Rethinking urbanization in the 21st century | Division for Inclusive Social Development (DISD)

How countries plan, build and manage their cities today will determine the outcome of global efforts to achieve a sustainable future, a panel of United Nations and civil society experts said, calling on the international community to “get cities right” so the impacts of rapid urbanization can be better managed and sustainable development for all can be achieved.

The City We Need is a booklet of nine principles that can be implemented in order to achieve sustainable urban development. It is conceived, designed and written by the members of the World Urban Campaign. “It represents the aspiration of the new model of urbanization that is needed in the future,” said Mr. Clos, who emphasized: “We need a more socially inclusive city, a city that is more efficient, better organized and resilient, and where the dignity of every citizen is respected."

Calling for a paradigm shift in urban development for the 21st century, he warned: “If we keep building cities in old fashioned ways, we are planting the seeds of continuing crises – in climate change, in lagging development, lack of integration and lack of dignity.”

Mr. You, from the World Urban Campaign, emphasized that in the next 40 years, the world urban population is expected to double and “we will be building and constructing more human settlements than we have since the beginning of human history. If we do that right we have every hope of achieving sustainable development for everybody. If we do it wrong, we are in very, very serious trouble,” Mr. You said.

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