Habitat III is the 2016 United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. In resolution 66/207 and in line with the bi-decennial cycle (1976, 1996, and 2016), the United Nations General Assembly decided to convene the Habitat III conference to reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainable urbanization, and to focus on the implementation of a New Urban Agenda, building on the 1996 Habitat Agenda of Istanbul adopted in Habitat II (3-14 June 1996).
The 1996 Habitat (Habitat II) Agenda set the twin goals of “achieving adequate shelter for all” and “ensuring sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world”.
This National Report of Nepal has been primarily prepared for Habitat III following the given guidelines. The Report makes an assessment of the overall achievements of the 1996 Habitat Agenda, focuses on the issues and challenges in relation to six key areas, provides a Plan of Action as a transformative response to future challenges, and presents a New Urban Agenda for the next 20 years. The six key areas are urban demography; land and urban planning; environment and urbanization; urban governance and legislation; urban economy; and housing and basic services.
The process of report preparation has been consistently participatory, interactive, and consultative, involving key stakeholders including government agencies, local bodies, the private sector, civil societies, and academia. The draft report was presented and discussed in a workshop widely participated by stakeholders, and first-hand feedbacks were received. The final validation workshop was organized on August 26, 2016.
Habitat III
Habitat III builds on the work from Habitat II to the recently agreed global frameworks, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the Third International Conference on Financing for Development.
The Habitat II Agenda on “Sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world” covered issues related to, among others, sustainable land use; social development; environmental sustainability; sustainable energy use; sustainable transport and communication systems; conservation and rehabilitation of historical and cultural heritage; improvement of urban economies; balanced development of settlements in rural regions; and disaster prevention, mitigation and preparedness, and post-disaster rehabilitation capabilities.
The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at addressing the concerns of human settlements. Part of the MDG 7 dealt with reducing the number of slum dwellers by half. The Johannesburg Plan of Implementation adopted by the World Summit on Sustainable Development, 2002 calls for achieving a significant improvement in the lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020, as proposed in the Cities Without Slums Initiative.
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 associated targets. SDG 11 addresses urban areas, aiming to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.” Targets by 2030 include, among others, ensuring access for all to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services and upgrading slums; providing access to safe, affordable, and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety and expanding inclusive public transport; enhancing inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory development; reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities; and provide universal access to safe, inclusive, accessible, and green public spaces.
The SDG 11 is interlinked with other goals: ending poverty; ending hunger; ensuring healthy lives; ensuring education opportunities; achieving gender equality; availing water and sanitation for all; ensuring inclusive and sustainable economic growth with decent work for all; building infrastructure for sustainable industrialization; ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns; combating climate change; promoting peaceful and inclusive societies; and strengthening means of implementation.