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30 November 2021<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Distinguished delegates,<\/p>\n Thank you for joining today\u2019s preparatory meeting.<\/p>\n As previously communicated, I will be convening, together with Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ-Habitat, a one-day High-Level Meeting on 28 April 2022, to assess progress on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.<\/p>\n The mandated meeting will be informed both by the Secretary-General\u2019s upcoming report on implementing the New Urban Agenda, as well as inputs from regional commissions.<\/p>\n The purpose of today\u2019s briefing is to solicit your inputs regarding that meeting\u2019s format, scope, themes, and outcomes.<\/p>\n This is to ensure that the meeting, while adhering to mandated modalities, is as impactful as possible, and reflects the needs and \u00a0desires of Member States.<\/p>\n I do not think I need to detail the challenges associated with urbanization. We are all well-versed in this.<\/p>\n We know that we live in an increasingly urbanized world. Globally, around 55 per cent of people live in urban areas: a figure that is expected to rise to nearly 70 per cent by 2050.<\/p>\n We know also that our policies and practices continue to lag behind this rapid and monumental shift.<\/p>\n This was very much on display during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n Urban areas have borne much of the consequences of the pandemic\u2019s spread, with the vast majority of reported COVID-19 cases.\u00a0<\/p>\n Local institutions are our societies\u2019 first line of defense. They provide the most direct forms of governance.<\/p>\n Strengthening urban systems and institutions for the challenges that exist, and the ones that may yet arise, must be part of a resilient vision for our cities.<\/p>\n Beyond the pandemic, we know that unsustainable urbanization can have severely detrimental impacts on the environment.<\/p>\n This threatens biodiversity, land and soil quality, food supplies, water and air quality, and any number of other factors.<\/p>\n These are all challenges to be expected when you have millions of people in a concentrated area.<\/p>\n Yet, for every challenge that exists there is a viable solution. This is where the New Urban Agenda becomes so important. It offers us a roadmap to more sustainable, resilient cities.<\/p>\n With COVID-19 and climate change taking their toll on our cities, there has never been a better time to revisit this Agenda and to refocus our efforts.<\/p>\n We know that cities are both immense carbon emitters, yet also some of the most progressive climate action advocates.<\/p>\n Here is where the Paris Agreement and the goal of 1.5 can be won or lost. Certainly, it is where it is localized.<\/p>\n Given the importance and urgency of upscaling action on sustainable urbanization, I have decided to convene an Advisory Committee on Sustainable Urbanization.<\/p>\n The Committee will support me in preparing for the High Level Meeting.<\/p>\n They will also help identify key messages for strategic advocacy, on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, and other strategic engagements related to sustainable urbanisation.<\/p>\n I will circulate summaries of the committee\u2019s meetings, and welcome inputs and suggestions from all Member States.<\/p>\n I look forward to engaging with each of you, as well as the broader Ä¢¹½ÊÓƵ family, civil society, and relevant stakeholders, in preparing for, and during, the upcoming Meeting.<\/p>\n With your support, I am hopeful that we can succeed and make a difference.<\/p>\n Excellencies,<\/p>\n Cities represent the greatest achievements of human civilization. Throughout history they have served as centres of scientific research and innovation, solving some of our most pressing concerns.<\/p>\n Let the New Urban Agenda pave the way for a rejuvenation of our cities for a cleaner, greener, and inclusive future.<\/p>\n I look forward to your suggestions and considerations.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Remarks of H.E. Mr. Abdulla Shahid – Informal General Assembly Briefing on the PGA\u2019s preparations for the High-level Meeting on the implementation of the New Urban Agenda <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":353,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[111],"tags":[],"committee-meeting":[],"class_list":["post-253394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-speeches","et-doesnt-have-format-content","et_post_format-et-post-format-standard"],"yoast_head":"\n