OREANDA-NEWS. Finland participates in the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development in Quito, Ecuador on 17–20 October 2016. At the Conference the states will agree on a New Urban Agenda, setting the global standards for sustainable urban development for the next 20 years. The Conference is one of the main UN events this year, with more than 40 000 participants expected to attend.

More than half of the world population is already living in towns and cities and the migration to urban areas is accelerating. Over the next 40 years 3 billion people will be moving to towns and cities and their surface area will be three times as large as now. Urban areas produce 70 per cent of the greenhouse gas emissions and waste, and they represent 60 per cent of the world energy consumption. More than 880 million people still live in slums.

"Urbanisation is an enormous social and ecological challenge. Towns and cities are in a key position in terms of sustainable development", says Kimmo Tiilikainen, Finnish Minister of Agriculture and the Environment.

"The implementation of the New Urban Agenda offers significant business opportunities as well. It may help to remove an enormous amount of human suffering", Tiilikainen says.

The New Urban Agenda is to be adopted at the Conference Plenary Session on 20 October. The Agenda contains a political declaration and an implementation plan. The final document also establishes a follow-up and review mechanism, intended to reinforce the countries' obligation to report on the implementation of measures to promote sustainable urban development. The document is closely interlinked with the implementation of the global sustainable development agenda (the 2030 Agenda) and Paris Climate Agreement.

Under the Quito Action Plan to be published at the Conference the countries and other parties, including the private sector, may launch projects in support of sustainable urban development.

Finland's positions have been drafted by a national preparatory committee, led by the Ministry of the Environment and with representatives of the relevant ministries and other stakeholders. Key issues for Finland in the final document include securing adequate housing, coordinated land use, housing and transport planning, sustainable transport systems, strengthening the position of local governments, focus on the position of women, circular economy, promoting sustainable consumption and production practices, utilisation of smart cities solutions, preserving green spaces, and better air quality.