Newsletter – n°26 – February 2014

Headlines

Speaking at a conference of the European Economic and Social Committee, Hubert Julien-Laferrière pleaded for local and regional governments to be a centre piece in the architecture of the post-2015 development framework.

Recalling that their core competences had to do with many issues which will be addressed by the framework, the Vice-President of Lyon metropolitan area, who was representing PLATFORMA and the CEMR hammered home the messages of the Global task force (more information on the event).

Through the Local and Regional Governments Campaign for an Urban SDG,the Global task force (which includes interalia, UCLG CEMR, AIMF, CLGF, CUF etc.)isadvocating for Sustainable Development Goals that take local and regional priorities into account, in particular in the light of rapid urbanisation faced in many regions of the world.

Rapid urbanisation will have impacts beyond the lives of city-dwellers and many of the consequences of urbanisation will have a global impact. At the same time, cities have the potential to offer solutions to global challenges.

An urban goal should not only be geared towards cities but should entail a territorial approach, with due consideration to regional and rural-urban linkages.

For more information: http://www.urbansdg.uclg.org/#.

AIMS OF A STAND-ALONE URBAN GOAL

1. Educate and focus attention on urgent urban challenges and opportunities to reduce growing inequalities in urban areas, protect the environment and ensure resilience.
2. Mobilise and empower all urban actors around practical problem solving, enhancing the participation of urban stakeholders.
3. Promote integrated and innovative infrastructure design and service delivery to address the specific challenges of urban poverty and access to infrastructure, particularly for slum dwellers.
4. Promote urban and land use planning for more efficient spatial management and innovative infrastructure design and service delivery.
5. Ensure resilience to climate change and disaster risk reduction.
6. Promote inclusive and participatory governance built from the bottom up and taking into account social and cultural realities and demands.