The paper discusses blockchain’s unique features in relation to urban development and explores potential applications of blockchain in addressing challenges related to sustainable urbanization as well as the risks and challenges associated with its implementation. A key argument of the paper is that, like many technologies, blockchain itself is not a panacea for addressing sustainability challenges in urban areas and must be adopted whilst integrating human-centered approaches and robust busines

The potential of Participatory Budgeting (PB), especially the subsequent downstream benefits that can be generated, remains still unexplored. PB makes possible the adoption of actions and the allocation of financial resources that result from the interactions between people and government. The authors propose innovative ways to engage with PB as a driver to disseminate information, increase awareness, and mitigate the risks and impacts of natural, health, and economic shocks.

The National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP) remains a pivotal tool towards promotion and achievement of transformative, inclusive, green, productive and resilient urban development. Over the last six years, NUP has done this through shared responsibility and deliberate consultation between UN-Habitat and respective countries globally. This joint initiative aims at contributing to the successful implementation of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) to achieve sustainable and prosperous human settlements…

The “Future Cities Advisory Outlook 2020: Urban Technologies in China” is the first report of the UN-Habitat China Future Cities Council (CFCC), an initiative convened by UN-Habitat China and supported by Chinese private sector companies with an interest on charting out how digital solutions and technologies can create better cities and places leaving no one behind.
The CFCC report reviews China’s emergent smart urbanization policy frameworks as well as the endeavours of private sector…

The National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP) is an instrumental tool towards promoting and achieving transformative, inclusive, green, productive, and resilient urban development. The NUP is achieved through deliberate and shared responsibility between UN-Habitat and respective countries across the globe. In view of the externalities and challenges facing urban cities, NUP comes in handy to address the challenges with urgency and relevance in line with the New Urban Agenda (NUA) as it supports…

This report was produced by UN-Habitat in partnership with Ericsson. Mixed reality, holds tremendous potential for real-time digital visualisations, both at the street and neighbourhood level and the overall urban skyline and city grid. This new visually realistic blending of reality with virtual imagination can create a more intuitive space for planners, architects, residents and other stakeholders to viscerally experience and re-imagine future environments.