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Add to Preferred SourcesThe Executive Director of UN-Habitat Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif and the Acting Executive Director of UN Environment Ms. Joyce Msuya jointly opened the inaugural Cities Summit during the Fourth United Nations Environmental Assembly in Nairobi where both Agencies have their headquarters.
Noting that the two organizations have a long history of working together for a better world for future generations, Ms. Sharif said human activities are fast-changing the planet and, if left uncontrolled, will put all life on earth in danger.
Held under the theme Innovation for Livable and sustainable Cities: Multi-level and Integrated Urban Systems, the Cities Summit provided a forum for high-level dialogue between mayors, ministers, private sector leaders and civil society representatives on integrated, innovative solutions to rapid urbanization.
“I am very pleased that the Cities Summit will now feature prominently at the UN Environmental Assembly,” said the UN-Habitat Executive Director. “It is in our cities that the most severe challenges arising from human-made climate change will have to be confronted. For it is in cities that the impact of climate change on humanity will be greatest and most dramatically felt.
“Even now, in every city in the world, we struggle to provide urban infrastructure in a sustainable manner. Cities are connected to rural and natural systems. It is one continuum and without adequate environmental protection, all our cities will die,” said Ms. Sharif.
The acting Executive Director of UN Environment Ms. Joyce Msuya noted that 75 percent of resource use and Green House Gas (GHG) emissions take place in cities. She pointed out that the population of the world’s cities is expected to increase by an additional 2.5 billion people by 2050.
“The concentration of people and ideas means we have proven capacity to innovate and act. The fact that close to 70 percent of urban infrastructure is yet to be built, provides an opportunity for future proof investment, “ she said.
The President of the Fourth United Nations Environment Assembly who is the Minister of Environment in Estonia Mr. Siim Kiisler called for a focus on producing a sustainable living environment.
“We need to think about how to develop existing environment as what surrounds and impact us defines us, whether it is waste, access to water, transport, or food,” he said.
Mayor of Katowice, Poland Mr. Marcin Krupa said transformation from a heavy industrial city to a modern and sustainable city requires improving public transport and air quality, among other things.
“We have made public transport more environmentally friendly by adopting electro mobility which has low carbon emission, and modernized heating systems to improve air quality. We want to be the host of WUF in 2022 and invite you all to witness the transformation of our city and enjoy our hospitality,” said mayor Krupa.
Original source: UN-Habitat
Published on 13 March 2019