| Synthesis Paper 4: Identifying universal measures of quality of life: A Technical Process, a Human Story | 2024 | This fourth synthesis paper of the Quality of Life Initiative highlights its journey from concept to the creation of a global index to measure quality of life in cities. The Initiative views quality of life as a dynamic assessment of how well cities offer opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive. This paper explores the collaborative, people-centered approach used to develop a universal set of indicators, balancing technical rigor with human dimensions, to capture factors like housing adequacy, job satisfaction, and well-being. |
| Multilayered Vulnerability Assessment Handbook - Resilience planning for urban, biodiversity and climate action | 2024 | The Multilayered Vulnerability Assessment (MVA) tool, developed under UN-Habitat's RISE-UP flaghip programme, helps communities and cities assess vulnerabilities by mapping and assessing the intersection of climate risks, urbanization trends, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. It identifies and appraises vulnerability hotspots from spatial overlaps and areas of concentrated vulnerability which helps to better inform planning, resource mobilization and investment for systemic urban climate resilient infrastructure in cities. |
| Evaluating the Impacts of Urban Policies A Guide for Urban Policy Leaders | 2024 | More people live in cities than ever before. The urban population more than doubled from 1.5 billion in 1975 to 3.5 billion in 2015 and is estimated to reach more than 50% by 2050. This affirms the role of cities in sustainable development and the importance of National Urban Policies in as coordinating frameworks, to manage the urbanization process in an inclusive, resilient, and sustainable way. National governments are encouraged to develop and implement New Generation Urban Policies (NUPs), which are considered vital tools to support implementation of the New Urban Agenda. These policies should be evidence based, set realistic policy expectations, and guide effective spending of public resources. This can only be achieved when countries have a thorough understanding of the urban policy making process. |
| A Road Map Towards a Socioeconomic Development Plan for the Union of Municipalities of Chouf El-Souayjani, Mount Lebanon Governorate | 2024 | |
| Building the capacity of municipalities and unions of municipalities | 2024 | |
| Heritopolis working papers – Volume 1 | 2024 | Heritage and Metropolis (Heritopolis) is a loose research network established during 2021 to explore how metropolises are being (re-)shaped by heritage redefining their meaning. This largest category of city is growing rapidly in number and their demographic, economic and governance importance globally. Metropolises are also where many of the sustainability and resilience challenges – including potential loss of natural and cultural heritage – are particularly profound. Recognising these dramatic changes, this research began by posing questions such as ‘What specific role heritage can play in 21st century metropolises?’ and ‘What are the limits of the current heritage paradigms and how metropolitan authorities can change them?’ The work undertaken to date, including the initial analysis of a first baseline survey reported here, confirms the validity of the initial hypothesis: that there is indeed a need to delve deeper into the nature of metropolitan identities and that this is likely to bring significant innovation in the heritage field as an enabler for sustainable development. |
| Quality of Life Initiative Implementation Guidelines – Advance Release Version 1.0 | 2024 | The Quality of Life Initiative’s Implementation Guidelines provide a comprehensive framework for cities to follow to assess and improve the quality of life for all inhabitants. The Guidelines offer policymakers, urban planners and community leaders practical steps and a comprehensive roadmap for cities to adopt the Quality of Life Index. The step-by-step process is designed to support local governments, urban planners and community leaders in assessing and enhancing urban well-being through a series of practical actions. |
| Land Governance and Land Rights in Palestine: Analysis and Recommendations (Report & Arabic Brief) | 2024 | This report analyses the land sector by looking at its legal and institutional set up, its stakeholders, and the key land administration functions: land tenure, land value, land use, land development, and land disputes’ resolution. The most important legislation is annexed and a set of preliminary recommendations for consideration by national stakeholders complement the report. |
| 2023-2024 ANNUAL REPORT National Urban Policy Programme, Phase Two: ‘Scaling up People-Centered Smart Cities through National Urban Policies’ | 2024 | UN-Habitat’s National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP) continues to play a pivotal role in advancing inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development globally through national and subnational urban policies. This 2024 edition of the Korea-funded National Urban Policy Programme (K-NUPP) report presents progress made during year two of the second phase of the programme, with a focus on activities undertaken and results achieved in 2023/2024, while providing a forward-looking view of planned activities for 2025. The report reflects the strong commitment of UN-Habitat, through its Policy, Legislation and Governance Section, and the Government of the Republic of Korea, through the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), to support the eight beneficiary countries-- Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Egypt, Mozambique, Paraguay, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Myanmar, and Niger State (Nigeria)-- to advance their urban policies. Through a multi-stakeholder process of co-creation, collaboration, and co-sharing, K-NUPP contributes meaningfully to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda by strengthening national urban policy frameworks across diverse contexts. This report also serves as a key reference point for urban professionals, policy makers, academia, researchers, and government officials on how to develop, implement, monitor and evaluate national urban policies from people-centered smart cities. |
| PLGS Annual Report 2023 | 2024 | The Annual Report 2023 of the Policy, Legislation and Governance Section of UN-Habitat showcases the work done in the past year to work towards and support the achievement of the main goal of sustainable urban development. Much has been achieved by PLGS: more than 44 activities in over 37 countries globally, that consolidated collaboration with donors, development partners and beneficiary countries along the themes of policy, legislation and governance, metropolitan management, and urban-rural linkages. Specifically, the report presents the progress of the PLGS with the UN-Habitat strategic context; it contains an outline of achievements under the various focus areas, a review of the financial portfolio, and features the planned outcomes the section has for 2024. The report also demonstrates how the section contributed to global frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda. The report is of benefit to all stakeholders working towards sustainable urban development and will galvanize all to commit their support to UN-Habitat and to each other to realize actionable outcomes. |