iExtracted automatically from each entity’s budget submission.
What does this mandate say?
159 operative paragraphs
I.Introduction 1-3 3
II.Attendance 2-7 3
III.Opening of the meeting and adoption of the agenda (agenda item 1) 8 3
V.Report on the outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development,
Housing and Land Management 2021, the roundtable “In Focus: SDG 11” and
related recommendations (agenda item 3) 16-18 5
VI.Matters arising since the last Committee session (agenda item 4) 19-20 5
VII
Recovering back better : building urban economic resilience during and aafter
COVID-19 (agenda item 5) 21-25 5-6
A.Implementation of the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSSC)
initiative (agenda item 7a)29-317-8
B.Preparation for the Second Forum of Mayors (agenda item 7b)32-358
C.Carbon-neutral and energy-efficient housing (agenda item 7c)36-389
D.Activities of the Geneva UN Charter Centres for Sustainable Housing and
Smart Sustainable Cities (agenda item 7d)39-409
E.Activities of the Real Estate Market Advisory Group (agenda item 7e)41-4210
F.Land administration and management (agnea item 7f)43-4410
G.Country profiles on urban development, housing and land management
(agenda item 7g)45-4611
X.Programmes of work of the housing and land management component of the
Housing, Land Management and Population subprogrammes for 2022 and
recommendations on key components of the programme of work
for 2023 (agenda item 8)47-4811-12
XI.Election of the Bureau (agenda item 9) 49 12
XII.Other business (agenda item 10) 50 12
XIII.Adoption of the report and closing of the session (agenda item 11) 51-55 12
Annexes
I.Names of ministers and heads of delegation who delivered statements at the
Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management ….13-14
II
Summary of the Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and
Land Management 15-16
III.Summary of the “In Focus: SDG 11” roundtable, 6 October 2021 17-18
I.Introduction
1
The Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management held its eighty-second session in Geneva from 6 to 8 October 2020. It included the Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management, held on 6 and 7 October 2021, and the Committee session, held on 8 October 202 The meeting also allowed participation online, with simultaneous interpretation into English, French and Russian. In addition, the meeting was open to the general public and streamed live on UN Web TV with over 600 views from 56 countries.
II.Attendance
2
Representatives of the following countries of the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) participated: Albania, Armenia (online), Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus (online), Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina (online), Bulgaria (online), Croatia, Cyprus (online), Czechia, Denmark, Estonia (online), Finland (online), France, Georgia, Germany (online), Greece (online), Hungary (online), Italy (online), Ireland (online), Kyrgyzstan (online), Latvia (online), Lithuania (online), Malta (online), North Macedonia, Montenegro (online), Norway, Poland, Portugal (online), Republic of Moldova (online), Romania, Russian Federation, San Marino, Serbia (online), Slovakia (online), Slovenia, Spain (online), Switzerland, Turkey (online), Turkmenistan (online), Ukraine (online), United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (online), United States of America (online), and Uzbekistan (online).
3
Representatives of the European Union delegation to the United Nations also attended (online).
4
Representatives of the following United Nations programmes and specialized agencies attended: United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the World Health Organization (WHO).
5
Representatives of the following intergovernmental and international organizations attended: Housing Europe, the International Real Estate Federation (FIABCI), the International Union of Tenants, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
6
Representatives of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector, academics from universities and research institutions, and independent experts also attended, at the invitation of the secretariat.
7
Representatives of the following local and regional authorities from the ECE region attended: city of Vienna, Trondheim Kommune, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) (online).
III.Opening of the meeting and adoption of the agenda
The Chair of the Committee, Ms. Doris Andoni (Albania), presented the provisional agenda, which was then adopted. She informed the meeting that over 400 delegates and observers registered to participate in the Ministerial Meeting and Committee session representing 45 countries from the ECE region. Many more followed the meeting via UN Web TV for which no registration was necessary.
IV.Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management 2021
The meeting was opened by Ms. Tatiana Valovaya, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva; Ms. Olga Algayerova, ECE Executive Secretary; Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat; and Mr. Rajagopal Balakrishnan, Special Rapporteur on the right to adequate housing (online).
10
Participants in the Ministerial Meeting were presented with the: (i) outcomes of the survey of ECE member States “Improving Housing Affordability in the ECE region”; (ii) key conclusions and recommendations of the report "#Housing2030: Effective policies for affordable housing in the UNECE region", developed by the ECE secretariat in cooperation with its partners, members of the #Housing2030 initiative, Housing Europe and UN-Habitat, and in consultation with the Committee Bureau; and (iii) information on the #Housing2030 online platform of best practices.
11
The names and titles of the 40 Ministers and heads of delegation who delivered statements is available in annex I. The summary of the Ministerial Meeting is contained in annex II of this report and the recordings of the presentations are available online at https://unece.org/housing/cudhlm-session82.
12
The “Place and Life in the ECE – A Regional Action Plan 2030: Tackling challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate and housing emergencies in region, city, neighbourhood and homes”, developed by the ECE secretariat in cooperation with the Committee Bureau and through a consultation with ECE member States, was presented and endorsed by Ministers and heads of delegations at the Ministerial Meeting.
13
Participants attended the opening of the exhibition of sketches of Architect Norman Foster, to illustrate the Regional Action Plan. The exhibition was organized in cooperation with the United Nations Office in Geneva Cultural Services at the Palais des Nations.
14
Norman Foster delivered an online message on the “Place and Life in the ECE –
A Regional Action Plan 2030” and how he illustrated it.
15
The Ministerial Meeting:
a
Launched the study "#Housing2030: Effective policies for affordable housing in the UNECE region" and welcomed its key conclusions and recommendations;
b
Took note of the outcomes of the 2020-2021 survey of ECE member States “Improving Housing Affordability in the UNECE region”;
c
Launched the #Housing2030 online platform of best practices at www.housing2030.org;
d
Endorsed the “Place and Life in the ECE – A Regional Action Plan 2030: Tackling challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate and housing emergencies in region, city, neighbourhood and homes”;
e
Expressed gratitude to Norman Foster and the Norman Foster Foundation for providing the sketches to the Regional Action Plan;
f
Invited national and local governments, as well as all relevant stakeholders in the ECE region, to support its implementation.
V.Report on the outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management 2021, the roundtable “In Focus: SDG 11” and related recommendations
The Chair summarized the outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting and the Committee discussed steps needed for the implementation of the Regional Action Plan. Highlights from the Ministerial Meeting are available in annex II.
17
A representative of the Geneva Cities Hub presented the report of the “In Focus:
SDG 11” which took place on 6 October 2021, prior to the Ministerial Meeting. The “In Focus: SDG 11” roundtable brought together representatives of United Nations partner organizations, city networks, NGOs and academia to discuss progress with achieving the SDG 11. The meeting report is contained in annex III.
18
The Committee:
a
Took note of the outcomes of the Ministerial Meeting and the report of the “In Focus: SDG 11” roundtable;
b
Endorsed the “Place and Life in the ECE – A Regional Action Plan 2030: Tackling challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate and housing emergencies in region, city, neighbourhood and homes” as an official publication in English and Russian, digital and print.
VI.Matters arising since the last Committee session
19
The secretariat presented recent developments at the United Nations, including at the High-level Political Forum (HLPF), and ECE, which affect the work of the Committee.
20
The Committee took note of the information provided on:
a
Side events to be organized during the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), Glasgow, United Kingdom, 31 October–12 December 2021;
b
Planning of side events to the Second Forum of Mayors, Geneva,
4 to 6 April 2022; the ECE 2020 Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, Geneva,
6 to 8 October 2022; and to the Eleventh World Urban Forum “Transforming our Cities for a Better Urban Future”, Katowice, Poland, 26 to 30 June 2022.
VII.Recovering back better: building urban economic resilience during and after COVID-19
The Chair reminded that the Committee, at its eighty-first session, “welcomed the activities of the secretariat regarding supporting the response to COVID-19 at city level and building urban economic resilience, and requested the Bureau to formulate relevant proposals for the continuation of these activities as part of the programme of work for 2021, as appropriate” (ECE/HBP/206, paragraph 59).
22
The Committee was informed on the following activities to support cities to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and build resilience:
a
A project on “Post COVID-19 Recovery in Informal Settlements in the ECE Region” intended to strengthen the capacity of national and local governments in ECE countries to address the needs of the most vulnerable population groups living in informal settlements. This project resulted in the development of the “COVID-19 Recovery Action Plan for Informal Settlements for countries in the ECE region”. It also led to concrete recommendations for the four pilot cities - Albania (Tirana), Kyrgyzstan (Bishkek), Montenegro (Podgorica) and North Macedonia (Skopje) - to upgrade informal settlements and support the recovery from COVID-19 pandemic. Implementation of the project was supported by the funds of the ECE Regular Programme for Technical Cooperation.
b
A “rapid response” project on building urban economic resilience during and after COVID-19, which is being implemented in 2020 and 2021 and focuses on strengthening the capacities of local governments in 16 cities globally, including in three cities in countries in the ECE region – Tirana (Albania), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and Kharkiv (Ukraine). The project supports pilot city governments to develop and implement their immediate response and recovery plans to the COVID-19 pandemic. This project is being implemented in 2020-2021 by the five United Nations Regional Commissions in cooperation with UN-Habitat and the United Nations Capital Development Fund, and with the support of the United Nations Development Account (UNDA) programme.
23
A representative from the Russian Federation showed appreciation for the COVID-19 Recovery Action Plan for its flexibility and adaptability to the specificities of each region.
24
A consultant working for the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean intervened online and provided information on her work supporting the localization of the SDGs in Latin America within the joint with ECE UNDA project on “Inter‐regional cooperation for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda”. She welcomed the opportunity for cross-regional exchanges between Europe and Latin America.
25
The Committee:
a
Welcomed the secretariat’s work in supporting the response to the COVID-19 pandemic at city level and building urban economic resilience, and invited the secretariat to continue this work;
b
Took note of the outcomes of the projects “Post COVID-19 Recovery in Informal Settlements in the ECE Region” and the “UNDA rapid response project on building economic resilience after COVID-19”;
c
Welcomed the “Regional Policy Brief on Building Urban Economic Resilience during and after COVID-19 in the UNECE Region”;
d
Endorsed the COVID-19 Recovery Action Plan for Informal Settlements in the ECE Region and approved it as an official publication in English and Russian, digital and print;
e
Welcomed the secretariat’s activities to support the implementation of the COVID-19 Recovery Action Plan for Informal Settlements in the ECE Region, including organization of subregional, regional and local workshops and the development of an online training module.
VIII.Sustainable Development Goals Voluntary Local Reviews: measuring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level
Documentation: ECE/HBP/2021/4
26
The secretariat presented the draft “Guidelines for the development of Voluntary Local Reviews in the ECE Region”. UN-Habitat and a representative of the Geneva UN Charter Centre of Excellence in Trondheim, Norway provided information on their activities supporting development of the Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs).
27
The representative of the Geneva UN Charter Centre of Excellence in Trondheim Kommune reported about the progress in using VLRs to track and report on their SDG progress. The focus of their work is on transport, mobility, and energy. The representative highlighted that VLRs are instrumental for them and are used to motivate other stakeholders to take action.
28
The Committee:
a
Endorsed the “Guidelines for the development of Volunteer Local Reviews in the ECE Region” and called for cities to apply the Guidelines to develop their VLRs;
b
Welcomed secretariat’s work in supporting the implementation of the Guidelines, among them the organization of capacity-building activities; international events, including a joint event with United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, UN-Habitat and the city government of Helsingborg during the H22 City Expo (Helsingborg, Sweden, July 2022); testing the Guidelines in pilot cities on their requests and the development of an online training module;
c
Invited the secretariat to update the Guidelines based on outcomes of testing in pilot cities and on feedback from the pilot cities, relevant experts and stakeholders, UN-Habitat, other United Nations agencies and partner organizations;
d
Requested the secretariat to submit the updated Guidelines for consideration of the Committee at its eighty-third session in 2022.
IX.Review of the implementation of the programmes of work 2020 and 2021
A.Implementation of the United for Smart Sustainable Cities initiative
The Committee was informed on the updated Terms of References of the United for Smart Sustainable Cities (U4SSC) as well as about ongoing activities of ECE within the U4SSC initiative, including:
a
Implementation of activities under the UNDA 12 tranche project “Sustainable Smart Cities with Innovative Financing” in six pilot cities - Grodno (Belarus), Almaty and Nur-Sultan (Kazakhstan), Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan), Tbilisi (Georgia) and Podgorica (Montenegro);
b
Preparation of the “Compendium of Practices on Innovative Financing” under the U4SSC thematic group on Innovative Financing.
30
The participants were informed on the development of the smart sustainable cities profiles for the Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and Grodno (Belarus) and on cooperation projects which are being developed based on the recommendations of the city profiles:
a
The secretariat informed the participants on the evaluation of the cities’ performance against the Key Performance Indicators for Smart Sustainable Cities (KPIs for SSC) and on cooperation with other United Nations agencies as part of the development of the city profiles.
b
The mayor of Bishkek thanked ECE for the partnership and support to the improvement of city’s informal settlements. He informed the delegates that the city of Bishkek will be working on its VLRs in cooperation with ECE. The city is also working on a strategy for economic recovery during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. He expressed hope that, with the support of ECE, an improvement of infrastructure in the urban centre can be achieved.
c
The Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) presented their work on providing technical assistance to link cities to financing. They hold a Virtual Clinic in Bishkek. It is planned to have three sessions to discuss the project concept and how to draft bankable and sustainable project proposals in line with funder priorities. He expressed appreciation to ECE for the development of project ideas and technical documents which are very helpful to CDIA in its work to find direct investments into the city economy.
d
The Governor of the Grodno Region informed on the development of a pilot project on the creation of a green district in the city as part of the cooperation with ECE and other United Nations agencies.
31
The Committee:
a
Endorsed the revised Terms of Reference of the United for Smart Sustainable Cities Initiative;
b
Welcomed the activities of the “Sustainable Smart Cities with Innovative Financing” programme;
c
Took note of the preparation of the “Compendium of Practices on Innovative Financing”;
d
Welcomed the development of smart sustainable cities profiles for Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and Grodno, Belarus, as well as approved the publication of these city profiles as official publications online in English and Russian, digital and print;
e
Requested the secretariat, subject to the availability of financial resources, to continue the cooperation within the U4SSC initiative, including on matters related to digitalization and digital transformation of cities;
f
Requested the secretariat to develop a background document outlining future activities under the programme of work on digitalization and digital transformation of cities in the ECE region.
B.Preparations for the Second Forum of Mayors
32
The ECE Executive Committee (EXCOM), at its 112th session, decided that the Second Forum of Mayors will be convened back-to-back with the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (RFSD) in 2022 in Geneva. It was decided that the 2022 Forum will report both to the RFSD and the Committee and align its focus with that of the HLPF and RFSD (ECE/EX/2020/L.16). The Committee was informed about the preparations for the second Forum of Mayors which will take place on 4 and 5 April 2022.
33
Martin Zbinden (Switzerland), Co-Chair of the Steering Committee for the 2022 Forum of Mayors, informed that the Forum will be organized in four sessions covering the following topics related to urban development: (i) built environment;, (ii) public and green spaces; (iii) mobility and connectivity; and (iv) T neighbourhood/15-minute city.
34
Martin Tschirren, State Secretary of the Federal Office for Housing in Switzerland, commented and welcomed the organization of the Forum. He liked the selection of topics and the focus on built environment.
35
The Committee:
a
Took note of the information provided on the preparations for the Second Forum of Mayors;
b
Took note of the information that the eighty-third session of the Committee will consist of two parts: one to take place on 4 and 5 April 2022 (Forum of Mayors) and one to take place on 4 to 6 October 2022;
c
Considered providing additional financial assistance to the secretariat to cover coordination costs of the Forum organization and hosting.
In 2017, the Joint Task Force on Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings, established by the Committee on Sustainable Energy and the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management in 2015, developed the Framework Guidelines for Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings (ECE/ENERGY/GE.6/2017/4), which was endorsed by both Committees. In 2020, the Task Force updated the Guidelines, which were endorsed by the Committee on Sustainable Energy (ECE/ENERGY/GE.6/2020/4).
37
Representatives of the Committee secretariat and the ECE Sustainable Energy Division informed delegates about activities of the Joint Task Force on Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings of the ECE Region since the Committee's eighty-first session. Representatives from academia and local authorities in Norway informed on the activities on carbon neutral housing and cities.
38
The Committee:
a
Took note of the activities and outcomes of the work of the Joint Task Force since the Committee's eighty-first session and decided the Committee’s participation in the work of the Joint Task Force for the period 2022-2023;
b
Endorsed the amended “Terms of Reference of the Joint Task Force on Energy Efficiency Standards in Buildings for 2022-2023” and extended the mandate of the Joint Task Force until 2023;
c
Endorsed the Updated Framework Guidelines for Energy-Efficiency Standards in Buildings;
d
Invited member States and other stakeholders to provide financial and in-kind support to the activities of the Task Force.
D.Activities of the Geneva UN Charter Centres for Sustainable Housing and Smart Sustainable Cities
Documentation: ECE/HBP/2021/5
39
The Geneva UN Charter Centres of Excellence (Centres of Excellence) support the Committee in the implementation of the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing. They disseminate information on the Charter and its principles. As of April 2021, eight centres have been established: in Tirana (Albania), Toronto (Canada), Tallinn (Estonia), Castellanza (Italy), Trondheim (Norway), Madrid (Spain), Geneva (Switzerland) and Glasgow (United Kingdom). Depending on their specialization and available expertise, the Centres of Excellence work at national or international level on topics covered by the Charter. They collect best practices, as well as research, support, or offer training in the field of housing, sustainable smart cities, urban development, and land management. Participants were informed on a side event organized by the network of the Centres of Excellence; on activities of the network of Centres of Excellence; and proposals for future work.
40
The Committee:
a
Took note of the activities of the Geneva UN Charter Centres of Excellence which support the Committee in the implementation of the Geneva UN Charter on Sustainable Housing;
b
Acknowledged the role the Centres of Excellence are playing in the implementation of programmes of work of the housing and land management component of the Housing, Land Management and Population subprogramme;
c
Invited the Centres of Excellence to continue their activities in coordination with the secretariat;
d
Welcomed the event organized by the Centres of Excellence in the margins of the eighty-second Committee session.
E.Activities of the Real Estate Market Advisory Group
The Real Estate Market (REM) Advisory Group supports the Committee and the Working Party on Land Administration in the implementation of their work programmes. The Advisory Group presented a report on its activities, including the REM online workshops, preparation of the study “Sharing economy and its effects on the housing market” and the implementation of the “International Fire Safety Standards: Common Principles - Safe Buildings Save Lives”.
42
The Committee:
a
Took note of the report on the Advisory Group’s activities since the eighty-first Committee session;
b
Took note of the outcomes of the study on “Sharing economy and its effects on the housing market” and approved it as an official publication in English and Russian, digital and print;
c
Welcomed the implementation of the International Fire Safety Standards: Common Principles “Safe Buildings Save Lives” which were endorsed by the Committee at its eighty-first session, including through activities of the International Fire Safety Standards Coalition (IFSS Coalition) on the development of the Global Plan for a Decade of Action for Fire Safety 2022-2032;
d
Invites the Bureau to further discuss the Committee’s support to the IFSS Coalition Decade of Action for Fire Safety 2022-2032.
The Chair of the Working Party on Land Administration informed the Committee about activities carried out by the Working Party since the eighty-first session of the Committee, and on outcomes of the twelfth session of the Working Party, including on the organization of workshops and preparation of studies on:
a
Fraud in Land Administration;
b
Public-private Partnership for Land Administration;
c
Scenario Study on Future Land Administration;
d
COVID-19 Recovery Action Plan for Informal Settlements in the ECE Region.
44
The Committee:
a
Noted with appreciation the activities of the Working Party on Land Administration, including organization of its twelfth session (Geneva, 31 May-1 June 2021);
b
Welcomed the Scenario Study on Future Land Administration prepared by the Working Party and approved it as an official publication in English and Russian, digital and print;
c
Took note of the upcoming activities of the Working Party in 2021-2022;
d
Adopted the programme of work of the Working Party on Land Administration for 2022-2023.
G.Country profiles on urban development, housing and land management
Documentation: ECE/HBP/2021/5
45
Participants were informed on the progress with the development of the Country Profile on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management of Albania.
46
The Committee took note of the information on the progress with the preparation of the Country Profile on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management of Albania.
X.Programmes of work of the housing and land management component of the Housing, Land Management and Population subprogramme for 2022 and recommendations on key components of the programme of work for 2023
The draft programme of work for 2022, including publications. This document is based on the draft programme narrative of the subprogramme for 2022 which was reviewed by the ECE Executive Committee in December 2020 as part of the ECE proposed programme budget for 2022 and submitted for consideration by the United Nations General Assembly at its 76th session. The draft programme of work reflects the annual format presented in 2020 in line with General Assembly resolution 72/266, with enrichments reflecting General Assembly resolutions 74/251 adopted on 27 December 2019 and 75/243 adopted on 31 December 2020.
b
An outline-solid of key components of the work programme of the housing and land management component of Housing, Land Management and Population subprogramme for 2023. At its meeting in March 2021, the ECE Executive Committee adopted a document entitled “Sequential review of the proposed programmes of work of ECE subprogrammes”. In line with the sequential review procedure, the Committee considered the “Outline of key components of the programme of work of the housing and land management component of Housing, Land Management and Population subprogramme for 2023” and provided recommendations on these components, as necessary. Those recommendations agreed by the Committee and included in its decisions were reflected in the proposed programme plan of the housing and land management component of the Housing, Land Management and Population subprogramme for 2023;
c
Proposals for official publications and promotional materials for 2023.
48
The Committee:
a
Took note of the information on the activities implemented by the Committee under its programmes of work 2020 and 2021;
b
Adopted the programme of work 2022 and recommended it to the ECE Executive Committee for approval;
c
Approved the list of activities proposed for 2022 (please see ECE/HBP/2021/4) containing detailed information on all activities needed to implement the 2022 work programme of the housing and land management component of the Housing, Land Management and Population subprogramme, as contained in the programme of work 2022;
d
Took note of key components of the work programme of the housing and land management component of Housing, Land Management and Population subprogramme for 2023 and provide agreed recommendations on these components, including on modifications proposed by the secretariat;
e
Approved the proposal for official publications and promotional materials of the housing and land management component of the Housing, Land Management and Population subprogramme for 2023.
XI.Election of the Bureau
49
The Committee elected Bureau members, including its Chair and two Vice-Chairs. It elected the following individuals to hold office until the end of the eighty-second session:
Doris Andoni, Albania (Chair)
Asa Rogelj, Slovenia (Vice-Chair)
Giampiero Bambagioni, Italy (Vice-Chair)
Alena Rakava, Belarus
Helena Jelic, Croatia
Marie Mohylova, Czech Republic
Marie-Pierre Meganck, France
Maya Talakhadze, Georgia
Olzhas Sartayev, Kazakhstan
Rachael Marie Scicluna, Malta
Joanna Balsemao, Portugal
Nikita Stasishin, Russian Federation
Veronika Rehakova, Slovakia
Helena Beunza, Spain
Stephanie Fürer, Switzerland
Fredrik Zetterquist, WPLA Chair (ex officio).
XII.Other business
50
No other issues were raised.
XIII.Adoption of the report and closing of the session
51
The Chair informed that the Government of San Marino had made an offer to host the next session in the autumn of 2022.
52
The Chair invited Mr. Stefano Canti, Minister for the Territory, Environment, Agriculture and Civil Protection of San Marino, to inform the meeting about the offer. Minister Stefano Canti informed the meeting about the invitation of his country to host the next session of the Committee in the autumn of 2022 and that his country is ready to cooperate with the Committee Bureau and the secretariat to that end.
53
The Committee agreed on conducting its eighty-third session in San Marino in autumn 2022 and invited the Bureau to finalize the offer for hosting the Committee session jointly with the Government of San Marino and agree on the date of the meeting.
54
The Committee adopted its report, containing all decisions taken by the Committee and based on the draft prepared by the secretariat. The Chair reminded that decisions will follow a 72-hour silent procedure for adoption.
55
The meeting closed on 8 October 2021 at 5 p.m.
Annex I
Annex II
Summary of the Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management
1
On 6 and 7 October 2021, over 400 participants, including 40 Ministers from the ECE region, convened, in hybrid format, for the 2021 Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management. This year’s central message was clear - humanity is facing not one but three mutually intertwined crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and a lack of adequate and affordable housing. As is often the case in times of crises, countries showcased deep reflection and shared long-term, systemic, and evidence-based visions on how to move forward and avoid past mistakes.
2
As stay-at-home orders and restrictions on movement became the new normal in 2020 and 2021, the approximately 50 million people who live in inadequate living conditions in the ECE region were the hardest hit. Profound consequences on people’s lives and their ability to thrive in the city, especially for vulnerable groups, were reported by the Ministers.
3
Against this backdrop, the #Housing2030: Effective policies for affordable housing in the UNECE region” study which is a collaborative effort of over 100 experts and policy-makers was launched. The study urges governments to embark on a paradigm shift in housing policy and work on four core and interlinked pillars: governance, finance, land, and climate neutrality. Through over 70 case studies, the report delivers key messages and recommendations, including and not limited to, the need for governments to play a greater role in housing delivery, showcasing a wide array of social housing financing mechanisms and highlighting the role of social housing in the achievement of climate neutrality.
4
Despite wide regional differences and broad development disparities across ECE member States, Ministers shared recurring themes and common issues. The priorities shared by Ministers include soaring housing and utility costs (energy, in particular), housing supply shortages and inadequate planning and financing tools. Low institutional capacities, and in some cases, lack of skills in the construction sector were reported to be contributing to worsening the housing crisis.
5
To truly build back better, several countries highlighted the need for governments to play a greater role in housing delivery and financing, but also essentially updating and modernizing planning regulations and exploring innovative financing mechanisms to stimulate housing supply. Several countries pointed to land availability issues and shared policy efforts to free-up underutilized land, thus improving accessibility to affordable land. Several Ministers also highlighted the need to enhance efforts to digitalize land administration.
6
While several countries in the ECE region have been able to allocate remarkable financing and implement cornerstone social housing programmes, financing and the connection between policy and implementation remains an issue for many.
7
The failure of free markets to provide housing for all socio-economic segments was clear to all. Moving forward, the establishment of broad and long-term coordination and partnerships with local governments, non-profit and private organizations and the international community was seen as paramount to address the housing crisis facing the ECE region. Ministers recognized the need to localize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 11, elevating them as a globally applicable framework for inclusive and sustainable urban development, particularly on housing.
8
The decarbonization of the buildings sector, which contributes to 40 percent of emissions in the ECE region, received great attention at this year’s Ministerial Meeting. Ministers reported that leveraging the full extent of the potential of savings in buildings’ sector emission requires unprecedented investment, inter-sectoral synergies, and the utilization of a wide array of policy mechanisms and market incentives. In this context, the transition towards renewables for energy production and energy efficiency performance improvements needs further scaling-up.
9
The Ministers also brought to participants’ attention several other conjoined urban issues. For instance, it was stressed how today’s investments to improve buildings’ resilience from climate and other disasters, such as earthquakes, yields major returns for the planet, human life, and economy. Several countries in the region, especially in the Commonwealth of Independent States and Western Balkans, reported the intensification of work on the legalization of informal settlements and integrated upgrading, rather than redevelopment. Several Ministers from Scandinavian countries reported their impressive achievements in fighting homelessness. In turn, Western and Eastern European countries put a spotlight on the issue of ageing and shrinking cities.
10
The Ministerial Meeting endorsed the “Place and Life in the ECE – A Regional Action Plan 2030” - a document that identifies specific actions to tackle challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic, climate and housing emergencies in the region, city, neighbourhood, and home. The Regional Action Plan was illustrated by the international award-winning architect, Norman Foster, and presented a forward-looking vision of city planning for the ECE region. The Regional Action Plan envisions the creation of public open and green spaces, a thriving civic realm, and mixed land use.
11
During the Ministerial Meeting, many countries shared information on long-term territorial and housing plans up to 2030, recognizing the very existence of the housing crisis and illustrating an unprecedented commitment to addressing it. The ECE Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management remains a point of reference for global dialogue, experience sharing and vision setting. It was also requested to initiate capacity-building and technical cooperation activities to assist with the implementation of the Regional Action Plan.
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A recording of the meeting will be available at https://unece.org/housing/cudhlm-session82.
Annex III
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The event “In Focus: SDG 11” took place on 6 October 2021 and was jointly organized by UNECE and UN-Habitat and Geneva Cities Hub.
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The SDG 11 event seeks to foster cooperation between various stakeholders and promote the effective implementation of SDG 11 and other relevant urban-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aims at better linking intergovernmental debates on issues related to SDG 11 with what cities and their networks are doing on the ground.
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The event gathered more than 75 participants from cities, city networks, States, United Nations entities, international organizations, civil society and academic institutions ahead of the UNECE Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management.
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This year, participants were invited to address the issue of “Housing and Sustainable Urban Development in a world marked by Covid-19 and climate change”.
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While the pandemic and climate change have adversely impacted people’s lives at all levels, participants emphasized the fact that these global challenges constitute opportunities to be seized. The meeting recognized the need not to fall back to the pre-pandemic situation and that it was necessary to redefine urban living with a positive narrative, to rethink cities and reinvest in them, and to ensure a just, sustainable and green recovery that creates value for the communities.
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To support that, the United Nations Secretary General recently spoke in favour of a renewed social contract between Governments and their people. The United Nations Secretary General acknowledged the fact that such social contract also originates at the subnational level. Thus, the importance to include cities and local and regional government in international debates addressing global challenges such as the pandemic and climate change.
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One of the key features of the event was to foster dialogue and partnerships. Participants insisted on co-creation, co-development of solutions and co-implementation at the local level of global agendas such as the SDGs.
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Innovative tools and approaches to achieve the SDGs at local level were shared. For instance, the city of Trondheim in Norway cooperates with United Nations entities on implementation of SDGs across 17 municipalities. It set the ground for a networked approach to measure cities’ progress towards SDGs using the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Smart Sustainable Cities. Currently, Trondheim is working to connect the outcomes of the KPI evaluations with policymaking and innovative sources of funding for sustainable infrastructure and services. Similarly, the Council of European Municipalities and Regions referred to the Reference Framework for Sustainable Cities as a tool that supports planning for integrated and sustainable urban development at the local level. Further, it was recalled that SDGs are not only a compliance framework, but that they are actually part of the solution to recover from the pandemic. Bearing that in mind, the OECD is developing High-level Principles for city-to-city partnerships to promote the localisation of the SDGs through partnerships between cities.
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In relation to housing affordability, adequacy and resilience, participants underlined the challenges of the financialization of housing in cities and the resulting rising rents, the phenomenon of “renovictions” (evictions due to renovation), the rising costs of construction materials and the inability of cities to build new housing and maintain the current ones. Echoing what was expressed at the UNECE Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management, the role of States and municipal authorities and their regulatory functions to preserve the public interest and uphold human rights were very much emphasized. Reference was made to the city of Vienna in Austria and its bold social housing programmes which explain that the capital often tops the charts of quality of life. Supporting affordable and quality housing is precisely the objective of the UNECE Regional Action Plan 2030, endorsed at the UNECE Ministerial Meeting on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management. It is also the goal of specific housing funds and loans provided by the European Investment Bank; of the establishment of solidarity funds to help people pay their rents; or of the principle of “housing cost neutrality” which remains to be enforced.
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On climate change, it underlined that while technological innovation certainly contributes to fight climate change, innovation is mainly needed in the area of governance. Here again, specific initiatives were referred to, such as the ICLEI just sustainable cities principles which will be launched at the upcoming COP26, the development of a local green deal in the city of Mannheim in Germany, or the implementation of the EU renovation wave strategy to green the buildings, as referred to by the Mayor of Braga in Portugal. These all constitute great sources of inspiration for other cities engaged on the road to sustainability.
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Finally, United Nations agencies and other organizations referred to their work to help cities be more resilient, more inclusive and socially cohesive, and more healthy and more sustainable, including through the smart use of information and communication technologies were presented. United Nations entities are definitely strong partners of cities in their endeavour to reach the SDGs and to improve the daily life of their populations.
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The event showcased successful and promising initiatives supporting the implementation of SDG 11, and all SDGs more generally, given their interrelatedness. Particularly interesting was the work undertaken at local level to translate global agendas into concrete changes and tangible progress for urban dwellers. All initiatives and tools shared during the event will hopefully help other cities design their own path towards sustainable urban development and also enrich debates of the 82nd session of the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management.
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