News

July 7, 2022

The Eleventh Session of the World Urban Forum

The Eleventh Session of the World Urban Forum, WUF 11, was organized by the UN-Habitat in partnership with the Government of Poland, in Katowice, on June 26-30, 2022. Nearly 20,000 people gathered to discuss the impact of rapid urbanization on cities, urban economies, finance, governance, communities, and policies.

The theme of WUF11, was Transforming Our Cities for a Better Urban Future. The forum highlighted a state of informed preparedness that provides us with the opportunity to anticipate change, correct the course of action if necessary, and become more knowledgeable on the different possibilities that the future of cities offer. It also illuminates the ways that policy, strategies and actions can promote desirable futures.

The world will continue to urbanize over the next decade - from 56% as is currently the case to 60% by 2030, with urban areas expected to absorb virtually all the future growth of the world’s population. 

Sustainable urbanization provides the basis and prosperity that are crucial to the global efforts to build back better, stronger, greener, safer, and smarter from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and get the world back on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Once viewed primarily through the lens of challenges to be addressed, urban areas are now crucial to securing sustainable economic, social, and environmental futures.

WUF11 with a number of assemblies, networking events, dialogue sessions, and meetings, the participants were able to get, greater insights and clarity on the future of cities based on existing trends, challenges and opportunities, as well as disruptive conditions, including the valuable lessons that cities have learned from the ongoing pandemic, and suggest ways cities can be better prepared to address future pandemics and a wide range of other shocks.

The World Urban Campaign's steering committee and assembly was held on the 28th of June. At this session, the introduction of each of the newly elected co-chairs for various partner groups was made. Mr. Reza Pourvaziry, the Chair of UEF and Co-Director of the World Urban Pavilion, has been elected as the Co-Chair for Philanthropies and Foundations.

At WUF 11, the UN-Habitat also launched UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2022. The report points out that urban areas are responsible for 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions, which means cities must act as leaders of climate action to meet the 1.5-degree Celsius goal set by the Paris Agreement.

When launching the report, UN-Habitat’s Executive Director UN-Habitat UN-Habitat’s Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif said, “With the right policies and the right commitment from governments, our children can inherit an urban future that is more inclusive, greener, safer and healthier. We must start by acknowledging that the status quo leading up to 2020 was in many ways an unsustainable model of urban development, and take the best practices learned in our responses to COVID-19 and the climate crisis.”

This new report calls for greater commitment by national, regional and local governments, and encourages the further adoption of innovative technologies and urban living concepts such as the “15-minute city.” Popularized in Paris, Melbourne and other places, it envisages that residents can meet most of their daily needs within a 15-minute journey.

Download the report's key findings and messages https://unhabitat.org/wcr/files/Key_Findings_and_Messages_WCR_2022.pdf

For more information:

https://wuf.unhabitat.org/

https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/newsroom/news/2022/07/07-11-2022-looking-back-at-world-urban-forum-11-in-katowice

https://enb.iisd.org/world-urban-forum-wuf11

 11th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF11) | IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin