Driving the Goals

Habitat III was the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. It took place in Quito, Ecuador, from the 17th to the 20th of October 2016.

The aim of the conference was to reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainable urbanization, to focus on the implementation of a New Urban Agenda, building on the outcomes of Habitat 1 in Vancouver in 1976 and Habitat II, held in 1996 in Istanbul.  

The New Urban Agenda was signed by 167 nations and sets a new global standard for how we plan, manage and live in cities.

The implementation of the New Urban Agenda contributes to the localization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in an integrated manner, and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and targets, including Goal 11 of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. 

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States, provides a shared blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice

At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals addressing the critical problems of our age including the challenge of climate change and the widening gap between rich and poor.