UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme)

Our present and future are undoubtedly urban. Great to see how the #city comes to the front and becomes a stage for the opening ceremony of the #ParisOlympics2024. 🥇🥈🥉 It also great to witness sustainable transformation of the city under the leadership of Mayor Anne Hidalgo. Cities and regional governments are major players. We need multilevel governance to accelerate change and achieve our sustainable development targets. Let's continue this conversation at the twelfth session of the World Urban Forum #WUF12 in Cairo from 4 to 8 November 2024: ‼️ https://loom.ly/yzzs3rk

This is of historic significance! Today, UN Secretary General António Guterres issued a Call to Action on Extreme Heat. It emphasizes and underpins the urgent need for actionable heat related measures and policies. The Call to Action brought together the diverse expertise and perspectives of ten specialized UN entities. I am honored to also have contributed directly to the report alongside colleagues from FAO, ILO, OCHA, UNDRR, UNEP, UNESCO, UNICEF, WHO, and WMO. It comes after 12 consecutive months of record-braking temperatures and right after the hottest day ever recorded on our planet: Monday July 22, 2024. "Increasingly extreme heat is tearing through economies, widening inequalities, undermining the Sustainable Development Goals, and killing people. The SG's Call for Action is an urgent and concerted effort to enhance international cooperation to address extreme heat in four critical areas:  Caring for the vulnerable - Protecting workers - Boosting resilience of economies and societies using data and science - Limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C by phasing out fossil fuels and scaling up investment in renewable energy." As Global Chief Heat Officer for UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme) and the Arsht-Rock Resilience Center, I am grateful to see the challenges cities face highlighted in this Call to Action. There is a clear need to drive solutions and scale up financing so that cities—and countries—dealing with the worst impacts of the climate crisis have access to the funding and resources they need to protect people from the worst impacts of global warming now and in the future. Learn more about this really important recognition of the extreme heat crisis and amplify the UNSG's Call for Action! Call for Action here: https://lnkd.in/dHS5Wpwx or see SG's press conference here:

UN-Habitat supports this urgent call to action on extreme heat from United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. https://loom.ly/gWoZIXM Cities and urban areas are bearing the brunt of the rising temperatures. Built environments, car emissions,, lack of sufficient green spaces and excessive energy use keep pushing temperatures to the new heights. But cities are not only the cause of problems. Cities and urban areas also offer solutions, adaptation and mitigation methods and nature-based approaches and lead the way in keeping people and the plant safe. Mayors and local and regional governments work alongside national authorities to find solutions against extreme weather conditions. We continue to promote multi-level actions and search for common solutions to address climate change in urban areas. Cities and the climate crisis dialogue at the twelfth session of the World Urban Forum #WUF12 in Cairo will addresses the pressing challenge of climate change and cities. World Urban Forum Register for the forum and join us in Cairo from 4 to 8 November 2024: https://loom.ly/7npgTPk

How clued up are you on your sustainable urban development lingo? From designing built environments, to optimising how space and land are used for the good of our communities, take a look at some key terms and concepts linked to taking action on the #SDGs to help you unlock the language of sustainable urban development 👇 #Urbanization #UrbanDevelopment #SDGs

Did you know? Urban areas in Africa are expected to host half of the continent’s population by 2030. In response to this rapid urbanization, the African Union Commission established the Africa Urban Forum – a new platform for promoting sustainable development in African human settlements. From 4 to 6 September, Ethiopia will be the host of the first Forum. The Forum will feature roundtables, plenary sessions, panel discussions, dialogues, side events, assemblies, and exhibitions to explore how African cities can fulfil their potential as centres of hope, growth, and prosperity. Deliberations at the Forum will be guided by the Harmonized Regional Framework for Implementing the New Urban Agenda in Africa, a tool developed by UN-Habitat, the African Union Commission, and UNECA. Join us in shaping the future of urbanization in Africa! Register here: https://loom.ly/f4kWInw #AUF2024 #UrbanDevelopment #SustainableCities #Agenda2063 #Urbanization

Year after year, average temperatures continue to break records globally 🌍🌡️ Cities, in particular, suffer from the Urban Heat Island effect, which amplifies the impacts of extreme heat. This phenomenon not only strains energy resources but also disproportionately affects low-income populations, undermines public health, reduces productivity, and degrades environmental quality, leading to severe economic consequences. So what can we do? To tackle extreme heat in urban areas, we can implement several strategies including (but not limited to): 🌳 Enhanced green infrastructure: Integrate more green spaces into conventional streets to reduce heat absorption. ⚒️ Building retrofits: Renovate buildings with better insulation, shades, and reflective materials such as white paint to reduce heat absorption. 📣 Formulation of policy and planning solutions: Integrating adaptation and mitigation actions has to be structurally integrated into the urban policy agenda. By adopting these measures, we can create cooler, healthier, and more sustainable urban environments. (Source: https://loom.ly/1TXi49w) #SDG11 #SDG13 #ClimateChange #SustainableCities #GreenInfrastructure #SmartCities

By 2050, Africa's cities will be home to an additional 950 million people. With the continent projected to continue to have the fastest urban growth in the world, smart cities are the future of Africa's #urbanization to drive sustainable growth, improve quality of life, and foster innovation. Take Cairo for example. As Greater Cairo's population has grown to more than 20 million residents, the city is making significant strides in its transformation into a smart city through various initiatives and projects such as creating sustainable and efficient urban infrastructure 🏙️ By embracing digital solutions and human-centric design, our cities can be sure that they are equipped to meet the challenges of tomorrow. (Sources: IMD https://loom.ly/KjyFMrs; https://loom.ly/eu4VKtM) #SustainableDevelopment #SmartCities

#Housing should be a critical area of investment alongside subnational finance. 🏘️ "By 2050, cities will host 70% of the world’s population. Cities offer significant opportunities for integrated, transformative investments that can accelerate SDG achievement. But this requires effective local planning, governance and finance. UN-Habitat estimates that the total investment needed to achieve adequate housing for all, by 2030, up to USD 4 trillion a year. We need to build some 96000 affordable housing units daily to start addressing the housing issues." UN-Habitat called for an increased share of finance directed to cities and regions at the First Session of the Preparatory Committee for the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. #FfD4 To view the plenary meeting, visit go here: https://loom.ly/SaiOPN4 To view UN-Habitat's full statement, go here: https://loom.ly/5nUCJ3w #Housing #Finance4Development #Urban #Investment

💡 Let’s test innovative solutions at #WUF12! The #UrbanExpo testing grounds will highlight innovation and sustainability across various sectors including technology, materials, systems, and products at various outdoor locations within the WUF12 premises. Outdoor spaces will be designed to accommodate a wide range of exhibits, from eco-mobility gadgets to the construction of 3D-printed houses. Check out the new application details on our website and apply now! Deadline: 31 July https://loom.ly/_cmxYaU #ItAllStartsAtHome

Mainstreaming children's rights into urban policies is crucial for building sustainable and inclusive urban spaces. Why focus on children? By 2030, almost 60% of the world’s children will live in urban areas. However, many of these children, especially those in slums, face severe deprivations and limited access to essential services (source: UNICEF) Children have the right to be heard in matters affecting them, and empowering them to participate in urban planning leads to more effective and efficient services. Key actions for child-responsive #UrbanPlanning 🔍 Inclusion in policy phases: Integrate children’s needs at every stage of urban policy, from feasibility to monitoring and evaluation 🗣️ Participatory design: Engage children in the design of public spaces to ensure their safety and accessibility 👥 Multidisciplinary approach: Form multidisciplinary teams to champion child-responsive initiatives throughout the urban planning process ⚖️ Legal frameworks: Establish and enforce laws that protect children's rights in urban settings, ensuring they have safe housing, play areas, and transportation 📚 Capacity building: Develop programs to educate stakeholders on the importance of child-responsive planning and equip them with the necessary skills Some successful examples of child responsive urban policies include legislations in countries like Kenya and South Africa that have incorporated child-responsive perspectives into their housing policies, ensuring better living conditions for children. Other examples from Austria and Germany show how urban planning can effectively include children through consultative and collaborative processes. To truly transform our cities, we must operationalize these guidelines at both national and local levels. This involves continuous monitoring, resource allocation, and adapting best practices from around the world to our local contexts. Read more: https://loom.ly/WZji028