The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) will work closely to promote cleaner urban industries and technologies, as well as sustainable human settlements for the poor and low-income people.

The two agencies agreed on this during the third Vienna Energy Forum taking place in the Austrian capital this week

UN-Habitat and UNIDO will focus on joint technical cooperation projects and programmes in the field of urban construction, infrastructure and related industries, which are among the major contributors to local economic development and the reduction of unemployment. They seek to foster regional and local partnerships, new cooperative arrangements and activities with business and industry.

Kandeh K. Yumkella, UNIDO Director General, and also the UN Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All, said, "With a trend towards greater urbanization, it becomes necessary to envisage and develop sustainable cities that focus on energy-efficient buildings and industries and optimally utilize renewable energy systems. We need a transformational move towards climate adaptive urbanization to achieve the goals of Sustainable Energy for All initiative."

Joan Clos, UN Under-Secretary-General and UN-Habitat Executive Director, said:"To have a city which generates wealth, prosperity and jobs for young people, along with shelter,  basic services and infrastructures, and which conserves energy and reduces poverty, pollution and waste output - it has to be properly and carefully planned. There is no reversing the rapid urbanization taking place and cities must therefore lead the quest for sustainable development."

The Sustainable Energy for All initiative has three objectives to be achieved by 2030: to provide universal energy access; to double the rate of global energy efficiency improvement; and to double the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.