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New Urban Agenda

The New Urban Agenda (NUA) was adopted in 2016 in the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador. The NUA deals with the development, function and sustainable design of cities. It is a non-binding agreement and yet makes clear demands for a modern city such as compact settlement development with adequate open spaces, economical use of resources, strengthening of public transport and healthy living conditions for all. The agenda serves as a toolbox and guideline for cities to strengthen their commitment to sustainable and integrated urban development.

The NUA is also an important resource for the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (in particular SDG 11 “Sustainable, Safe and Inclusive Cities and Communities”), as well as the Paris Climate Agreement in cities and human settlements.

The original text of the NUA can be found here.

Further References

For a deeper understanding of the NUA, you may also want to consult the following resources:

Urban Agenda Platform – A global platform for sharing progress, action and knowledge on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda to achieve sustainable urban development

Learning tool of UN Habitat Urban Agenda platform – Online tool to learn about the core dimensions and means of implementation of the New Urban Agenda