Today, cities are home to 54 per cent of the world’s population, and by the middle of this century that figure
will rise to 66 per cent. While cities face major problems, from poverty to pollution, they are also powerhouses of economic growth and catalysts for inclusion and innovation. With vision, planning and financing, cities can help provide solutions for the world. This year’s United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development — known as Habitat III — in Quito, Ecuador, is a timely and important opportunity. It takes place as the world embarks on efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which gives a prominent role to cities. Habitat III is expected to discuss and agree on a New Urban Agenda
aimed at enhancing the contribution of cities to sustainable development, and at ensuring that cities are inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
This new World Cities Report presents a number of issues that this New Urban Agenda should address.