Barcelona, May 25, 2015. – In conjunction with the Barcelona City Council, UN-Habitat convened experts in municipal finance, governance and capacity development to review its recently developed Land-Based Finance Training Package.

The training is designed to build the capacity of local and national leaders to utilize land-based financing as a critical element within municipal finance and to assist government agencies both broaden their understanding vis-à-vis potential land-based revenue tools and to help them think critically about what is required to implement or improve each tool in their home environment.

Land-based finance is an emerging best practice within municipal finance for local governments to manage growth and generate revenues. Land-based financing methods hold considerable potential for linking the value of urban development with public revenue generation in growing urban areas.

Land-based finance as a framework for development tools

Such mechanisms can also be used to direct spatial growth in sustainable patterns, enhance economic development, support affordability, and facilitate social equity. In short, land-based financing is a framework that provides a set of tools that local governments in both urban and rural contexts can use to expand their revenue with a view to providing better infrastructure and services to citizens.

Around 30 international experts met at the meeting, titled: “Municipal Financing in Developing Cities: Review of Land-based Finance Training Package for Financing Sustainable Urban Development” to improve the package based on the experience of international experts in municipal finance, governance and capacity development.

Discussions also set the stage for implementation by local governments while producing valuable information on municipal finance best practices for the global community through Habitat III – the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – and other international initiatives.