T

he city of Surabaya, under the auspices of the government of the Republic of Indonesia, is about to host a strategic event vital to our urban future.

PrepCom 3, the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (known as Habitat III), is a crucial step towards the finalization of a New Urban Agenda (NUA) that will hopefully guide the urbanization of the coming 20 years.

What is a New Urban Agenda and why does it matter?

While our cities have gone through massive transformations which have resulted in unprecedented economic growth and prosperity, the current model of urbanization is unsustainable in many aspects. Our cities consume 78 percent of the world’s energy. They produce more than half of all green-house gas emissions in the world. Our cities consume much more land than needed.

Against this backdrop, the urgent need for a New Urban Agenda is clear. The New Urban Agenda is an action-oriented plan, drafted by the states participating in Habitat III, to be agreed at that conference, to effectively address the complex challenges of urbanization.

If it is effectively implemented, the New Urban Agenda will help countries seize, and showcase, the increased opportunities offered by good urbanization.

The New Urban Agenda can play an essential role in meeting the objectives of the United Nations Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.

It is crucial that we get this right. Leading up to the Habitat III conference, visionary member states, local authorities, civil society members, journalists and other stakeholders have engaged in a very intense period of discussions and active consultations. As we reach the final stages of the Habitat III preparatory process, I am optimistic that we are moving in the right direction.

It is deeply gratifying to witness the coalescing of an already existing worldwide consensus over the recognition of the power of urbanization as a driver for wealth, employment and human progress. Unfortunately, urbanization that is unplanned or unmanaged often attracts new urban poverty, social conflict and insecurity, and we miss the opportunity to benefit from good quality urbanization. The New Urban Agenda should be the tool to turn around the negative outcomes of unplanned urbanization.

We are almost there. I encourage all leaders to take an active part in Surabaya, and in Quito, for Habitat III to set the stage for the historical paradigm shift of urbanization as an effective force for development at a time in history where qualitative development is much needed, in order to address the increased levels of inequality in our societies.

At UN-Habitat, the specialized UN program for sustainable urban development and human settlements, we stand ready to help implement a new integrated urban agenda grounded in national urban policies, clear and implemented urban legislation, good urban planning and design and an effective framework for sound municipal finance.

I commend the Indonesian government for hosting us in Surabaya for our final Preparatory Committee meeting. In addition to a successful Asia-Pacific Regional meeting in Jakarta last October, the support of Indonesia has played a crucial role in enriching this debate, in a critical moment for the future of humanity.
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The writer is the secretary-general of Habitat III and the executive director of UN-Habitat.