WUC COMMUNIQUÉ - OUR COMMITMENT TO THE PACT OF THE FUTURE

The World Urban Campaign welcomes the progress made in the draft document of the Pact for the Future and feels compelled to draw urgent attention to the critical topics of urbanization, sustainable cities and communities, and adequate housing. These issues are fundamental to achieving the vision set forth in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and must be prioritized in the upcoming Pact for the Future, to be launched at the Summit of the Future in September 2024. This Summit represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to address these vital topics and ensure a sustainable future for all.

Urbanization, when managed sustainably, can be a powerful engine for economic prosperity, social inclusion, cultural vitality, and environmental sustainability. Over half of the world's population now lives in urban areas, a proportion expected to increase to two-thirds by 2050. This demographic shift underscores the need for urgent action to build sustainable cities that can accommodate this growth while enhancing the quality of life for all urban residents. By addressing these challenges proactively, we can transform urban areas into hubs of innovation, opportunity, and sustainability.

Sustainable urbanization can drive economic prosperity, create jobs, and foster technological advancements. Well-planned urban areas can promote social inclusion, reduce inequalities, and provide equitable access to services and opportunities for all citizens. Sustainable urban planning can mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, reduce pollution, and promote efficient use of resources. Finally, prioritizing investment in resilient infrastructure and adequate housing for all is essential. This investment not only protects the urban population from the ravages of natural disasters and unforeseen threats but also allows places and communities to adapt and ensure long-term sustainability and resilience in the face of evolving challenges.

We support the Pact for the Future that urges the full implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, with a firm belief that sustainable urbanization, access to affordable housing, and secure tenure are fundamental elements to achieve a sustainable, equitable, and resilient future for all.

We commit to promoting the Pact for the Future, leveraging this unique opportunity to make a lasting impact on millions of urban residents worldwide by focusing on The New Urban Agenda, approved by Member States at the Habitat III Conference in 2016, also captured in The City We Need Now!, our manifesto to urge the implementation of SDG11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, and all urban-related sustainable development goals and targets.

Aligned with paragraph 24 of the Pact, we would like to additionally emphasize the need to ensuring sustainable urbanization, that cities and urban regions leave no one and no place behind in pursuit of the 2030 Agenda, to respect, protect, and fulfil all human rights without discrimination; to achieve universal and quality education; and to take targeted and accelerated action to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls and remove all legal, social, and economic barriers to achieving gender equality. We reaffirm that achieving gender equality, empowering all women and girls, and fully realizing their human rights are essential to achieving sustained, inclusive, and equitable economic growth and sustainable development. In addition, we believe that providing essential needs, including food, water and sanitation, health care, and housing, to secure the well-being of all is key to the realization of the Pact.

In paragraph 30 of the Pact, we would like to additionally highlight the need to effectively design, build, and manage human settlements for humanity to live in harmony with nature, to conserve and sustainably use our planet’s marine and terrestrial resources, including through sustainable lifestyles, sustainable consumption and production, reversing the trends of environmental degradation and pivoting to habitat restoration, promoting resilience and sustainable management of natural and working lands, reducing disaster risk, and halting ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss. Also, we would like to emphasize the need to address unsustainable urbanization patterns through better planning and nature-based solutions towards restoring ecological systems and improving healthy living in cities.

In addition, we commit to advancing priority topics of the Pact for the Future at this critical moment driven by the ravages and threats of wars, insecurity, and climate change.

In particular, we commit to advancing and promoting:

• Social justice and equity in cities and communities

• Financing social development towards inclusive cities

• Gender equality in cities and communities

• Inclusive digital transformation for cities and communities

• Robust urban health systems

• Adequate housing and services for all, including migrants and displaced populations

• Urban heritage and intercultural dialogue

• Youth empowerment towards a sustainable urban future.

These topics are essential for addressing the unique challenges and opportunities associated with urbanization and contribute to creating sustainable, resilient, and inclusive cities.

We look forward to a sustainable and inclusive future, aware of the critical role of urbanization and the need to increase the sustainability of cities and communities, and the essential function of adequate housing in the future of the generations to come.

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The World Urban Campaign Steering Committee

Co-Chairs

-Analia Lourdes Pastran, Smartly Social Entrepreneurship on the SDGs 

-Sri Husnaini Sofjan, Huairou Commission Women, Homes & Community 

PCG. 1 - Local and Sub-national Authorities  

-Christian Hubel, Studien Institut Rhein-Neckar (STIRN) 

-Garlynn G. Woodsong, PLACE Initiative 

PCG.2 - Research and Academia 

-Bruce Stiftel, Global Planning Education Association Network (GPEAN) 

-Margarita Greene, Center for Sustainable Urban Development (CEDEUS) 

PCG.3 - Civil Society Organizations  

-Jane W. Katz, Global Urban Development (GUD) 

-Alexis Galinos, Organization Earth 

PCG.4 - Grassroots Organizations  

-Joseph Oduor Otieno, Leaders for Leaders Champion  

PCG.5 - Women  

-Limota Goroso Giwa, Huairou Commission Women, Homes & Community 

-Jane Anyango Odongo, Polycom Development Project  

PCG.7 - Children and Youth 

-Anne Louise Meincke, Plan International 

-Meng Wang, World Young Scientists (YES) Network 

PCG.8 - Business and Industries  

-Alex Francisco, Arcadis 

-Parisa Kloss, Resilient Urban Planning and Development (RUPD) GbR 

PCG.9 - Foundations and Philanthropies  

-Reza Pourvaziry, Urban Economy Forum Association (UEF) 

-Petros Kokkalis, Kokkalis Foundation 

PCG.10 - Professionals 

-Mona Rady, Africa Union of Architects (AUA) 

-Wei Yang, Royal Town Planning Institute 

PCG.13 - Farmers 

-Ebrima M. Jagne, Bamboo Foundation 

PCG.14 - Indigenous People 

-Bassey Bassey, HipCity Innovation Centre 

PCG.15 - Medias  

-Christopher Elisara, First+Main Films & Better Cities Film Festival 

PCG.16 - Older Persons  

-Michael Kanyingi Kimuhu, Mangu Integrated Community Project