic impacts and opportunities. Also during the event, the main features of RegionsAdapt will be outlined, so as to disseminate this initiative among regional governments and technical experts potentially interested in joining this sub‐national partnership open to all regions across the world. So far, this global initiative comprises 50 signatories from all continents (Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania) and all levels of development – its members range from least developed countries to advanced economies.
The event will present a research network developing around our new, open access, academic journal, The Journal of Public Space, and how interdisciplinary research could support a better understanding of our cities, their spaces and societies. The aim of the session is to discuss how to foster international collaboration and knowledge transfer from academia into industry and society; how to facilitate better practice in the design and management of public spaces through access to knowledge and international exempla.
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Urban observatories can play critical roles in decision-making, providing research and analysis relevant to the successful implementation of New Urban Agenda. The event seeks to showcase, explore and promote discussion around the functions of existing institutions involved in the generation and analysis of data to support urban decision-making. These institutions can inform specific policy decisions, implementation and monitoring, and promote inclusive approaches to governance. The event is designed to strengthen the existing network of shared interest in evidence-based governance, and deepen effective practices within this space. This focus of the session will be illustrated by a case study that profiles the work of the Gauteng City-Region Observatory (GCRO), a research agency that exists as a collaboration between two local universities and the Gauteng city-region government, South Africa. The GCRO is unusual in the context of urban observatories in its engagement with multiple governance levels, taking place across a heterogeneous city-region rather than a single, constrained urban core. GCRO is tasked with helping to build a knowledge base that ‘government, business, labour, civil society and residents all need’ (GCRO website, 'About') to improve the economic, social and environmental sustainability of the city region. The case study will include of one of GCRO’s recent work programmes on Green Assets and Infrastructure, which provides some detailed insight in to methods used, and the challenges and dilemmas that must be negotiated in this operating space. The presentation will illustrate the challenges of achieving evidence-based adaptive governance in a developing country urban context, including the constitution of hybrid research agencies, methodological approaches to knowledge co- production and the absorptive capacities of city executive systems. The topical content of the session links to Habitat III (H3) issue papers on Urban Governance and Urban Ecosystems and Resource Management. From the Governance perspective (‘enhanced governing capacities also rely on improved data gathering’), it seeks to understand how knowledge generation and analysis can be optimised in urban settings, especially to enable responsive and adaptive governance approaches in fluid and unpredictable contexts. This includes ways in which multi-stakeholder civil society contributions can be made to city governance. Among other things, the GCRO study will reflect on the role of tolerance and capacity to navigate uncertainty required of practitioners (in both the research and government domains) operating in this space.
Join this informal talk to know more about some of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) activities related to sustainable urban development and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Is your city experiencing weather, environment and climate related challenges? We can help. Come discuss your city’s issues with experts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC). Find out about research and best practices in other cities that are facing challenges. Explore the resources and opportunities that can come from working with experts from these agencies.
WMO together with its collaborators and partner cities will introduce its focused effort to provide the science-based integrated urban services supporting the safe, healthy and resilient cities through the development of Urban Integrated Weather, Environment and Climate Services. The aim is to build urban services that meet the special needs of cities through a combination of dense observation networks, high-resolution forecasts, multi-hazard early warning systems, and climate services.
Is your city experiencing weather, environment and climate related challenges? We can help. Come discuss your city’s issues with experts from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC). Find out about research and best practices in other cities that are facing challenges. Explore the resources and opportunities that can come from working with experts from these agencies.
WMO together with its collaborators and partner cities will introduce its focused effort to provide the science-based integrated urban services supporting the safe, healthy and resilient cities through the development of Urban Integrated Weather, Environment and Climate Services. The aim is to build urban services that meet the special needs of cities through a combination of dense observation networks, high-resolution forecasts, multi-hazard early warning systems, and climate services.
Habitat III is expected to result in a new and transformative agenda for cities. The implementation of the New Urban Agenda will require innovative, multi-sectoral and multidimensional approaches. Therefore, managing rapidly growing cities and their urban regions is one of the most critical challenges facing national policy makers and local governments, especially with regard to the relationship between sustainable urban development and natural resources. Of all the natural resources, energy, water and land/food are most essential and fundamental to sustain urban development efforts. Underpinning the New Urban Agenda is the realisation that cities can no longer deal with resources as independent, sectoral issues, but a much broader understanding of their interdependence is needed. Optimization of resource efficiency through a nexus paradigm can therefore support sustainable urban development. The event will be organized in the form of a roundtable discussion on effective institutional arrangements representing national and local governments across Asia and Latin America to support integrated resource management for sustainable and inclusive cities. This session will be led by ESCAP and supported by project partners GIZ and ICLEI, who are all committed to the New Urban Agenda, and with experience in city-level implementation in Asia and Latin America.
The challenge of urbanization and the provision of adequate housing for all cannot be solved by any one individual actor alone. Acting on their own, neither individuals nor governments nor civil society nor the private sector will be up to the task. The 2030 Agenda not only recognizes this but actively promotes embracing collaboration, as envisaged in Goal 17, as the only viable solution to the greatest challenges facing humanity today and in the not so distant future. The event aims to dive deep into exploring the nature of these collaborations, discussing innovations in housing technology and participatory and inclusive housing policies that can help tackle some of today’s pressing issues in the housing sector, drawing on solutions in both financing, legislation and design – 3 key elements in achieving Goal 11.
Paving the Way Towards More Inclusive and Liveable Cities for All
Gender Responsive Management and Monitoring of Cities and Human Settlements
Today, many developing countries are experiencing rapid urbanization, yet gender inequalities -- in decision-making at all levels, in access to and control over resources and employment opportunities, as well as in access to social goods, public spaces, and essential services - continue to threaten the realization of the New Urban Agenda. Women and girls still benefit less from urbanization than men and boys. These inequalities are more amplified in urban slums with women, youth, and children disproportionately shouldering the burden of inequality. Despite the persistent challenges, cities can be planned, developed, managed, and governed for the benefit of the entire population. This will call for gender-responsive urban planning, effective land use, as well as the active involvement of stakeholders, including women, throughout the entire processes. Participation in sustainable urban growth and development must be grounded in diversity that guarantees the inclusion of historically marginalized groups, including women, youth, persons with disability, grassroots, refugees, migrants, farmers, and indigenous communities. Successful urbanization depends on state actors and developers centrally recognizing and systematically engaging organized groups of urban communities must be recognized and systematically engaged by state and development actors as key players in the creation of gender-just and sustainable cities.
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
This side event is a good instance of how the Government of Extremadura intervene in housing policies to improve housing opportunities for people and ensure a better use of resources and improve energy efficiency on protected social buildings. Due the scarcity of economic resources , the main resource that adds value to our housing policy is the political will to provide our citizens affordable housing. This gesture of political will is reflected in a series of measures aimed at optimizing resources and reducing spending housing stock for more than 13,000 publicly owned housing. First we examine a new law on social emergency in order to respond to the social crisis caused by forced evictions and loss of housing. For ending the event we analyze a Practical situation as an non-monetary approach to reduce housing finance cost Awarded as the best environmental and social project by the European Commission. LIFE+09 PROGRAME EDEA-RENOV is a project of Regional Ministry of Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Planning and Tourism of Government of Extremadura, financed by LIFE+09 programme. The main objectives of EDEA-RENOV are points over a new need focused on existing buildings that should be renovated and on which it is not viable to apply the same technology than new ones. So EDEA-RENOV to achieve their new goals will use three ways: Renovation, Innovation and Communication Technologies and Information (ICT). Expected results are: Socials benefits: improving the quality of life, energetic balance in expenditure of households, reduce energy demand and dependency on fossil fuel. Economics benefits: increasing the value of property, stimulate business activity and create employment. Environmental benefits: reduction pollution and emissions CO2, reduce source materials and nonrenewable resources. EDEA-RENOV project aims at creating an energy map of region, energy assessment in social neighborhoods (Santa Engracia ,located in Badajoz & San Lázaro in the city of Mérida, and four houses of Extremadura. Also, The house where the different measures of sustainability, energy efficiency and renewable energies.
Since 2010, the Ministry of Housing, Cities and Land – MVCT in Spanish – has challenged Colombian housing deficits by, among others politics and programs, giving 100% subsidized housing to the populations most in need. In these sense, between 2010‐2014, 100000 houses were successfully delivered to the poorest Colombian families, reaching a goal that was never attained before. However, efforts continue and our goal extents for more population groups establishing other social housing programs that will continue to be developed between 2014‐2018. Furthermore, our biggest challenge is to keep improving social housing quality for everyone implementing sustainable strategies in their development. This is a significant dare as Colombia is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Additionally, urban population is growing in high rates, increasing energy and water consumption in cities along with the GHG emissions related to this consumption. In these sense, the country’s construction and buildings sector has embraced the responsibility to decrease GHG emissions, attending the commitments established during the COP 21. Consequently, the Ministry has formulated a Plan to manage Climate Change in buildings and territories, composed by adaptation and mitigation strategies. In this sense, as a first step, we have adopted regulations in Sustainable Construction that aim towards water and energy savings in buildings preparing the construction sector in understanding Climate Change. Moreover, an important goal of the Plan, also as part of the implementation of the decree, is to formulate innovative financing mechanisms to allow sustainable technologies access in housing. Having this in mind, Mexico, Germany and Colombia developed a triangular cooperation arrangement during 2014. We designed a pilot whose goal is to explore possibilities to create an innovative financing mechanism for sustainable social housing, suitable for the different types of climates and cultures in the country. For the case study, it was chosen SIDE EVENT FOR THE HABITAT III CONFERENCE existing and new housing units in 5 different cities of Colombia to incorporate sustainable technologies that saved water, energy and gas. Specifically, LEDS lamps, energy savers fridges, gas water heaters, efficient washing machines, among other equipment were provided to these houses. The chosen cities corresponded to the country’s different types of climate: Bogotá, Medellin, Cali, Barranquilla and Valledupar. During 2015, we monitored and quantified energy, water and gas savings resultant of the use of these efficient technologies the pilot’s houses. The results showed significant variations offering the users and the government’s possible savings scenarios. This experiment provided evidence of sustainable technologies implementation in social housing and showed a new panorama of possible market opportunities regarding green development. With the association with banking and financial corporations, the aim now is to generate the first financial mechanism that will allow social housing to have access to these technologies. Our objective is not only to tackle housing quality deficit and poverty reduction but also to respond to the country’s adaptation and mitigation agenda. We believe this can be the first step to improve the green building sector, towards a more sustainable social housing in Colombia.
At the event, the latest UN-Habitat Global State of Urban Youth Report jointly published by UN-Habitat, Action Aid International with contributions from youth organizations and the private sector organizations including Coca-Cola will be launched. The event will be a moderated panel discussion involving distinguished researchers, youth development specialists and representatives from the private sector and youth serving organization. The event will provide the audience with the opportunity to discuss the findings with various experts and the authors of the Reports a) The event shall provide a platform to present and disseminate the findings and analysis of the UN-Habitat’s Global State of Urban Youth Report 2015/16, amongst youth policy makers, academics, government representatives and civil society groups b) To examine the extent to which the benefits accruing from the policies and institutions that promote prosperity of cities are equitably distributed amongst the young men and women. c) To understand the root causes of inequities experienced by urban youth especially those from informal settlements; as our review shows, there are several dimensions namely: social, economic, political/Governance, cultural and environmental.
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The poorest and most excluded populations in Central America have been historically affected by the systematic violation of their human rights, including access to an adequate, safe and sustainable habitat. Out of every ten households, 6 - 8 are currently living in housing conditions that compromise the integrity and well-being of its inhabitants. This situation has a differentiated, profound impact on women and their families; an especially vulnerable group due to cultural and socioeconomic limitations imposed by strongly patriarchal societies. Most households that are part of the housing deficit in Central America present not only an extremely low and unstable income level, but are also headed by women. At this Side Event, representatives of cooperation agencies, NGO’s, social organizations and networks that are primarily lead by women, and whose work focuses on promoting the human right to an affordable, adequate and sustainable habitat, present their experiences and generate debate on methodological and intervention proposals that have proved to be feasible and effective responses to the housing deficit problem; one that affects the well-being of the poorest and most excluded populations, especially women’s as one of Central America’s most vulnerable groups, given the region’s context of patriarchal violence and insecurity.
Urban environments offer distinct opportunities to protect public health and enrich quality of life for all. Inclusion of sustainable cities, together with health and climate change in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development reflects the importance of these interlinked priorities for human development. While strong health systems are critical for treatment of disease, investment in actions which prevent disease in the first instance are particularly beneficial in economic and social terms. Non‐communicable diseases (NCDs), including cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory conditions and neurological disorders account for 68% of global mortality; a proportion that continues to grow, and which is projected to cost 47 trillion USD globally from 2011‐2030. Leading risk factors for NCDs are amplified by the effects of unsustainable urbanisation, including air pollution, physical inactivity, poor nutrition, and exposure to chemicals. Air pollution alone is responsible for 7 million deaths globally each year, and physical inactivity for a further 3.2 million. Disease risk factors are furthermore exacerbated by social inequalities, while climate change presents compounded threats to human health. While the effects of unsustainable urbanisation are observed primarily in the environment and health sectors, the opportunity to prevent these outcomes lies within sectors including urban planning, energy, transport, housing, waste management, education, and agriculture. Coordinated action across these sectors offers potential for immensely positive impacts on health, climate change, and other areas reflected in the Sustainable Development Goals. The health sector itself has a responsibility not only to engage with other sectors, but to ensure that carbon emissions and harmful waste from healthcare are minimised. Urban risk factors and social disparities can be addressed through strategic urban planning, with benefits across health, and ultimately for sustainable human and economic development. Implementation of the New Urban Agenda must be founded on a framework for shared action towards urban health.
Quito Children and Youth Commitments: Contributing to the Implementation, Follow-up, and Review of the New Urban Agenda
The New Urban Agenda recognizes young people as “key agents of change in creating a better future.” This Roundtable will discuss the actions of different participating stakeholder groups to promote and implement the New Urban Agenda, including those related to the well-being of children and youth, aligned with the Quito Implementation Plan.
The Quito Youth Commitments will provide the framework for continued global youth engagement in the Habitat III process for the years to come. The Quito Youth Commitments consist of three pillars:
Objectives of the Roundtable
Guiding Questions
Roundtable Follow Up
Since 2012, the Swedish company Mojang, the makers of Minecraft, have been collaborating with various partners, including UN-Habitat, on Block by Block, an innovative private-public partnership in which Minecraft is used as a community participation tool in the design of urban public spaces. Minecraft is one of the world’s most popular computer games, with over 100 million users, best imagined as a ‘digital Lego’, in which players build complex structures or compete against each other in community-designed competitions. The event will take the form of a panel discussion, involving experts on public space, Block by Block board members, staff from Mojang, Microsoft and UN-Habitat and implementing partners from Kosovo, Peru and India.
Various levels of government, community groups and individuals, all have a role to play in creating healthy, resilient and sustainable environments, including our urban environment, where most of us live. All levels of government need to address issues related to outdoor air and water quality, indoor air quality and chemicals management, all with the intent of having a safer and healthier environment for the population. Regulations to protect the environment and human health are examples. Both government and industry have important roles in pushing the agenda towards a safer and more resilient environment. There must be full community engagement that is transparent and relevant. Depending on the issue, government, industry, nongovernmental organizations and the affected public must engage in meaningful dialogue. This session will explore how multi-stakeholder processes are successful in bringing all of these parties together to achieve equitable and feasible solutions to problems related to the impacts of pollution on human health, and the resiliency and sustainability of communities. An engaged democratic process builds the base for communities to respond to new and future challenges that they may face related to climate change as we see an increase in extreme weather occurrences and vector-borne illnesses. Individuals also have important roles to play in this process as they have some control over their immediate environment. This can be partially achieved through the choice of consumer and personal care products used in the home. Individuals also have the capacity to discuss these issues with their neighbours and peers and ultimately organize into community groups. Public engagement of such groups can be instrumental in addressing issues that directly impact their health and environment and this engagement can lead to policy development for the environment and human health. This session will include some tangible examples of this type of engagement.
RED ALERTA constitutes a service which will include towns in a context of Smart City for citizen security.These are framed in the types of projects that ONU considers to have top priority: 1. Security promotion 2. Effective participation of people in the Citizen Security 3. Technology to allow communication of family emergencies to private circles of people ( relatives, friends, and community). RED ALERTA is an innovative proposal which allows citizen inclusion in the formation of private network of people, who participate, monitor and assist their members in emergencies caused by delinquency, fires, medical urgencies, natural disasters, or any other type; and that jointed with the estate’s institutions responsible for the assistance (911, Police, Firefighters, Red Cross, Community Alert Networks, etc.), can facilitate the activities and responsibilities of the state, guarantee an effective, efficient, and immediate response, lowering the panic sensation, increasing the perception of citizen security and giving the highest assistance to the citizen members of the private networks of people. Besides, due to the weakness of countries and cities that lack integrated systems of assistance to the citizen, RED ALERTA constitutes the fitting technological instrument to assist these governments in the development of these systems in a short term, and massive way for the citizens, and at a low cost. RED ALERTA will promote and encourage in citizens the use of new technologies, allowing the countries to upturn their indicators of technology capacity, such as: 1. – Decrease of technological illiteracy, 2. – Increase in the technology capacity of a country (Connectivity infrastructure of the states). RED ALERTA will generate an increase in the citizen interrelationship, improving the indicators of citizen security and assistance of the state.
The SE outlines the key challenges the Arab region is facing with regard to housing and sustainable urban development, and addresses the future prospects and opportunities for the implementation of the 2030 Development Agenda ‐ particularly the Sustainable Development Goal 11 ‐ make and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable ‐ and the New Urban Agenda.
Cities have become younger – most of the three billion people under the age of twenty-five live in urban areas, and it is estimated that 60% of urban populations will be under the age of 18 by 2030. Majority of these youth live in poor countries that are struggling to meet the rapidly growing demand for jobs and income-earning opportunities for the millions of youth who are approaching working age. The lack of opportunities forces most young people to migrate from urban areas to pursue better opportunities, but often end up settling in informal settlements characterized by inadequate access to basic services, infrastructure; poor structural quality of housing; overcrowding, high levels of poverty and unemployment. Young people in cities/informal settlements have shown tremendous resilience and ability to not just survive but to create wealth; investing in youth therefore offers both economic and social benefits needed for social change, economic inclusion and the New Urban Agenda hence their inclusion is very important. Young people have the capacity to tackle the current urban challenges and develop innovative solutions needed for the New Urban Agenda. This side event will throw light on the capacity of urban areas to drive innovations and create jobs for young people and the catalytic role youth themselves can play in this. The session will be a moderated discussion of representatives from the private sector, governments, and youth serving organizations and young Innovators and entrepreneurs who have developed innovations and set up enterprises creating employment for young people in the cities. The panelists will discuss how they set up their innovative businesses and share their on how they have navigated the challenges of funding, organizing, collaborating and scaling innovations. A few successful youth innovations and enterprises will be presented to showcase the ideas of young innovators and entrepreneurs.
There are a 1 billion slum dwellers worldwide and if no further action is taken the number will increase to 3 billion people living without adequate housing. These alarming numbers stand for exclusion, lack of adequate housing, basic urban services and equal socio-economic opportunities through spatial and socio-economic segregation and gentrification as well as the exposure to disasters and environmental risks. The world acknowledged the importance of taking action and endorsed the Sustainable Development Goal Target 11.1 “By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing and basic services and upgrade slums”.
The New Urban Agenda suggests participatory approaches, integration, equality and inclusion of all citizens for prosperity and sustainable urbanization for all. In line with the recommendations, UN-Habitat launched the World Urban Campaign on the Participatory Slum Upgrading Programme (PSUP) initiated by the Secretariat of the ACP Group of States, financed by the European Commission and implemented by UN-Habitat. SDI, a transnational network of slum dwellers, has the capacity to ensure the poor are organized and collectively equipped with the requisite skill to make the very most of opportunities arising from PSUP and the NUA by participating, partnering and coproducing solutions for urban upgrading. The two global campaigns are tackling this challenge and are equipped with a wide range of tools for inclusive citywide data collection, policy and regulatory framework review, planning, financing as well as local economic development and community-led citywide slum upgrading project implementations.
The workshop will focus and deepen learning exchange on four topics:
1) Participatory data collection, monitoring and advocacy for mind-set change and well targeted action
2) Citywide slum upgrading strategies, multi-governance approaches and community-driven implementation
3) Participatory planning and provision of secure tenure
4) Financing models for citywide slum upgrading (local funds and broader resource mobilization strategy including private sector participation)
The methodology of the training event will consist of theoretical introductions from UN-Habitat and practical local reflections from SDI community leaders and local government representatives experts. The introduction will be followed by four working groups, with each with two practical experiences from citywide slum upgrading implementation with slum communities. This will provide the opportunity for a practical review of UN-Habitat’s and SDI’s projects on the ground and a broad learning experience for everyone. At the end of the session lessons learnt will be shared and recommendations for implementation, policy review and monitoring shared for institutionalizing approaches that harness the transformative power of communities.
No pre-registration required
The Transformative Commitments of the New Urban Agenda include the commitment to sustainable and efficient transport for achieving the benefits of connectivity and reducing the financial, environmental and public health costs of congestion and air pollution. The uptake of electric mobility in all forms, in the context of better and compact urban planning has the potential to make an important contribution to a low carbon development pathway for transport. To ensure e-mobility solutions are properly integrated in a wider sustainable development concept, the training aims to assist participants and practitioners in illustrating strategies on how to develop and implement packages of policies and infrastructure. Also notable as part of transport-related policies is transit oriented development (TOD), which promotes compact, higher density, mixed-use, walkable development, where residential and commercial districts are located around a transit station or corridor. It also facilitates transit use and maximizes overall accessibility and scale economy of cities. Due to the nature of TOD, it plays a vital role in realizing “sustainable and inclusive urban prosperity”. The event will be structured into three segments: The first segment will focus on sustainable urban mobility solutions (with a focus on electric mobility), the second segment will focus on TOD, and the third segment will provide room for interactive discussions among the participants. 1) Sustainable Urban Mobility Solutions (1 hr 15 min) The first segment on sustainable–urban mobility solutions provides inputs on the technological, socio-economic and financial viability of mobility in different contexts and identifies infrastructure and policy measures with the highest mitigation potential. It will provide practical advice on key steps towards sustainable urban mobility, including: a) How to develop an integrated sustainable urban mobility plan? b) How to integrate e-mobility measures into a wider sustainable mobility concept? c) How to set a baseline, estimate potential and track progress of sustainable mobility solutions? d) How to create coalitions/collaborations for sustainable mobility actions? e) How to prepare Transport Demand Management Strategies and integrate these with urban planning for compact cities and mixed land-use planning? f) How to mobilize finances for promoting public road transport and Intermediate para-transit for sustainable urban transport? 2) Transit-oriented development (1 hr 15 min) In the second segment on transit oriented development (TOD), the concept of TOD will be introduced to address its importance in realizing the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and promoting an effective, inclusive and sustainable urban development. Good examples of TOD practices, measures and frameworks will be shared as well as their benefits and the lesson learned from the projects. 3) Interactive discussion (30 min) The participants of the training event are expected to include practitioners, international organizations and multilateral financial institutions, who will bring the experience of sustainable mobility projects. Participants are invited to share their experience in regard to the above training content and jointly review good practices undertaken by cities to improve the uptake of sustainable mobility solutions and TOD. Furthermore, challenges by different stakeholders shall be discussed, e.g. in integrating electric mobility solutions in the wider context of a sustainable urban transport system or on the concept of TOD.
The event will begin with opening addresses from UN Habitat and the Ecuadorian Ministry of Urban Development and Housing followed by technical presentations that highlight how bamboo is becoming a codified building material that is helping cities increase resilience and preparedness to disasters, as well as rapidly respond to them. Experiences will be shared from Ecuador (CONGOPE), Peru (San Martin University), Colombia (AIS), China and Nepal (ICBR), and the Philippines (Base|Hilti Foundation). The event will also launch three publications; a post-earthquake assessment of bamboo structures in Ecuador and technical reports on bamboo shear wall testing and design and strength grading. The main theme of this side event will focus on how to use bamboo as a strategic resource to build urban resilience through the provision of sustainable, safe, culturally appropriate, and affordable housing. In recent years, there have been major advances in the standardization and codification of bamboo engineering in several developing and least developed countries. This is now allowing urban planners, particularly in Latin America and Asia, to incorporate bamboo housing and infrastructure into sustainable urban systems. This has already had a major impact in supporting both post-disaster responses, as well as disaster prevention in many urban and periurban areas. The side event will share these experiences with Habitat III participants, as well as latest technical innovations in bamboo engineering. This is expected to enable further uptake of bamboo as a building material across its entire natural growing range of Asia and the Pacific, the Americas, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
The training is based on UN-habitat’s unique publication “Urban Planning for City Leaders” which has been designed to fill the gap between the technical and the policy dimensions of urban planning and to help local leaders to better communicate with their planning departments and ask the right questions. The proposed training event offers practical advice and insight into how leaders around the world can succeed in leveraging capacities and know-how from communities, professionals and the private sector in tackling pressing urban development needs. This training gets urban actors asking the right questions about land use in their city, bridges the technical and policy dimensions of urban planning, and emphasizes a people-centered approach to decision making.
PROGRAMME:
8.00-8.15
Facilitator: Sayel Cortes
Opening Session
Welcome speech by Laura Petrella from UN-Habitat
8.15-8.30
Presenter. Yuka Terada
Urban Planning: Why and How City Leaders Should Act?
Planning challenges in developing economies
Reasons for planning
8.30-9.30
Facilitator: Sayel Cortes
Roundtable Discussion and Group Presentations
Identify key challenges related to sustainable urban development in developing countries
Key recommendations for improving plans, legislative framework and financial framework for integrated urban development
Group presentation
9.30-9.50
Presenter: Salvatore Fundaro
Sustainable Urban Development for 21st Century’s Cities
20st Century vs. 21st Century urban model
Different urban patterns to best serve your city
9.55-10.10
Presenter: Gianluca Crispi
Governance and Legislation for Plan Implementation
Importance of legislation for plan implementation
Role of planning legislation in solving planning challenges
10.10-10.30
Presenter. Yoel Siegel
Financing for Integrated Urban Development
Importance of partnership development
10.30-10.50
Facilitator: Sayel Cortes" "Overall Outcomes
Key recommendations from the participants
Impressions from the participants"
10.50-11.00
Facilitator: Sayel Cortes" "Summarizing key issues of the training
Registration on-site