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UN-Habitat Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

7th World Urban Forum -

Road Towards Sustainable Urban Agenda

North-East Asian Mayors’ Forum

18th August 2014

Ulaanbaatar

Global focus areas

Urban Land, Legislation Urban Basic & Governance Services

Urban Panning & Design Urban Economy

Housing & Slum Upgrading Risk Reduction & Rehabilitation

Research & Capacity Dev.

Coordinating for sustainable urbanization

UN-Habitat is tasked by Member States to promote integrated approach to planning and building sustainable cities and settlements, support local authorities and enhance the involvement of local people, including the poor, in decision making

Small and medium-size cities (< 1,000,000 inhabitants) are the most critical ones. These host 62 % of the world’s urban population

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Global agendas for urban change

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Vancouver Declaration on Human Settlements in 1976, based on the recognition of the serious conditions of world urbanization, led to the establishment of the UN Centre of Human Settlements (later UN-Habitat)

1996 Habitat II conference reconfirmed global commitments until 2016: ‘Habitat Agenda’ on Adequate Shelter for All & Improving Conditions of Human Settlements (171 signatories)

7th World Urban Forum Declaration 2014: Cities must integrate urban equity into the global development agenda for socially inclusive, economically and environmentally sustainable cities

Cities... thrive on change and innovation

Urbanisation is a vehicle for positive global transformation…

Cities’ Declaration 2014: City as an Opportunity

“Cities are where the battle for sustainable development is won or lost...”

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New urban agenda for the 21st century

Local Governments need urban paradigm shift for

compact, integrated and locally and internationally

connected cities

http://unhabitat.org/urban-knowledge-2

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....but to realize the potential, cities must be well planned and developed, including through integrated urban planning and management approaches [Rio+20 Outcome para. 134]The purpose of Habitat III in 2016 is to reinvigorate commitment to sustainable urbanization by defining a “New Urban Agenda”...

Habitat III opportunities for cities

Habitat III will bring together cities, governments, civil society, the private sector, education institutions and interest groups to review urban & housing policies

Habitat III is the opportunity for local governments to participate in the policy making of the ’New Urban Agenda’ for the next 20 years

Opportunities1. National Habitat Committees (National Urban Forum): dialogue between Habitat Agenda Partners, providing space for central and local governments to identify solutions for urban issues 2. UN-Habitat working globally with Local Government Associations3. Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments: political instrument for building partnerships between subnational & local governments and the UN System

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Participatory and inclusive local governance empower citizens and engage in cooperation locally and internationally

Use National Urban Policy as the spatial framework for coordinated development

Use Multi-level Governance approaches to delegate duties and incentives for right actions to relevant levels and stakeholders

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- Governing for the New Urban Agenda

New vision of the city balanced territorial

development increased resilience to

climate change and disasters

youth participation gender equality

prevention of slums upgrading shelter, housing and services

sustainable transport equal access to public

space

- Planning for the New Urban Agenda

Urban plans grounded on equality and social cohesion are key strategic development tools for achieving diverse, creative and globally successful city....

Creation of a physical pattern of connectivity within the city is the first step towards economic and social prosperity, followed by prevention of negative externalities from city expansion.

[picture behind text?]Key principles

people-centredhigher density

minimum zoningmixed land use

minimise mobilitypublic/mass transit

walkable city...

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- Financing the New Urban Agenda

Revitalization of urban economy and financing urbanization can be supported by active private sector and civil society collaboration

The dense networks of people, infrastructure, institutions, and innovations in cities have proven to lead to high agglomeration advantages socio-spatially well-functioning

…energy efficientminimise trunk

infrastructure costsmaximise urban

economies of scale

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Technical and normative collaboration between the AP Governments and UN-Habitat in support of national urban policies and institutionsShelter, service and economic infrastructure provision is often an entry point for city-wide planning and urban Disaster Risk Reduction measuresCities and Climate Change Asia-Pacific Programme is introducing climate change mitigation and eco-city principles into City Development Strategies and planning tools

10UN-Habitat Sri Lanka

UN-Habitat strategies in Asia-Pacific

Process towards the ‘Habitat III’ together with the SDGs will frame global coordination...

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How can cities deliver the change?

SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Human

Settlements (SCHS) –targeted support to city

authorities in taking decisive actions towards

multi-sector goals and institutions, and share

visions with national governments and local

agents of change

http://unhabitat.org/urban-initiatives-2/post-2015-agenda/

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Thank you