Habitat III

Habitat III is the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development to take place in Quito, Ecuador, from 17 – 20 October 2016.
Culture, education and science for sustainable urban development
Today, more than half of humanity – 3.9 billion people – lives in cities, a five-fold increase in population since 1950. The global urban population will continue to grow at an unprecedented rate, with two out of three people expected to live in cities by 2050. Urban areas now account for 70 per cent of the world’s gross domestic product, serving as one of the main sources of economic, social and cultural prosperity. Yet rapid urban growth is also exerting pressure on the natural environment and public health, as well as increasing poverty, social exclusion, mass migration, economic crises, the effects of climate change and conflicts.

UNESCO’s common mission for sustainable cities
UNESCO is committed to enhancing the sustainability of cities through policy advice, technical assistance and capacity-building, drawing on its longstanding normative and operational experience in the fields of education, sciences, culture and development. Thanks to multi-disciplinary cooperation among all its sectors, as well as its broad network of experts across the globe, UNESCO has become a leading agency in promoting sustainable urban development, as well as the effective implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.