On day three, WUF participants zoomed in on equity and two of its main determinants – affordable housing and accessibility. In the morning Dialogue on Equitable Urban Futures, speakers warned that solutions to tackling the increasing inequalities in cities must be devised in partnership with those directly affected. The Dialogue on Building Resilience for Sustainable Urban Futures highlighted the urgency of resilient planning, citing COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine as examples for why it is never too early to be prepared for the next crisis.
In the afternoon, speakers in the Special Session on Delivering Affordable Housing Across Continents said solidarity and inclusivity must be at the forefront of the housing sector. Teresa Czerwińska, European Investment Bank, said “something evidently has gone wrong” with the housing sector becoming increasingly inaccessible. The Special Session on Tackling Urban Health Challenges discussed incompatible government policies between levels of government as a barrier of good urban health. In the Special Session on National Urban Forums (NUFs), participants shared both benefits and challenges to hosting NUFs, while also discussing aspirations for future forums. In a Special Session on Rebuilding from War and Natural Disasters, panelists emphasized the need for people-centered approaches that build back both the physical and social fabrics of cities. Appearing by video, the Mayor of Kharkiv, Ukraine, emphasized that the city was “still alive” and planning for redevelopment.
Want to dive deeper on today's talks? Read the Earth Negotiations Bulletin daily report.
