The 2010s saw the emergence of a number of international frameworks, of which the SDGs and the Paris Agreement are certainly the most prominent. The Sendai framework for Disaster Risk Reduction is already somewhat less known to many, and probably even fewer people are familiar with the New Urban Agenda or NUA, which was ratified in 2016 at the UN Habitat III conference to serve as a global roadmap to guide sustainable urbanization. It fleshes out how cities should be planned, built and managed, building on principles of leaving no one behind, environmental sustainability and sustainable and inclusive urban economies. 10 years after its adoption, progress made was critically discussed over the past few days at the UN General Assembly.
As with other frameworks, the review concluded with a mixed picture. Despite progress in some areas such as access to transport and basic services, there was stagnation or even regression in others. Key challenges are growing inequalities, urbanization harming environmental sustainability and slow progress in multilevel urban governance due to lagging fiscal autonomy.
The meeting hence concluded with the adoption of a political declaration renewing global commitment to the NUA, which was approved with 148 out of 150 countries voting in favour. The United States and Israel voted against the declaration, among others for mentions of climate change and gender (US) and attention to post-conflict and disaster contexts (Israel). The outcome still reflects broad international support for the continued need to focus on cities, which will be home to 70 per cent of the world's population in 2050, compared to 58 per cent today. In times of increasing impacts from climate change and natural hazards, as well as conflicts, cities will continue to be a place of refuge for those affected, which is why that exact focus is needed more than ever.
Cities are places of contradiction. They are centres of progress and innovation, yet at the same time they are responsible for 70 per cent of global emissions. They are home to billions of people, but more than a billion of them live in informal settlements, lacking basic services such as water supply – which is a recognized human right. They are places of hope and a haven for many, but also places where inequalities are starkly visible and where the right to the city is not as universal as it should be. Many cities continue to grow or are built newly, yet there are crucial gaps in housing urban populations. Those who suffer the most are those who have the least ability to make their voices heard, such as low-income groups and traditionally marginalized populations, as well as the environment. Continuing business as normal will not only prevent us from achieving the NUA goals, but will also hinder progress and worsen the quality of life for billions.
To get the New Urban Agenda back on track, goals must be made tangible, and cities must be enabled to lead the way. That sounds easier than it is. Urbanization also means growing pressure on existing land resources and conflicting interests that must be resolved under time constraints. Solutions in this context need to be systemic; designed in such a way that they make sense in the long term and benefit as many residents as possible. All too often, sectoral siloes and a lack of coordination stand in the way. Complex solutions to complex problems require cooperation, but also the ability to recognize the underlying connections.
That is why it makes sense to unite around a common and tangible issue. For UN-Habitat as the UN organization curating the NUA, that issue is the housing crisis, which according to the 2026 World Cities Report affects 3.4 billion people facing inadequate living conditions, insecure tenure or shortage of basic services. And numbers are expected to grow. Addressing the housing crisis in a sustainable way mandates us to look beyond building housing units, and ask how to do it, where, and for whom, so we can simultaneously address challenges of depleting resources, growing climatic risks, equity and equality, among others. This can be kickstarted by expanding social housing to include such vital aspects and incorporating participatory elements. Examples show that this is both possible and beneficial.
Around the world, there are pioneering cities that demonstrate the transformation that is possible in just a few years. Cities have also stepped up internationally, forming strong alliances asking for ambitious actions to address climate change and other pressing challenges. Some mayors have become international pioneers, though not always to the delight of national actors who do not necessarily keep pace with or agree with these ambitions. City networks are drivers of exchange and learning, and are becoming increasingly important in an era of changing multilateral landscape. To this end, they must be supported accordingly, with opportunities for continued exchange, as well as advocacy and financial instruments that are accessible to them.
Looking ahead, COP 31 will have an urban focus and early 2027 the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities will be launched. On these occasions, it is not enough to simply share knowledge. We need to put that knowledge into action and have cities that lead the way, supported by national and international organizations.
