Synthesis Paper 4: Identifying universal measures of quality of life: A Technical Process, a Human Story | 2024 | This fourth synthesis paper of the Quality of Life Initiative highlights its journey from concept to the creation of a global index to measure quality of life in cities. The Initiative views quality of life as a dynamic assessment of how well cities offer opportunities for individuals and communities to thrive. This paper explores the collaborative, people-centered approach used to develop a universal set of indicators, balancing technical rigor with human dimensions, to capture factors like housing adequacy, job satisfaction, and well-being. |
Ministerial meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change at COP28 Summary Report | 2024 | 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. |
Mafraq Spatial Profile | 2024 | Based on a spatially focused and cross-sectoral situational analysis of urban settlements hosting displaced populations, this multi-level profile allows locals, stakeholders, and readers to develop a comprehensive spatial understanding of the existing situation as a basis for evidence-based decision making for long-term urban development strategies and infrastructure investment planning. |
A Road Map Towards a Socioeconomic Development Plan for the Union of Municipalities of Chamal Baalbek, Baalbek – Hermel Governorate | 2024 | |
Waste Management and Resource Utilization in China and Africa: Practices in Shanghai and Lagos | 2024 | The SDG, Agenda 2063: Africa we want and the New Urban Agenda underscores the need for international cooperation, knowledge sharing, and technology transfer to address the global solid waste challenge. They call for increased investment in waste management infrastructure and capacity building, particularly in developing countries. As representative cities at distinct stages of development, Shanghai, China and Lagos, Nigeria have amassed unique experiences in waste management. These experiences not only provides invaluable insights for their respective futures but also serve as beneficial references for other cities seeking to optimize waste management strategies amidst globalization. This publication aims to encourage regions, countries and cities to prioritize investment in and the financing of sustainable long-term waste management initiatives, which are often treated as an afterthought in the context of the rapidly urbanizing world and thus impede the achievement of SDG targets. |
Building Bridges: Executive Director's Report (2018-2023) | 2024 | 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. |
Local Action for Global Goals: An Opportunity for Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions | 2024 | As countries prepare to revise their NDCs ahead of COP30, the analysis summarized in this technical brief shows: which countries have the biggest potential to work towards stronger integration of urban content in their NDCs; how they can reap co-benefits of sustainable urban development, effective local adaptation measures, and reducing emissions by stronger collaboration with local governments. |
CiCoSA Action Toolkit | 2024 | |
Quality of Life Initiative Implementation Guidelines – Advance Release Version 1.0 | 2024 | The Quality of Life Initiative’s Implementation Guidelines provide a comprehensive framework for cities to follow to assess and improve the quality of life for all inhabitants. The Guidelines offer policymakers, urban planners and community leaders practical steps and a comprehensive roadmap for cities to adopt the Quality of Life Index. The step-by-step process is designed to support local governments, urban planners and community leaders in assessing and enhancing urban well-being through a series of practical actions. |
A Road Map Towards a Socioeconomic Development Plan for the Union of Municipalities of Chouf El-Souayjani, Mount Lebanon Governorate | 2024 |