Cities Can Become Hubs for Sustainable Development, Secretary-General Says at Urban Conference on New Goals

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message for an event entitled “Cities Driving Sustainable Development:  Endorsing the SDGs and Committing to their Implementation”, delivered by Dr. Joan Clos, Executive Director of UN-Habitat, in New York today:

Tomorrow world leaders will adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — an inspiring framework aimed at ending poverty and building lives of peace and dignity for all on a healthy planet.

The role of urbanization in supporting sustainable development is increasingly important.  Cities are at the heart of many global challenges and opportunities.  I commend your efforts in having promoted sustainable development goal 11, which is dedicated to making cities and human settlements “inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”.

Goal 11 calls for an urban transformation, which requires political will and the capacity to coordinate many actors and stakeholders.  If cities join forces with Governments, the private sector, civil society and urban planners, they can become the hubs for climate action and sustainable development solutions.

Mayors will play a critical role.  They can use their local regulatory and fiscal powers to catalyse action.  Most importantly, they can give voice to their citizens and advocate for well-planned cities that serve as engines of prosperity, innovation and inclusiveness.

I welcome the commitments that you are about to make.  I look forward to your contributions in implementing goal 11 as we move towards the crucial climate change conference in Paris in December and the Habitat III conference in Quito in 2016.

Let us also remember that one of the defining features of the new agenda is that the goals are integrated and holistic, and that your efforts are meant to have an impact across the entire spectrum of the agenda.  That is how we will leave no one behind.

Thank you for your engagement and support.  Please accept my best wishes for a successful event.