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URBAN SUSTAINABILITY |
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Urban sustainability begins with a vision — a re-visioning of what came before. It is an all-encompassing strategic design that excludes no living being, ensures basic human needs are met (shelter, clean water, sanitation and security), and strives for the ongoing pursuit of peace, financial autonomy, meaningful engagement, sustainable development, cultural appreciation, and social justice. |
But a vision and a plan are not enough to realize our dream cities. We, the citizens, are the agents, the implementers, who on a daily basis must work to sustain the quality of life we all long for. Without our commitment, no urban environment can sustain itself.
UN Habitat has identified six fundamental issues and many more sub-themes that all pertain to the health and well-being of people in urban settings. Read about them here. |
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THE ISSUES |
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IMPROVING THE LIVES
OF SLUM DWELLERS |
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Almost one billion people live in slums and unofficial settlements in cities around the world. Many of these citizens are working extremely hard, but still not earning enough to afford decent living conditions. What can we change in the way our world works to dramatically and immediately improve the lives of the urban poor?
As massive amounts of people worldwide move into cities every day, the lack of proper shelter, affordable housing and decent living conditions (safety, healthcare, food conservation) is a critical situation that cities need to address and solve.
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The solutions to these problems must be generated by citizens living in these communities, particularly young people, along with 'experts' from around the world.
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SUSTAINABLE ACCESS
TO WATER
IN OUR CITIES |
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In these days of instant wireless communication, email and high-tech, a young woman in India still must travel for miles through the mountains to fetch a bucket of drinking water or spend more than half a day to fill it from a dying spring. Water is essential for life on earth, yet almost three billion people - over 40 per cent of the world's population - do not have even basic sanitation, and more than a billion people still use unsafe sources of drinking water.
Many experts predict that water scarcity will be one of the major challenges facing human society this century, and that new solutions to water access and purification must be found in order to sustain urban communities around the world.
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ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
IN OUR CITIES |
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Over a million people are moving to urban areas every week, causing declining air and water quality, loss of green space and traffic gridlock. Air pollution in many cities in the developing world is reaching crisis proportions, with parts of their populations unable to even go outdoors during the smoggiest days of the year.
Issues such as climate change, renewable energy, waste reduction, green building and infrastructure, urban design, green space, sustainable transportation and environmental health are becoming more critical everyday.
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In order to support their growing populations, cities must tackle these challenges in innovative and timely ways.
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SAFETY & SECURITY
IN OUR CITIES |
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Hundreds of thousands of people have lost their lives this year due to tsunami, hurricane, fire, flood and terrorism. What do you think we should do to prepare for such major disasters? What can be done to prevent and solve urban problems like street crime, drug addiction and gun-violence? How can we address the underlying causes of these problems like poverty, hopelessness and youth-disaffection?
Public safety and emergency preparedness are linked by both the nature of their impact on citizens and by the common need to create preventative programs in our communities.
Cities play a critical role in reducing crime and therefore must develop new ways to face and solve both the underlying causes of crime and its consequences.
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Crime reduces the ability of affected populations to prepare for and recover from disaster and disaster contributes to increased crime rates by worsening social, economic and environmental conditions. Engaging youth, by far the fastest growing segment of urban populations - especially in the South, must be an essential part of any crime-reduction plan.
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FINANCE & GOVERNANCE
IN OUR CITIES |
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Economic and community development are tools that can be used to help improve the lives of people in cities. Local action and city-level decisions influence the environment and the role of the private sector and technology.
How can poor families achieve financial security? How can companies make a real difference in the environment and their communities? Citizens and experts need to share ideas on how to finance sustainable business and infrastructure projects and how to include social and environmental factors into investment decisions.
We also need to look at how city governments plan and coordinate sustainable growth and how we can increase the role of citizens (especially youth), companies and other groups in making decisions that affect our communities.
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We also should explore how technology can help people in cities and discuss its positive and negative effects on the lives of the poor.
The solutions to these problems must be generated by citizens living in these communities, particularly young people, along with 'experts' from around the world.
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HUMANITY
& THE FUTURE
OF OUR CITIES |
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If communities learn from each other's experiences and share ideas, perspectives and solutions to their mutual problems, what could the cities of the future look like? How can communities nurture new forms of human interaction and help to weave the rich fabric of civil society?
How can we focus the immense power and potential of international grassroots networks? Both policy-makers and communities need to work together to create the livable, inclusive, resilient, secure and sustainable cities of the future.
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YOUTH-LED DEVELOPMENT
& SUSTAINABILITY |
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At present, over three billion people, or just over 50 per cent of the world's total population, are children and youth. In the rapidly urbanizing world of today, the biggest danger that young people face is exclusion and marginalization. It is absolutely essential to the future of humanity that we consult, engage, involve, listen, mentor, encourage, motivate and above all respect the ideas and experiences of young people.
In communities all over the globe, young people are creating and driving programs to uplift their communities and work toward a sustainable future for us all.
From HIV/AIDS awareness and health education, to using music, arts and culture to include at-risk children in communities, youth-led development is leading the way toward more sustainable cities.
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Cities and countries around the world need to ensure that youth-led development is supported by local, regional, national and international society at-large, through funding, mentoring and true inclusion in policy-making processes.
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WUF BACKGROUND |
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What is the
World Urban Forum?
The World Urban Forum was established by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies and policies. The World Urban Forum is a biennial gathering that is attended by a wide range of partners, from non-governmental organizations, community-based organizations, urban professionals, academics, to governments, local authorities and national and international associations of local governments. It gives all these actors a common platform to discuss urban issues in formal and informal ways and come up with action-oriented proposals to create sustainable cities. |
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The third session of the World Urban Forum (WUFIII) will be hosted by the Government of Canada.It will take place in Vancouver, Canada from 19 to 23 June 2006, and have as its main theme,"Our Future: Sustainable Cities - Turning Ideas into Action."
Want to know why the WUF is important to young people? Want to now how you can get involved?
To find out more, click here |
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TOOLS AND RESOURCES |
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Here you can find a wide range of resources relevant to urban issues, ranging from policy documents and recommendations to tools that have been developed to support existing projects and new initiatives. Besides exploring what's here, we want you to add your own resources and relevant documents.
Add a Toolkit or Publication
Soon to be released!
TakingITGlobal and the Environmental Youth Alliance are developing a youth-centred toolkit which will aim to tie in the existing youth resources and toolkits while offering a valuable new point of view to the field. |
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Key Links
World Urban Forum (WUF III)
An overview of the organization, the Programme for the WUF III, exhibition and registration info and more.
Youth and the World Urban Forum
Website created in preparation for the World Urban Forum 2006 and to stimulate discussion and debate before, during and following the World Urban Forum 2006.
United Nations Human Settlements Program (UN-HABITAT)
UN-HABITAT, is the United Nations agency for human settlements. It is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities with the goal of providing adequate shelter for all. |
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The Environmental Youth Alliance (EYA) is a youth led non-profit based in Vancouver, British Columbia and partner of TakingITGlobal. The EYA is committed to improving urban social and physical environments through youth led projects and programs. EYA is the lead youth agency for the World Youth Forum to be held in Vancouver from June of 2006, a core partner of the Centre of Excellence for Youth Engagement.
Most Canadians live in cities, and many of these citizens are children and young people, but few of our cities are child-youth friendly. Growing Up in Cities Canada (GUICC) is a program about increasing child and youth involvement in cities. |
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A global effort to understand, respond, and help address the issues affecting urban children and youth. It is a collaborative undertaking of the MOST Programme of UNESCO and interdisciplinary teams of municipal officials, urban professionals, and child advocates around the world, working with young people themselves to create communities that are better places in which to grow up.
Did you know Vancouver hosted the very first United Nations Conference on Human Settlements, in 1976? In these speaking notes for Joe Fontana, Canadian Minister of Labour and Housing, you will learn about Canada's historic role in urban sustainable development |
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In this theme page we ask "where are the spaces in your city where you can breathe?" Read some of the opinions and stories from TIG members across the globe. Plus, connect to the special cities Global Gallery art collection, Panorama issue and first ever issue of TIG Magazine "Electricities."
The IISD promotes change towards sustainable development. Through research and effective communication of their findings, they engage decision-makers in government, business, NGOs and other sectors to develop and implement policies that benefit the global economy, the global environment and social well-being. Find commentaries on climate change, water management, the World Summit on the Information Society, the Kyoto protocol, governmental development assistance, 'green' budgets, and more topics.
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Toolkits
TakingITGlobal: Millennium Development Goals (MDG) Youth Action Guide
English
French
Spanish
TakingITGlobal Guide to Action
TakingITGlobal's Guide to Action helps you reflect on what you want to do, get inspired about your potential, become informed about what to do, get involved and act!
English
French
Spanish |
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View the introduction and table of contents. This manual is for sale.
Youth Hands, Youth Voices
Youth Policy Engagement Through Local Action Projects: A Toolkit for Youth Organizers (2003)
Youth Driven's Resource Manual
The Youth Driven coalition involves a partnership with youth driven organizations in the Greater Vancouver region. The goal of the coalition is to increase the capacity of youth driven agencies to do what they do better, by offering practical skills training and increase awareness and appreciation of youth driven agencies within the community. |
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