Weekly Urban News Update
In This Update
A Solution Summit is Accepting Submissions

The Solution Summit, a UN-held event that aims to mobilize innovators who are working to address one or more of the sustainable development goals and to inspire a grassroots effort, is now accepting solution submissions. The event will be at the UN Headquarters on September 26th, and is organized by the UN Foundation, the UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service (UN-NGLS), and the Global Innovation Exchange, in collaboration with the SDG Philanthropy Platform, the Global Entrepreneurship Council and the Sustainable Development Solutions Network. There is an open invitation for governments and partners to join in. Solution submissions will be accepted until August 28th.

To submit a solution or learn more, click here.
BOOSKA: Water and Sanitation "Cornerstones" of Urban Agenda

Aziza Akhmouch and Oriana Romano of the OECD have written a piece for OOSKA News, a global water news source, explaining why water and sanitation need to be integral pieces of the New Urban Agenda. According to the article, with two months until the Habitat III conference in Quito, water is not getting the attention it needs in the agenda draft or with the conference leaders. The authors underscore that cities are constantly at risk of floods and droughts, and those in developing countries are not exempt. Water security should not be taken for granted, especially when the future of climate change is so uncertain. IHC Global counts Urban Water and Sanitation as one of our key policy topics, and we agree that water issues are integral to the economic, social and environmental standing of a sustainable city, and should be a great focus of the New Urban Agenda.

To read the full article, click here.
C Coping with Migration-Induced Urban Growth

Another issue that is lacking light in the New Urban Agenda is migration-induced urban growth, something that Philipp Aerni of the Center for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at the University of Zurich calls a "blind spot" for UN-Habitat. In his article, Aerni is firm in the argument that urbanization in the 21st century will be shaped by migration, and that the rights-based approach to urban policy that is advocated in the preparatory work for Habitat III may not be applicable to this new urban world. IHC Global agrees with the premise that migration is complexly intertwined with the future of cities and is one of the critical elements in a city's ability to become inclusive and more equitable. Aerni argues that many of the policies- but especially the containment policy for cities- may achieve the opposite of what they intend.

To read the full article, click here.
HabitatHabitat III News
  • The next round of informal New Urban Agenda negotiations taking place in New York will be on September 7, 8 and 9, and will be led by co-facilitators Mexico and the Philippines. More details will be announced on the Habitat III website.
  • As the debate over the future of UN-Habitat continues, there is talk about a rumored proposal for an intergovernmental entity that would oversee the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. To learn more, read a Citiscope article here.
  • Click here to read the newest draft of the new Urban Agenda, completed at Prep Com 3 in Surabaya Indonesia last month.
  • To register for Habitat III, click here. The deadline for individual registration is October 1, 2016. For more information, visit our website's Habitat III page here. To become a partner in the Habitat III implementation plan, sign up here.
NewsIn the News and Around the Web
  • Western China is going through a slow- and often mystifying- urbanization. Find out more here.
  • As urbanization increases, so does the spread of pathogens. Learn more (and scare yourself) here.
  • Habitat for Humanity's Solid Ground Campaign has written a guest blog for IHC Global on a new approach to improving access to land for shelter. Read it on our blog here.
  • In Bogota, Colombia, an elaborate Quinceañera is all the urban poor can do for their daughters. Check out Delphine Blast's photo series exploring the disparity between the lavish dresses and their slum surroundings here.
 
Urban Refugees in the Kibera slum on the edge of Nairobi, Kenya. These refugees are just a fraction of the 60 million displaced people around the world today. Source: Fordham News
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