Cities are key for successful global climate policy

By |2018-08-02T12:47:48+02:00November 1st 2017|

The UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) starts next week. It is often stated that cities are key for implementing 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda. But what exactly is needed for cities to fulfil this important role? Dirk Messner and Benno Pilardeaux call for better coordination, increased recognition on the global level, and more financial support.

Sustainable development in the metropolitan century: where do we stand one year after Habitat III?

By |2017-10-27T17:12:12+02:00October 27th 2017|

One year has passed since the historic adoption of the New Urban Agenda, two since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda. Is the implementation of the agendas on track? What are obstacles and how can we improve the process?

The challenge of localising the SDGs: A reflection about Brazil

By |2017-10-04T17:01:53+02:00October 4th 2017|

To attain the SDGs, local implementation is key, and cities bear a special responsibility in that regard. But what does the situation really look like on the ground – is there enough awareness and commitment to this global process? Daphne Besen analyses the situation in metropolises and small and medium size cities in Brazil.

Accelerating the Synergetic Implementation of the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda

By |2017-10-14T15:07:25+02:00July 12th 2017|

This week, the UN High Level Political Forum is reviewing the implementation process of the Sustainable Development Goals in New York City. The theme: Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world. Felix Dodds from the Global Research Institute criticizes the missing involvement of urban development actors and calls for a conference on local implementation.

10 years of the Leipzig Charta: a model for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs?

By |2017-10-14T15:10:18+02:00June 14th 2017|

This year’s Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy in Germany focuses on the Leipzig Charta’s 10th anniversary and future perspectives for sustainable cities in Europe. Timo Munzinger of the German Association of Cities (Deutscher Städtetag) discusses the relevance of the Leipzig Charta for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, calling for the Leipzig Charta to be brought up to date to meet current urbanisation challenges.

“This is a very good moment for change” – Interview with Jorge Wolpert, former Executive Director of Urban Development, Land and Housing in Mexico

By |2017-10-14T15:29:57+02:00February 28th 2017|

In an interview with URBANET, former Executive Director of Urban Development, Land and Housing of Mexico's Ministry of Agrarian, Territorial & Urban Development (Sedatu). Jorge Wolpert explains what specific challenges Mexican cities are facing in terms of sustainable urban development.

“Local governments know the reality of their cities” – An Interview with Johana Hernández from the Northern Public Transport Company, Ecuador

By |2017-10-14T15:31:36+02:00February 7th 2017|

Many cities are facing traffic-related problems and are trying to find solutions that take into consideration the local conditions. Sometimes, these solutions clash with problem solving approaches by central governments. In her interview with URBANET, Johana Hernández from the Northern Public Transport Company in Ecuador talks about such challenges and her visions for inclusive mobility.

From Blade Runner to Habitat IV, Part II: How livelihoods can make or break the City of Tomorrow

By |2017-10-14T15:37:33+02:00January 12th 2017|

Part I presented two subsequent paradigms related to the world of work, Fordism and Post-Fordism. Subsequently, it was argued that there are two contrasting trends in the world of (urban) labour: flexibility and stability. This is the second and concluding part of the article, which includes considerations about policies.

From Blade Runner to Habitat IV – How livelihoods can make or break the City of Tomorrow

By |2017-10-14T15:38:45+02:00January 10th 2017|

"Our Struggle for Global Sustainability will be won or lost in cities", said Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, the former Secretary-General of the United Nations. The present article argues that our struggle for good urbanisation will be won or lost depending on the opportunities and conditions of work.

Towards the liveable city

By |2017-10-14T15:49:43+02:00November 16th 2016|

The German government pushes for a New Urban Agenda oriented towards the vision of the “lebenswerte Stadt”, i.e. a city worth to live in, but is mostly translated with “liveable city”. But how do we define “liveable”? Our authors Alexandra Linden, Astrid Ley and Alexander Jachnow contend that it goes beyond “freedom from fear” and “freedom from want” as proposed by the UN. Liveability, construed as Quality of life shouldn’t just be determined by indicator models, but within a specific local context and in conjunction with international standards.

COP22 through the Urban Lense

By |2017-10-14T15:51:29+02:00November 15th 2016|

Three weeks after the Habitat III conference in Quito, Ecuador, the 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is currently taking place in Marrakesh, Morocco. Sarah Schneider and Lisa Lebershausen look at the the international climate change conference through an urban lense.

Habitat III – Looking back on a milestone in the global urban development debate

By |2017-10-14T15:53:56+02:00November 1st 2016|

On October 20, 2016, the New Urban Agenda was adopted, setting the priorities and expectations for the next 20 years of urban development against the backdrop of growing urbanisation. The Habitat III conference in Quito, which hosted a vast array of events besides the official negotiations reflected the themes of the New Urban Agenda and the hopes attached to it. Here is a review of the events and atmosphere in Quito.

Voices on Habitat, Part II

By |2017-10-14T16:07:30+02:00September 30th 2016|

In the run-up to the German Habitat Forum in June 2016, people from all over the world were asked how they imagine the city of the future, what they expected from local, national and international authorities for their city, and how their city has evolved. The series "Voice on Habitat" projects an image of the

Urban Governance for Sustainable Global Development: From the SDGs to the New Urban Agenda 

By |2017-10-14T16:08:31+02:00September 23rd 2016|

“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable” - this is the call to action formulated in Sustainable Development Goal 11. Although this reflects an awareness of urban governance issues in regard to sustainable development, our author argues that many of these issues are still neglected and need to be further elaborated.

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