On the way to the 3rd UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III), the first draft of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) was launched.

ICLEI aligns with the initial statements of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments, welcomes the Draft as a strong inspiration for action, but considers it weak on mechanisms for implementing a transformative urban agenda.

ICLEI highlights:

1 – The inclusive and innovative consultation process with various thematic meetings hosted by local governments.

2 - The integration of new and innovative concepts around urban development, including concepts such as the right to the city (right to the cityand the need for increased metropolitan governance.

3 – The inclusion of proposals for stakeholders, as well as the allocation of 20% from national budgets to local authorities and the adoption of a ‘United Nations Decade of Sustainable Urbanisation’.

ICLEI also recommends that:

1. SDG 11 on cities and all other SDGs should be more strongly anchored in the New Urban Agenda.

2. National governments should make real commitments to action and specify concrete mechanisms for implementation.

3. Local and subnational climate action amplifies global and multilateral efforts by providing capabilities and resources.

The next steps in the Habitat III process include informal negotiations, such as hearings with Local Authorities this month and with civil society in June, the Preparatory Committee in July, in Surabaya, and the final conference which will be held in Quito in October.

Read ICLEI's full response to the Habitat III Zero Draft here.

Read the Habitat III Zero Draft of the New Urban Agenda complete and in Portuguese (Content translated by the São Paulo City Council).

For more information, visit:

Habitat III Zero Draft of the New Urban Agenda

Habitat III Local Authority Hearings, 16 and 17 May 2016

Habitat III Local Authorities’ Hearings Working Group #Listen2Cities