The World Urban Forum kicks off in Baku amid the worsening housing crisis and the repercussions of climate change

The conference, organized by UN-Habitat in cooperation with Azerbaijan, will bring together world leaders, mayors, and urban planning experts, as well as representatives of governments, the private sector, civil society, and international organizations.

An ambitious goal: providing housing for the world

The forum topic is a call to action – “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.” According to the United Nations, nearly 2.8 billion people today live in inadequate housing conditions, while more than 300 million people have no shelter at all.

With nearly 70% of the world’s population expected to live in cities by 2050, the crisis is set to worsen.

In an interview with the UN’s video division, Annaclaudia Rosbach, Executive Director of…United Nations Human Settlements Programme (Habitat), the situation is described as a “global housing crisis.”

added: “This crisis has always been more severe and more structural in the countries of the South, but it is now affecting the countries of the North as well.”

According to Ms. Rosbach, the rising cost of living has become a major problem, while international crises, including the war in the Middle East and the associated risks to global supply chains, are worsening the situation.

More than just a home

The crisis goes beyond just buildings. Housing is increasingly viewed as a cornerstone of human dignity, city resilience, and even global stability.

The United Nations warns that the effects of the crisis extend to all aspects of life, straining health care and education systems, weakening economies, and destabilizing the social fabric.

Francine Pickup, UNDP Deputy Administrator and head of the UNDP delegation to the 13th World Urban Forum, said that UNDP hopes to use the forum in Baku to strengthen partnerships to support integrated urban solutions that combine housing, climate resilience, governance and local finance.

Mrs. Pickup said: “Our global housing crisis is not primarily a construction problem. We need to go beyond just looking at the construction of houses and houses, and look at the urban environment, and look at housing as a complex problem.”

Informal settlements: challenge and opportunity

One of the main focuses of the forum will be the rapid growth of informal settlements, or unplanned areas whose residents lack legal rights to land and live in precarious housing.

Today, about 1.1 billion people live in slums, and projections indicate that this number could rise by another 2 billion people in the coming decades. Children are considered the most vulnerable group, as the number of children living in miserable living conditions is estimated at between 350 and 500 million children.

At the same time, the United Nations Human Settlements Initiative calls for a change in the approach of viewing slums only as a problem. In many cases, these neighborhoods are the only means by which millions of people can secure shelter in cities.

Post-conflict reconstruction

Another issue that will emerge strongly, in light of ongoing conflicts and crises, is how cities recover after wars and disasters. By the end of 2022, more than 123 million people were forcibly displaced around the world, according to the United Nations, with more than 60% of them taking refuge in urban areas.

Losing a home goes beyond just losing a roof, it can mean the disruption of communities, loss of livelihoods, and a deep sense of insecurity.

In Baku, the focus will not only be on providing shelter, but will extend to rebuilding lives, starting from restoring neighborhoods and creating job opportunities, all the way to helping communities return to normal life.

Climate shocks

Another focus of the discussion will focus on climate issues. Experts warn that the climate crisis is becoming a major driver of the global housing crisis. Extreme weather events, including floods, storms and wildfires, have displaced more than 20 million people in 2023 alone.

It is estimated that climate change could destroy 167 million homes around the world by 2040.

At the same time, buildings themselves remain one of the largest sources of emissions: the building sector accounts for 34% of global energy-related CO2 emissions. Therefore, the forum will seek answers to two interconnected questions: How do we build more housing while avoiding worsening the climate crisis?

Ms. Rossbach said: “The theme of the forum is housing. We will explore housing from multiple perspectives, including the informal sector, finance, sustainability and resilience.”

added: “Today we must be acutely aware of the impact of climate change and the pressure it is putting on housing systems. What we build, how we build it, and where we build it all have consequences for natural resources, climate resilience, and the ability of communities to withstand shocks and disasters.”

She noted that the discussions in Baku will also focus on reconstruction and recovery in countries affected by wars and disasters.

Ms. Rosbach added: “There is an urgent need not only to provide housing, but also to rebuild communities in ways that are inclusive, resilient and sustainable.”

Joint effort

One of the main themes running through this forum is the need for collective action; That is, mobilizing the efforts of everyone, from governments and local authorities to universities and grassroots communities.

Ms. Rossbach said: “The World Urban Forum is our largest platform for bringing stakeholders together. We hope to witness a strong and diverse community coming together in Baku, and to emerge from the 13th session of the Forum with a stronger global coalition to address the housing crisis.”

She added: “We cannot solve the global housing crisis alone; we need governments, local authorities, civil society, academia, local communities and the private sector to work together.”

The New Urban Agenda: 10 Years Later

The Baku Forum will represent a prominent political event; This year marks the tenth anniversary of the New Urban Agenda, adopted in 2016.

Moreover, during next July, the United Nations General Assembly will conduct a mid-term review to assess the progress made in implementing this agenda. It is expected that the discussions that will take place in Baku will contribute to determining the extent of progress the world has made towards building more sustainable, safe and affordable cities.

About the World Urban Forum

The World Urban Forum was established by decision of the United Nations General Assembly in 2001, and its activities are organized by the United Nations Habitat agency, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.

Held every two years, the Forum is considered the leading international conference focusing on sustainable urbanization and the future of cities.

The Forum brings together governments, urban planners, researchers, civil society groups and private sector representatives to examine how accelerated urban growth is impacting societies, economies, infrastructure and climate.

Since its first session was held in Nairobi in 2002, various cities around the world have hosted sessions of this forum. More than 27,000 people are scheduled to participate in the Baku Forum activities.