Press Releases
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Technology and digitalization are reshaping the land administration undertaken by governments to manage land and cadastre registries and tenure rights. With this fundamental work key to all planning in both cities and rural areas, for land and property-based taxation, and vital in the fight against
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and Columbia Global Centers | Paris (CGC|Paris), one of the ten global centres of Columbia University in New York City, signed a Memorandum of Understanding recognizing the City Diplomacy Lab at CGC|Paris as a UNECE Centre of Excellence in
Cities are at the forefront of the battle to address some of humanity’s most pressing challenges, from climate change to pandemics and disasters. As our world becomes more urbanized – with approximately 75% of the population of Europe and North America already residing in cities – these issues
A UNECE study on the sharing economy and its effects on housing markets shows how the massive emergence of temporary rental accommodation through platforms such as AirBnB has changed living habits in cities, and highlights a range of policy and regulatory approaches that can be taken to balance
During the past two weeks, over 10,000 delegates have attended the second part of the Conference of Parties (COP-15) of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Montreal, Canada, as they seek to agree on the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. Unsurprisingly, forests are at the
Ihor Terekhov, Mayor of Kharkiv, and Architect Norman Foster presented today details about the new Kharkiv reconstruction master plan approach. It will be based on five pilot projects, chosen in coordination with local residents, and will be developed based on 14 guiding principles discussed with
UNECE Executive Secretary Olga Algayerova was in Kyiv on Sunday 9 and Monday 10 October to meet with Government officials to discuss UNECE support to the reconstruction of Ukraine. Since the start of the war, upon official requests for assistance from the government, UNECE has been providing
With over 7.6 million refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe since the start of the war, cities in neighbouring countries and beyond have welcomed Ukrainian refugees with solidarity and dignity, Mayors and representatives of major host cities in countries including Hungary, Moldova, Poland,
75 years ago, the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) started working on forests. Today, we recognize their enormous potential not only for humans, fauna, flora, and the environment, but also for cities. In an urbanizing world, the contribution of forests to cleaning our air and
Countries have taken a step to translate rising commitment for sustainable urban development into concrete changes to the fabric of our cities with the adoption of a UN-backed Declaration.
Today, governments attending the 83rd session of the UNECE Committee on Urban Development, Housing and
In support of the mayor of Kharkiv’s desire to rebuild his city and send a signal recovery to his citizens and the world, renowned artist Michelangelo Pistoletto will offer Kharkiv a “rebirth” sculpture.
The artist, through his foundation, had already realized an imponent artwork representing the
UNECE has mobilised international architects to help the city of Mykolaiv, Ukraine’s ninth largest city, develop a forward-looking, people-centred master plan for building back better. This work will be led by One Works, a global design and architecture company, in collaboration with Ukrainian
The war has already caused the destruction of infrastructure in many urban areas of Ukraine and will require enormous efforts by the government and international partners to reconstruct following the cessation of hostilities.
In April 2022, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development
UNECE and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the aim of showing how football and hosting UEFA events can support cities to become more sustainable.
To celebrate the agreement, a side event entitled ‘Football as accelerator of change’
To support Bishkek in moving towards more sustainable, inclusive and resilient urban growth, the UNECE is advancing several smart sustainable city projects in partnership with the capital of Kyrgyzstan.
Bishkek faces multiple challenges, ranging from rapid population growth, continued expansion of
From the climate crisis to inequalities, urban areas play an increasingly central role in tackling key sustainable development challenges. Strengthening the connections between city-level actors and facilitating their engagement in international policy debates is therefore vital to scale up
The world’s urban areas are responsible for the vast majority of CO2 emissions. But cities, led by Mayors, are pushing forward the climate action that will be vital to keep the 1.5°C target alive, adapting to climate change impacts, and making their voices heard alongside national governments at
Increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events due to climate change that can lead to industrial accidents and unchecked urban and regional development could together be a recipe for disaster, warn the UN and the governments of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia
Cities’ growing role in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda has led to increased global attention on localizing SDGs. The preparation of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) enables the review of SDG implementation at a local level. VLRs complement Voluntary National Reviews developed at the country
Humanity is facing not one but three intertwined crises: the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and a lack of adequate and affordable housing. Each of these three emergencies has the potential to compound the multidimensional impacts of the others in health, social cohesion, environmental integrity
Approximately 50 million people in the UNECE region live in inadequate housing conditions. In the 21st century, the governance, land and finance systems that influence the delivery and consumption of housing have been beset by numerous crises. Emanating from climate change, unguided investment
Globally, 690 million people suffer from hunger and three billion cannot afford healthy, nutritious food. Despite this, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that one-third of all food fit for consumption is either lost during the production or shipping process
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a multi-dimensional effect on the UNECE region, causing the worst economic contraction in decades. Cities and urban areas, with their high population density and interconnectivity, were particularly vulnerable and encountered major disruptions. The pandemic impacted
Approximately 150 million people are homeless and more than 1.8 billion people worldwide lack adequate and affordable housing. While levels of homelessness vary considerably across UNECE countries, finding sustainable solutions to ensure access to housing for all members of society remains a
The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Norman Foster Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on 23 March 2021.
The two organisations formalise their cooperation in the promotion of sustainable housing and sustainable cities through the establishment of the