This booklet outlines strategic directions towards socioeconomic development for the Union of Municipalities of Joumeh in Akkar Governorate. They were developed within the scope of UN-Habitat's initiative "Improving Planning Capacities for Social and Economic Local Development" implemented between 2020 and 2023 in close collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs and funded by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.

The present document is the second in a series which takes a closer look at how the Quality of Life Initiative is co-creating a more inclusive, human-centred vision of quality of life in cities. This series zooms in on different aspects of the initiative, while presenting a coherent picture of how the different pieces come together.

This report summarizes the Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change held at COP28 on 6 December 2023. This key event, co-hosted by UN-Habitat, the High-Level Climate Champions, and the COP28 Presidency, brought together over 1,000 people including around 60 ministerial representatives and reflects a collective commitment to tackling climate change's complexities within urban contexts.

By 2050, an additional 2.5 billion people will be living in the world’s towns and cities, with almost 50 per cent of that growth taking place in the Commonwealth. Member States, both large and small, are facing the impacts of climate change and rapid urbanization. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these, and progress towards achievement of the SDGs has been eroded in many countries, undermining the first year of the Decade of Action towards Agenda 2030.

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.

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In the past six years, UN-Habitat has grown from strength to strength. The World Urban
Forum is now the world’s premier United Nations platform for sustainable urbanization. UN-Habitat is present in all global platforms including at the UN General Assembly where we were selected on the high impact pillar on localization. It is very clear that shelter, housing, and sustainable urbanization cut across all political divides.

Based on a spatially focused and cross-sectoral situational analysis of urban settlements hosting displaced populations, this multi-scale profile allows locals, stakeholders, and readers to develop a comprehensive spatial understanding of the existing situation as a tool dedicated to the decision-making process for urban development strategies and infrastructure investment planning.

The “Future Cities Advisory Outlook 2023: Digital Innovations Empower Urban Net-Zero Carbon Transition” is the third flagship report of UN-Habitat China Future Cities Council. The report summarizes six main scenarios and a roadmap of digital solutions to achieve urban net-zero carbon, and collects 10 good practice cases from Chinese cities and enterprises. Meanwhile, it also calling for the urban net-zero carbon transition through the application of digital solutions.