World Urban Forum

World Urban Forum
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Name	World Urban Forum
Formation	2002
Founder	United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Type	International conference
Headquarters	Nairobi

World Urban Forum

The World Urban Forum is a major international event convened to address urbanization challenges and opportunities, organized by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and hosted in rotating cities. It gathers representatives from United Nations, United Nations Development Programme, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, European Union, African Union and national ministries, alongside mayors from cities such as New York City, São Paulo, Shanghai, Nairobi and Cape Town. The Forum promotes implementation of agreements including the Habitat II outcomes and the New Urban Agenda, and engages with processes like the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.

Overview

The Forum functions as a high-profile multi-stakeholder platform linking agencies such as UN-Habitat, UNESCO, UN Women, World Health Organization, International Labour Organization and United Nations Environment Programme with municipal networks like United Cities and Local Governments, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and Metropolis. Sessions feature mayors from London, Tokyo, Mexico City, Istanbul and Jakarta alongside corporate delegations from firms like Siemens, Arup Group, Geely, and financial institutions such as Asian Development Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. The Forum interfaces with technical bodies like the International Organization for Standardization and academic partners including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, Tsinghua University and University of Cape Town.

History and Editions

The inaugural Forum followed dialogues at Habitat II in Istanbul and was first convened by UN-Habitat in 2002, with subsequent editions hosted in cities including Barcelona (2004), Vancouver (2006), Nairobi (2006), Nanjing (2008), Rio de Janeiro (2010), Naples (2012), Medellín (2014), Kuala Lumpur (2018) and Abu Dhabi (2018). Later editions met in Kuwait City, Brasília, Katowice and Bengaluru. Each edition has intersected with major global events such as COP21, UN General Assembly sessions, World Urban Forum 9 and other thematic conferences, attracting delegations from the European Commission, African Development Bank and national delegations from India, Brazil, China, South Africa and Nigeria. The Forum’s chronology reflects shifts sparked by documents like the New Urban Agenda endorsed at Habitat III.

Objectives and Themes

Primary objectives cite implementation of the New Urban Agenda, alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and pursuit of urban resilience linked to the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Thematic tracks often include housing rights debates referencing Habitat II, discussions on public transport involving Bus Rapid Transit systems exemplified by Curitiba, finance mechanisms with actors such as the World Bank Group and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, and smart-city technologies featuring Cisco Systems and Huawei Technologies. Sessions address informal settlements with partners like Slum Dwellers International, gender equity with UN Women and health outcomes with World Health Organization.

Governance and Organizers

The Forum is convened by UN-Habitat under the authority of the United Nations General Assembly and coordinated with entities including the United Nations Economic and Social Council, UN-Habitat Governing Council, and national host governments such as United Arab Emirates or Malaysia when hosting. Organizational partners include municipal associations like Global Parliament of Mayors, philanthropic foundations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and research institutes including Lincoln Institute of Land Policy and Brookings Institution. Contracting and logistical support often involves event management firms and local authorities of host cities like Barcelona City Council or Kuala Lumpur City Hall.

Participation and Stakeholders

Participants encompass a wide spectrum: heads of state and ministers (e.g., delegations from United States, China, Brazil), mayors of major metropolises such as Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Seoul, and city networks such as Mercocities. Civil society includes organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Greenpeace, World Wildlife Fund, Amnesty International and grassroots groups such as Slum Dwellers International. Private sector participants include multinational corporations, impact investors, and financial entities like Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, European Investment Bank and infrastructure corporations including Bechtel and Vinci. Academic contributors include Harvard University, London School of Economics, Peking University and think tanks like Chatham House.

Key Outcomes and Impact

Outcomes typically comprise ministerial declarations, city commitments, toolkits, and partnership agreements facilitating projects backed by institutions such as the World Bank and Asian Development Bank. Notable impacts include advances toward the New Urban Agenda, investments in affordable housing influenced by programs from Inter-American Development Bank, climate resilience commitments aligned with C40 initiatives, and knowledge products co-produced with UN-Habitat and academic partners. The Forum has catalyzed collaborations leading to infrastructure projects in cities like Kigali, Lagos, Mumbai and Dhaka and has shaped policy discourse at subsequent forums including Habitat III and the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.

Category:United Nations conferences Category:Urban planning events