UN-Habitat’s World Cities Report 2020 is called “The Value of Sustainable Urbanization”, and it analyzes the value of cities in generating economic prosperity, mitigating environmental degradation, reducing social inequality and building stronger institutions.
“The World Cities Report 2020 convincingly affirms that well-planned, managed, and financed cities and towns create economic, social, environmental and other unquantifiable value that can vastly improve the quality of life of all,” said UN-Habitat Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif. “Urbanization can be leveraged for the fight against poverty, inequality, unemployment, climate change and other pressing global challenges.”
According to a UN-Habitat press release, the report found that cities generate economic value when they function efficiently, such as by providing transport options that shorten travel times and reduce traffic congestion, which allows for productive employment. Cities also generate environmental value when they develop walkable urban centers with nature-based solutions that reduce their overall carbon footprint.
To unlock the full potential of sustainable urbanization, the report calls on national governments to help local governments raise revenue, regulate land use, plan for urban growth, limit urban sprawl and relieve overcrowded housing. Local governments, for their part, should collect revenue to improve municipal services and public spaces.
The report also emphasizes the role of the New Urban Agenda, the UN’s 20-year plan for sustainable urbanization, in helping the global community to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris climate change agreement.
