UN-Habitat’s first Policy, Legislation and Governance (PLGS) Annual Report highlights the section’s implementation of the Strategic Plan 2020-2023 for 2020. The Annual Report features the section’s and its partners’ contributions and results realized across various key programmes and projects at the local, national, regional and global levels between November 2019 and the end of 2020.

The Urban-LEDS project Phase II (“Accelerating climate action through the promotion of urban low emission development strategies” 2017-2021) aims to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and enhancing climate change resilience by the promotion of Urban Low Emissions Development Strategies (Urban LEDS) and climate action plans (CAPs) in cities/towns in emerging economies and Least Developed Countries (LDC).

The New Urban Agenda Illustrated handbook prepared for all urban stakeholders globally supports a stronger understanding and implementation of the propositions contained in the New Urban Agenda.
The handbook analyses the contents and propositions of the New Urban Agenda and their synergies with the Sustainable Development Goals and Targets, and enriches them with visual illustrations, examples from all over the world and practical propositions for action.

Five years into implementing this important international development framework, rapidly growing cities and towns are faced with a range of developmental choices that will shape their growth and long-term economic, social and environmental sustainability. Many of these are complex choices with differing short-term versus long-term costs and benefits. These choices are seldom determined by individual actors or agencies but emerge out of the complex interplay of decisions made by a range of…

This Guide suggests methods and steps for mainstreaming Climate Change into National Urban Policies. Government stakeholders can select the methods and tools needed based on their respective circumstances, under a framework of “Phases” and “Elements” that serve as the building blocks of the mainstreaming process. Within each of the Elements, which are aligned and consistent with phases of UN-Habitat’s National Urban Policy process, concrete actions covering various policy aspects are proposed…

The objective of this review is to survey, inform and evaluate national urban policies and strategies developed by national governments in the Asia and Pacific region. The purpose of the review is to assist UN Habitat and other national and international stakeholders involved with urban policy and management in pre-dominantly middle to low income countries.

Sustainable Urbanization in the Paris Agreement’ – a comparative review of Nationally Determined Contributions for Urban Content”, a UN-Habitat publication coming on the heels of Habitat III, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and COP22. The adoption of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) on 20 October 2016, and the entry into force of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change two weeks later, on 4 November 2016, are a strong first step toward the immediate implementation of Agenda 2030 for…

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the factors that underpin city competitiveness. It draws on recent studies pending publication which indicate that many cities in Asia and Latin America could become more regionally integrated and globally competitive through certain actions and reforms.

This paper offers broad strategies for enhancing the competitiveness of cities in these regions and an agenda for the international community to support their efforts.