WRI Responds to the Updated Version of Habitat III's Zero Draft
WRI's experts provided feedback to Habitat III's newest Zero Draft
June 30, 2016
Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Photo Credit: Mariana Gil/WRI Brasil
Habitat III, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Development, has released an updated Zero Draft of the New Urban Agenda, the document that will be released following the October event in Quito, Ecuador.
The revised Zero Draft shows significant progress from the initial draft release in May. The revised version is more condensed and has a holistic structure, helping to integrate sector-specific challenges with cross-cutting functions such as safety and governance. The new draft addresses many of the concerns expressed by WRI Ross Center in response to the original version, however, some major issues remain, especially around including specific, action-oriented language detailing implementation and reporting frameworks, as well as crucial linkages to other global processes.
In this response, WRI will focus on outlining these major issues and potential strategies for improvement. These recommendations for improvement include:
- Strengthening the Link to Global Processes
- Structuring an Ambitious New Urban Agenda
- Creating New Partnerships and Engagement Opportunities
- An Implementation Platform for Non-State Actors
- Measurable, Action-Oriented National Contributions
- Operationalizing Innovative Funding and Financing Mechanisms
- Creating an Action Agenda for New Initiatives and Partnerships
To view WRI's full response to the revised Zero Draft, please click here.
For a more detailed discussion of WRI’s vision for the New Urban Agenda declaration and sectoral concerns, please reference WRI’s review of the original Zero Draft from May 2016. Parties interested in an in-depth discussion on mobility in the New Urban Agenda should consult the NUA Review released by the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport, to which WRI contributed and fully supports.
