28 May 2013
1 On behalf of Sweden and Singapore, co-chairs of the Group of Friends for Sustainable Cities, I thank the organisers – UCLG and UN Habitat – for giving us the opportunity to share our thoughts on the role of local and regional governments in the post-2015 development agenda.
2 Since Rio + 20 last June, discussions on a new global regime for development have intensified. This new global regime is being built on two separate but interlinked tracks - the post-2015 development agenda and formulation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
3 First, the post-2015 development agenda. Being two years away from the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), we are currently taking stock of where we are and where do we go after 2015. The UN Development Group (UNDG) has launched a world-wide outreach programme to gather views. Their preliminary findings indicate many member states feel that MDGs are still relevant and should be carried forward as part of the post-2015 development agenda. Many also feel that the post-2015 development agenda should be ambitious, transformative and universal. In a few days’ time, the UN Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel will present its report on how they see post-2015 development agenda; this will be an important contribution to the on-going discussions.
4 The other major track is the Open Working Group (OWG) on SDGs. This group has held three meetings. The proceedings have been at a broad conceptual level; actual negotiations on possible SDGs are expected to commence next March. Discussions are guided by paragraph 247 of the Rio+20 Outcome Document which states that SDGs should be “action-oriented, concise and easy to communicate, limited in number, aspirational, global in nature and universally applicable to all countries while taking into account different national realities, capacities and levels of development and respecting national policies and priorities.”
5 The new global regime for development will take some years to evolve and there is still a lot of work to do. The new regime is likely to be broad and universal, applying to both developed and developing countries. Increasingly, member states feel that the post-2015 development agenda and SDGs should converge into a single set of goals, with appropriate institutional arrangement. This will ensure practical implementation and consistent monitoring.
6 Discussions on the post-2015 development agenda and the SDGs are not restricted to the UN or national governments. Local and regional governments have an important role to play in enriching the deliberations, particularly on urbanisation, sustainable cities and human settlements. At Rio+20, the Leaders explicitly recognised “the important role of municipal governments in setting a vision for sustainable cities, from the initiation of city planning through to revitalisation of older cities and neighborhoods, including by adopting energy efficiency programmes in building management and developing sustainable, locally appropriate transport systems.” (paragraph 136 of the Outcome Document). Local and regional governments tackle day-to-day challenges in running their administrations. Given their practical experiences, they can contribute to discussions on a possible SDG on sustainable cities and human settlements.
7 Today, the world’s urban population already exceeds the world’s rural population. According to UN Habitat, by 2050, 70% of the world’s population will be urbanised. If we get our cities right, they can become an important development solution - environmentally sustainable, socially responsible and economically productive. At Rio+20, the Leaders emphasised that sustainable cities and human settlements are critical components in the sustainable development agenda. If “they are well planned and developed, including through integrated planning and management approaches, cities can promote economically, socially and environmentally sustainable societies” (paragraph 134 of the Outcome Document) The Group of Friends for Sustainable Cities will continue to raise awareness at the UN on the importance of urbanisation, sustainable cities and human settlements in the context of the post-2015 development agenda and SDGs.
8 This brings me to the HABITAT III Conference which will take place in 2016. By then, we should have a new global regime for development. HABITAT III will become an important platform to implement a new urban agenda.
9 In conclusion, I am delighted to be in the presence of many mayors today. The next couple of years will be an exciting time for the global discussion on urbanisation, sustainable cities and human settlements. Given the critical role you play, your advocacy will contribute to the on-going conversations at the UN and around the world.
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