The repercussions of interrelated global crises, such as climate change, COVID-19, and conflict, are being experienced in all corners of the world. Within urban areas, pre-existing inequalities have been further exposed, financial resources have been constrained, and limited capabilities to develop and implement urban solutions have heightened vulnerabilities and have led to continued unsustainable patterns of urbanization.

Given the persistent lag in progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) across all regions, it is imperative for cities—where the majority of SDGs intersect—to take the lead in economic recovery efforts, foster resilience, and expedite the adoption of sustainable solutions that contribute to the SDGs.

As the world emerges from the COVID-19 pandemic, which disproportionately impacted urban areas,[1] the strength and resilience of cities and urban centres are essential to drive recoveries, guard against future shocks and stresses, and overcome the setbacks towards achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement and the New Urban Agenda.    

In this context, action is needed across all levels of governance, to localize the SDGs, taking into account local, national and regional contexts while mobilizing the engagement of all stakeholders, and leveraging the support of the UN system. 

The side event will focus on regional efforts to accelerate progress against the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting how region-specific normative guidance and partnerships can accelerate actions, enhance data collection and support cities to undertake Voluntary Local Reviews. 

The event will also highlight how intergovernmental platforms, national and regional fora and regional profiles on progress of SDGs can be leveraged to build momentum and partnerships to contribute to the Decade of Action.  Building on the regional reviews of SDG11 progress conducted in the respective regional forums on sustainable development, the event will draw on recent data and case studies related to localization and progress against urban-related SDGs. 

City stakeholders and representatives of UN entities will present key efforts, including national and regional forums (e.g. Asia Pacific Urban Forum, UNECE Forum of Mayors, national urban forums), normative guidance including for VLRs, and capacity building efforts supporting cities to build resilience and recover from interlinked crises.

The objectives of the side event are to:

• Highlight common and/or differentiated challenges to localize the SDGs across regions and exchange best practices across regions
• Share tools and normative guidance developed by the UN entities (Regional Commissions, UN-Habitat, UN-DESA) and partners to support localization efforts in respective regions
• Foster dialogue and exchange on best practices across regions
• Promote further SDG Localization, including through Voluntary Local Reviews

Organizer(s)

• UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP),
• UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
• UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
• UN Economic Commission for Latin America and Caribbean (ECLAC)
• UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA)

Moderator

Mr. Sangmin Nam, Director, Environment and Development Division, ESCAP

Speaker(s)

• Ms. Norliza Hashim, Chief Executive, Urbanice Malaysia
• Mrs. Fabiana Goyenece, Director of International Relations and Cooperation

• Municipality of Montevideo and Executive Secretary of Mercociudades, Uruguay

• Mr. Serhii Komnatnyi, Chairman of the State Fund for the Promotion of Youth Housing Construction of Ukraine
• Mr. Amine Idrissi Belkasmi, Director of the Urban Agency of Agadir, Morocco

[1] UN Secretary General, COVID-19 in an Urban World. 2020  https://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/sg_policy_brief_covid_urban_world_july_2020.pdf

Context: In the framework of the C40 Mayors Summit to be held in Buenos Aires from October 19-21, the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), together with the Government of the City of Buenos Aires and Enel, is holding the side event entitled: "Cities Collaborating Towards Circularity: Latin American and European Experiences".

The role of cities in guiding the transition to the circular economy has grown considerably, as has the need for collaboration among them to establish common goals. In particular, two initiatives stand out: the Declaration of Circular Cities of Latin America and the Caribbean and the European Circular City Declaration, with the aim of providing a common framework and promoting collaboration and synergies.

The objective of the event is to bring these actors together and value the contribution in the development of strategies and initiatives for circular city development models, while addressing the inevitable challenges and obstacles on this path.

Objectives:

Consolidate the exchange in a face-to-face meeting with the signatory cities of the Declaration of Circular Cities of Latin America and the Caribbean and especially inviting cities and institutions that are addressing the issue.

The event consists of two panels of 30 minutes each. The first will be the vision of stakeholders and institutions on how to support the transition to a circular model in cities. The second will address case studies of cities to learn how cities that have signed the Declaration and those invited to participate in the C40 are addressing the issue today.

The XXX General Assembly of the Forum of Ministers and Highest Authorities of Housing and Urban Development of Latin America and the Caribbean (MINURVI) was held on November 22 and 23, 2021 in the city of Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.

This meeting provided a space for the exchange of experiences, studies and programs on housing and urban development with the objective of: i) transforming the living conditions of Latin American and Caribbean countries and ii) placing housing and habitat as pillars for achieving economic recovery in the Latin American and Caribbean region (LAC), in the face of the impacts of an unprecedented regional and global health emergency.

The Assembly addressed three thematic areas: i) national urban policies, ii) housing financing and iii) urban development trends in Latin America and the Caribbean, which were developed in depth during the first day through panels, conferences and exchanges with the participation of authorities, technicians and regional experts.
On the second day, the ministerial dialogue was held, which opened the election of the next country in charge of the presidency and the members of the Executive Committee for the period 2021- 2022 of MINURVI, and the signing of the Declaration of Cartagena de Indias of the Thirtieth Assembly.

Please find attached the ECLAC publication "Housing and Habitat as Pillars of Economic Recovery: Speeches at the 30th MINURVI General Assembly" where you will find a summary of the papers and presentations of the XXX General Assembly of the Forum of Ministers and Highest Authorities of Housing and Urban Development of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Please scroll down the Agenda below to see the details and download the materials of this activity.

The project "Inclusive, sustainable and smart cities in the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Latin America and the Caribbean", of the cooperation program between ECLAC, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), focuses on strengthening the technical and institutional conditions to promote sustainable development in the field of action of urban connectivity. The project has as its structuring axis the big push for sustainability approach, according to which the post-COVID-19 recovery of cities should be characterized by better environmental practices, more qualified jobs, production with a higher technological content and coordination between private investments and a strategic vision formulated by the States.

The concept of circular economy has been gaining more and more relevance, especially because of its cross-cutting nature across economic sectors. The transition to a circular economy implies a profound change in the way we produce and consume, as well as the development of economic models that create value in a sustainable manner. For this reason, the objective of this event is to update the state of the art of the implementation of the circular economy in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region, presenting studies and initiatives in the region in different sectors. It will also present cases of development and implementation of technologies and policies in this area, as a way of sharing experiences, contributing to the fulfillment of global decarbonization goals.

The agenda will be developed as follows:

Block 1: State of knowledge or progress of the circular economy (CE) in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region.

Block 2: Technologies and initiatives for circularity in various sectors.

Block 3: State of progress towards circularity in cities and countries - technologies and policies

Block 4: Policies needed to accelerate the implementation of CE in LAC (contrasting technologies and policies)

The Forum of Ministers and Highest Authorities of Housing and Urban Development of Latin America and the Caribbean - MINURVI is the intergovernmental coordination and cooperation entity that promotes the sustainable development of human settlements, and is composed of the ministers of state and governmental authorities under whose jurisdiction are, in their respective countries, matters related to housing and urban development.

In order to address the housing deficit while facing the challenges of climate change and promoting the development of the value chain of sustainable construction and housing, it is imminent to deepen the diagnoses and collaboration between the different actors involved.

In this regard, and in order to provide innovative and effective solutions to the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Ministerial Meeting on: Financing for climate change mitigation in urban settlements, which was led by the presidency of Minurvi in charge of Minister Santiago Maggiotti, Minister of Territorial Development and Habitat of Argentina (2022-2023).

The objective of this meeting was to discuss possible strategies to create a regional financing fund that would contribute in a concessional manner to the incremental costs of projects and programs with a significant impact on increasing resilience to climate change and/or reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The event took place on April 10 and 11, 2023 at the Kirchner Cultural Center in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. It was attended by 28 member countries and ECLAC was represented in its role as Technical Secretariat of Minurvi.

Please scroll down the Agenda below to see the details and download the materials of this activity.

In order to encourage debate and the exchange of best practices at the regional level, we invite national and subnational authorities to submit experiences that can be shared in the MINURVI 2023 Virtual Forums. The call is open to national or subnational public sector entities that have designed and implemented programs or projects aimed at addressing issues related to sustainable development of human settlements.

The topics and dates of the forums are:

• 1st Forum (September 6): Climate change, energy transition, and risk management

• 2nd Forum (September 9): Precarious settlements and informal origins

• 3rd Forum (October 4): Territorial planning and land management

To participate, register by scanning the QR code below or using the attached link. Submissions for each Forum are accepted up to 48 hours prior to the event.

To participate as a listener, register by scanning the QR code below or with the link on the right.

In a context shaped by unprecedented global challenges, the Fifth Housing and Habitat Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean concluded with a unanimous call to consider housing as a fundamental tool to address the climate and social crisis affecting the region. Organized by Habitat for Humanity, in collaboration with strategic partners and convened through the Urban Habitat and Housing Practice Platform (UHPH), the event took place in Bogota, Colombia, from July 31 to August 2, 2023.

The Forum, the only one of its kind in the region, brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including government representatives, sustainable development experts, community leaders and academics, who came together to analyze and co-construct comprehensive and innovative solutions that respond to current housing and urban challenges.

The region has faced increasing challenges related to climate change and social inequality, exacerbated by the global health emergency. The housing deficit, which has been a constant challenge, has become even more acute, underscoring the urgent need to address these problems from a comprehensive, horizontally and vertically coordinated and sustainable perspective. In this edition, the central theme was housing as a cornerstone in the fight against the climate crisis and the social problems aggravated by the pandemic.

For three days, experts and various stakeholders interested in housing, urban planning and sustainable development participated in panels, lectures and working sessions to address these critical issues. The participation of the Human Settlements Unit of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) strengthened the connection between the discussions and regional policies.

One of the highlights of the Forum was the panel entitled "Challenges in housing and settlements in the face of climate change and the social crisis," with the participation of Diego Aulestia, Chief of the Unit, who shared valuable perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing the region in the area of housing and habitat. The panel presented innovative approaches to ensure decent housing in harmony with the environment and resilient to climate change.

The Fifth Housing and Habitat Forum reaffirmed the commitment of multiple stakeholders to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the implementation of the New Urban Agenda in the region. It also highlighted the importance of intersectoral collaboration and the joint search for solutions to address emerging challenges.

The presentation by Diego Aulestia, Chief of ECLAC's Human Settlements Unit is available above. More information on the event, as well as the agenda, can be found in the attached link.

Side Event of the HIGH-LEVEL POLITICAL FORUM ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, under the auspices of ECOSOC (10-19 July 2023, New York)

Building urban resilience is critical for cities as they confront future shocks and stresses from climate, pollution and biodiversity loss. Strong cities and urban centres are essential to recovery efforts and to achievement of climate targets, SDG implementation and urbanization which aligns with visions in the New Urban Agenda.

The side event is proposed to highlight how regional efforts to localize SDGs and design coherent urban policies can help build resilience and position cities to lead recoveries from the global pandemic while contributing to national strategies to achieve the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the New Urban Agenda. 

The event will include representatives of national governments and national authorities being supported by Regional Commissions and UN-Habitat to implement the New Urban Agenda, as well as cities undertaking localization or Voluntary Local Reviews utilizing regional guidelines developed by the UN Regional Commissions.  

See attachments for Draft Agenda and related materials.

The issue of providing affordable housing in urban areas is a complex one that involves a variety of factors, including land availability and cost, zoning regulations, construction costs, and financing.

The aim of this session is to enable a transatlantic (Americas and Europe) dialogue on the subject, by examining exemplar cases in Europe and the US with a critical reflection from selected government officials operating in both continents.

Much has been written about land value capture tools and tax incentives mechanisms to gain developers’ contributions in the form of housing units. The focus here will be on the supply of urban land and how this can be achieved. We will particularly examine cases that:

1. Increase the supply of land, such as rezoning underutilized land or converting abandoned buildings into residential spaces. (José Téllez,  SostreCivic, Spain)
2. Create community land trusts: Community land trusts are non-profit organizations that purchase and hold land in trust for the benefit of the community. This can help ensure that the land is used for affordable housing and can also provide long-term stability for residents. (John Emmeus Davis -CLT Innovation)

A recording of the event is available on the attached Youtube link.

The Minurvi Forum is the space for intergovernmental coordination and cooperation of the countries of the region in the area of ​​sustainable development of human settlements. It is made up of the State ministers and government authorities related to the issues of housing and sustainable development of human settlements.

This year the thirty-first General Assembly of Ministers and Highest Authorities of Housing and Urban Planning of Latin America and the Caribbean (MINURVI) was held on December 5 and 6, 2022 at ECLAC headquarters, in Santiago Chile. The meeting was inaugurated by Carlos Montes, Minister of Housing and Urban Planning of Chile, the country that exercises the Presidency of the Minurvi Forum (2021-2022)

The General Assembly sought to promote an exchange to generate a common view on the problems, challenges and joint visualization of solutions and good practices in the region on housing and habitat, with a view to fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda.

During the day, several matters of interest were analyzed, such as the role of the State in the coordination and planning of urban-housing policies with a gender perspective and climate change criteria, as well as the land market and financing. Finally, the Santiago declaration was drafted under the title "Transforming and humanizing the city and the territory", collecting the most relevant points of the meeting and establishing commitments. Along with the election of the new board of directors for the period 2022-2023, assuming the presidency of the Forum the Minister of Territorial Development and Habitat of Argentina, Santiago Maggiotti together with three vice-presidencies in charge of the countries of Belize, Colombia and the Dominican Republic.