World Urban Forum: The search for solutions to the global housing crisis moves to Cairo

What is the World Urban Forum?

The World Urban Forum (WUF), a major UN conference on sustainable urban development, was set up in 2001 to address global urbanisation, one of the most pressing issues facing the world today. Since then, a forum has been held every two years and this year, the conference takes place from 4 to 8 November in Cairo, Egypt.

Since it began, the forum has helped the UN agency for sustainable towns and cities, UN-Habitat, to collect information on cases and trends and build partnerships and coalitions in order to support its work and find solutions to the global housing crisis and such major crises as climate change, conflicts and poverty.

© UNICEF/Bindra

Vehicle emissions, diesel generators, the burning of biomass and garbage have all contributed to poor air quality in Lagos Lagoon in Nigeria. (file 2016)

Why is it important?

Today, around 50 per cent of the global population live in cities, and this is expected to rise to 70 per cent by 2050. The move to urban centres is having a major impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change and policies.

Much of the growth will take place in Africa, where the population is projected to nearly double over the next 30 years. Cairo, along with several African cities, is likely to become one of the world’s largest metropolitan hubs, housing more than 10 million people by 2035.

“I see WUF as a big coalition in support of transformative change,” Anacláudia Rossbach, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat, told UN News. “Its goal is to promote collaboration and cooperation between those involved in advancing and implementing sustainable urban development.”

© UNICEF/Farhana Satu

A polluted canal flows through a slum on the outskirts of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

What is this year’s theme?

The theme of WUF12 It all starts at home: Local actions for sustainable cities and communities emphasises that solutions must begin where people live, work and build their lives.

There will be a focus on local actions to address the global housing crisis, which is being compounded by climate change and growing inequalities.

“By bringing the discussion closer to home and focusing on local actions, we aim to translate global goals into tangible improvements in people’s lives,” said Ms. Rossbach. “WUF12 will serve as a platform to discuss and learn from successful local initiatives, ensuring that progress made in one city can inspire and inform similar efforts elsewhere.”

Delegates will also learn about the many ways that urban planners and authorities are making cities more sustainable by, for example, developing green spaces, parks and urban forests, which help mitigate the heat island effect, improve air quality and enhance biodiversity.

What comes next?

One tangible outcome of the conference for Cairo will be the revitalisation of Al Asmarat, a low-income neighbourhood. The initiative, in collaboration with the governor of Cairo, is part of a plan to turn the city into a living exhibition of sustainable urbanism.

“This initiative is a demonstration of our belief that every city, every community and every resident has a role to play in building a better future,” declared Ms. Rossbach.

For UN-Habitat, the successful outcome of WUF12 will involve the establishment of new partnerships and coalitions to advance sustainable urban development, furthering both the agency’s New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, both of which propose a vision of a better and more sustainable future for all.

The agency will also continue working closely with local authorities and inspiring activists on urban projects that are changing lives in cities across the world. For example, in Kibera, an informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, UN-Habitat is working with a grassroots organization to regenerate the Ngong River and improve the environment for the local community. In Yangon, Myanmar, the agency is working closely with local groups to introduce large rainwater harvesting tanks, providing safe, affordable water to some of the city’s most vulnerable people, and in Bolivia, UN-Habitat has supported the country’s development of a national plan with clear goals to improve the quality of life for city residents.

Where can I find out more?

The full conference programme can be found on the official World Urban Forum website.

Look out for coverage of the WUF highlights from our correspondent in Cairo throughout the week on UN News.