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A New Urban Agenda is universal in scope and reflects the world's shared vision and joint commitment to harness the extraordinary potential for sustainable development of the rapid urbanisation process, across its social, environmental and economic dimensions said European Commissioner Corina Crețu, in charge of EU Regional Policy.

The New Urban Agenda has become a cornerstone in the implementation and localisation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other milestone reform agendas of 2015, in particular the Paris Agreement (December 2015).

The “urban agenda” is an instrument to guide global community in turning these challenges of global concern into powerful opportunities to ensure that no one is left behind.

Sustainable and inclusive development: urban governance

The Agenda has at its core human-rights based approach, and promotes the indivisibility and universality of human rights and women's empowerment, which is considered vital to achieving sustainable and inclusive development.

The key to achieving the ambitious paradigm shift called for in the New Urban Agenda is “hidden” in urban governance. The EU member states are already effectively working towards this vision: they have adopted the EU urban agenda based on partnership approach involving cities and other stakeholders, while aiming at better including the urban dimension into other EU’s sectoral policies. This means involving cities in the design of policies and mobilising cities in the delivery of policies, argued Commissioner Corina Crețu.

Thus the agenda seeks to promote more effective and efficient regulations, needs-oriented funding, more integrated policy-making, better knowledge base and exchange process.

Thereby, the global Urban Agenda for the EU is a key delivery instrument to encompass many of the approaches and fundamental principles; hence the EU states committed to engaging with partners around the globe, to jointly address the challenges of urban poverty and exclusion, for the benefit of sustainable development in EU partner countries.

This requires a significant change to policy-making, within and for urban areas, calling for a renewed commitment to strengthening the capacity of sub-national and local governments in all aspects of governance. The EU is willing to strengthen existing capacities, in particular in revenue generation and access to finance.

Besides, the EU institutions commit to promoting sustainable spatial planning and the equitable management of land markets, as well as the development of sustainable, resilient and low-emission infrastructure networks.

At the same time, the EU states will also strengthen the data and statistical capacities at all governance levels.

United efforts needed

Progress towards a global people-based definition of cities and human settlements may support the work in implementing new agenda.

As soon as the new urban agenda is the outcome of European and global joint efforts to formulate a truly transformative agenda, it needs united efforts.

The agenda contains all elements needed to go beyond business as usual, and to “localise” the UN Sustainable Development Goals adopted last year.

Only together, all regions in the world can bring the global New Urban Agenda to life and turn the global challenges of sustainable urbanisation into global opportunities for all.

Commissioner Corina Crețu has sent a clear message: “Let us not miss this historical momentum”.

Reference: Speech by Commissioner Crețu, in charge of Regional Policy, at the Opening Plenary Session of the UN Habitat Conference in Quito, Ecuador, 18.x.2016.

http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_SPEECH-16-3469_en.htm?locale=en