POSITIONING UN-HABITAT TO HELP MEET THE URBAN CHALLENGE

Anna Tibaijuka Executive Director UN-HABITAT

Seville, 15-16 October 2008 1

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Sustainable Urbanisation

1996: 2000: 2001: 2002: 2003/4: 2005: 2005: 2006/7: Habitat Agenda and the Istanbul Declaration Millennium Declaration and slum improvement target Istanbul+5 and renewed commitment to Habitat Agenda “Sustainable Urbanisation” outcome of WUF I for WSSD Sanitation included as an IADG Flagship Reports show scale of slum growth, urban poverty and deprivation World Summit Outcome calls for slum prevention to complement slum improvement target Flagship Report on Financing Urban Shelter warns of systemic risks in over-extending housing finance UN-Habitat inputs to CSD show linkages between chaotic urbanisation, global warming & competing demands for land, water and energy 2008: 2008: Bali highlights sustainable urbanisation as important strategy for climate change mitigation Food, fuel and US sub-prime mortgage crises all linked to urban sustainability issues 2

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Strengthening UN-Habitat

Habitat II, Habitat Agenda and normative mandate UNCHS (Habitat) in crisis, several proposals for strengthening management and governance structure Re-vitalisation plan approved GA re-instates ED position for UN-Habitat Istanbul+5 renewed commitment to Habitat Agenda GA 56/206 elevates status of UN-Habitat and calls for its strengthening to fulfil its mandate ED of UN-Habitat becomes member of CEB Report of OIOS in-depth progammatic review calls for programme focus and alignment GC 20 calls for MTSIP UN-Habitat prepares comprehensive Plan GC endorses MTSIP, also calls for review of governance structure CPR endorses MTSIP Action Plan Implementation of kick-start phase of Action Plan 2010-2011 Work Programme aligned with MTSIP 3

Horizoning: The Housing & Basic Services Challenge

Urban Population 2003 3,043,935,000 of total 48% 60% Estimated urban population 2030 Additional urban population by 2030 People needing housing & urban services by 2030 Slum Population (2001) Projected Slum Population (2030) * % of total urban 4,944,680,000 1,900,744,000 2,824,730,000 923,896,000 2,000,000,000 32%* 41%* 4

Horizoning: The Cities & Climate Change Challenge

       21 of 33 of the world’s largest cities are coastal 50% increase in extreme weather events affecting cities (1950-1990) 13% of world’s urban population lives in low elevation coastal zones 100 million people live less than 1 meter above sea level Most vulnerable are slum dwellers and urban poor Urban areas consume @75% of the world’s energy Urban areas produce @75% of all waste including a large portion of Green House Gas emissions 5

MTSIP: Did we get it right?

Advocacy, monitoring & partnerships Participatory urban planning, management & governance Pro-poor land and housing Yes, with more emphasis on private sector and focused global campaign on sustainable urbanisation Yes, with more emphasis on integrated and holistic urban planning Environmentally sound urban infrastructure & services Strengthening human settlements financing systems Excellence in management Yes, with more emphasis on effective land use for all, and not just the poor Yes. Need operational partnership with UNEP and others to mainstream mitigation and adaptation in infra planning & services Yes, with more emphasis on risk assessments and management, and on community organizations, cooperatives, etc Quick wins on track, must dos initiated, with more challenges ahead 6

What Next?

    Consolidate gains and focus on achievement of results Further strengthen instruments for programme alignment & delivery Implement new partnership strategy and resource mobilisation strategy Set priorities for next phase of Delivering as One UN 7