United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III)

United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III)
Name	United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III)
Date	October 2016
Location	Quito, Ecuador
Organizer	United Nations
Participants	Member States of the United Nations General Assembly, United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN-Habitat

Contents

United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) Habitat III was the third global summit convened by the United Nations on urbanization and human settlements, held in Quito in October 2016, which produced the New Urban Agenda endorsed by member states of the United Nations General Assembly and implemented through UN-Habitat and partners such as the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme. The conference aimed to reposition urban planning within global frameworks like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and to influence processes linked to the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Background and objectives

Preparations involved intergovernmental processes led by the United Nations General Assembly and regional consultations convened by entities like the African Union, the European Union, the Organization of American States, and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Stakeholders included national delegations from countries such as Ecuador, United States, China, India, Brazil, municipal and city networks including the United Cities and Local Governments, civil society groups like Slum Dwellers International, private sector actors including the International Chamber of Commerce, financial institutions such as the International Finance Corporation and European Investment Bank, and academic partners from universities like Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University College London, and Universidad San Francisco de Quito. The preparatory process integrated inputs from specialized agencies including the World Health Organization, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

The New Urban Agenda adopted at Habitat III established principles for urban governance and spatial planning promoted by UN-Habitat and supported by partners like the World Bank Group and United Nations Development Programme. The Agenda referenced commitments under the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, emphasizing partnerships with actors such as C40 Cities, ICLEI, United Cities and Local Governments, and philanthropic organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. The document addressed issues pertinent to agencies such as the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization, and aligned with legal frameworks influenced by institutions like the International Court of Justice in its emphasis on rights-based approaches.

The Habitat III conference in Quito convened plenary sessions attended by heads of state, ministers, mayors from cities such as New York City, Tokyo, Johannesburg, and representatives from institutions including the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the European Union. Key outcomes included adoption of the New Urban Agenda, launches of partnerships among the World Bank Group, UN-Habitat, United Nations Development Programme, city networks including C40 Cities, ICLEI, and initiatives supported by the International Finance Corporation and the Asian Development Bank. Parallel events featured contributions from civil society organizations like Slum Dwellers International, academic panels involving Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University College London, and private sector commitments coordinated with the International Chamber of Commerce.

Implementation responsibilities were distributed across entities including UN-Habitat, the United Nations Development Programme, the World Bank, regional development banks such as the Inter-American Development Bank and the Asian Development Bank, and municipal networks like United Cities and Local Governments. Follow-up mechanisms included monitoring through the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, reporting to the United Nations General Assembly, and cooperation with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the World Health Organization to integrate targets from the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement. Capacity-building initiatives involved partnerships with universities such as Universidad San Francisco de Quito and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and financing instruments engaged actors like the International Finance Corporation and the European Investment Bank.

Critics including advocacy groups such as Slum Dwellers International and research institutions including think tanks affiliated with Oxford University and London School of Economics argued that the New Urban Agenda lacked binding mechanisms comparable to the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and raised concerns echoed by city networks like C40 Cities over finance commitments from institutions such as the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Controversies also involved debates over land rights promoted by organizations like Habitat for Humanity versus private sector interests represented by the International Chamber of Commerce and philanthropic funders including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and scrutiny from human rights bodies including the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights regarding protections for informal settlement residents.