Local Authorities

The second day of the 2016 meeting of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) continued with two panel discussions related to the theme of “Ensuring that no one is left behind” in the morning. Discussions took place on “Food security and sustainable agriculture, climate action, sustainable oceans and terrestrial ecosystems – adopting a nexus approach” and “Creating peaceful and more inclusive societies and empowering women and girls.” In the afternoon, a discussion took place on “Science-policy interface: New ideas, insights and solutions.” IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB Meeting Coverage, has provided daily reports, daily web coverage and a summary and analysis from HLPF 2016, which is available in HTML and PDF format. Photos by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth For photo reprint permissions, please follow instructions at our Attribution Regulations for Meeting Photo Usage Page Food security and sustainable agriculture, climate action, sustainable oceans and terrestrial ecosystems – adopting a nexus approach Panelists for the session on food security and sustainable agriculture, climate action, sustainable oceans and terrestrial ecosystems – adopting a nexus approach Chair Sven Jürgenson, Permanent Representative of Estonia to the UN and Vice President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Ronald Jumeau, Ambassador for Climate Change and Small Island Developing State Issues, Seychelles Omoyemen Lucia Odigie-Emmanuel, Centre for Human Rights and Climate Change Research Deborah Fulton, Committee on World Food Security (CFS) Jake Rice, Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO), Canada Abdullah K. Tawlah, Saudi Arabia Evelyn Nguleka, World Farmers' Organization (WFO) Rodrigo Messias, Local Authorities Major Group Frances Zainoeddin, Stakeholder Group on Ageing Mariyam Midhfa Naeem, Maldives, speaking on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Creating peaceful and more inclusive societies and empowering women and girls Panel speakers for the session on creating peaceful and more inclusive societies and empowering women and girls Irene Khan, International Development Law Organization (IDLO) Jürg Lauber, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the UN and Vice President of ECOSOC Lakshmi Puri, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Deputy Executive Director of UN Women Robert Berg, Alliance for Peacebuilding Beatrice Ayuru, Lira Integrated School Gaia Gozzo, CARE International Anca-Ruxandra Gliga, United Network of Young Peacebuilders and Major Group for Children and Youth Rebecca Anna Reichherzer, Denmark Josefina Valencia Toledano, Womens Major Group Maria Cramér, Sweden Pragashnie Adurthy, South Africa Science-policy interface - new ideas, insights and solutions Delegates gather for the session on the science-policy interface - new ideas, insights and solutions Chair Héctor Alejandro Palma Cerna, Deputy Permanent Representative of Honduras to the UN and Vice President of ECOSOC Wu Hongbo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs William Colglazier, American Association for the Advancement of Science Lucilla Spini, International Council for Science (ICSU) Guéladio Cissé, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) Aurélien Decamps, Kedge Business School Patrick Paul Walsh, University College Dublin Donovan Guttieres, Global Youth Partnership for the SDGs Peter Messerli, University of Bern Ambrose Murangira, Stakeholder Group for Persons with Disabilities, uses sign language for his intervention Martin Krause, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Annika Lindblom, Finland "Town Hall" Debate with Candidates for UN Secretary-General Hall The first-ever "town hall" debate with candidates for the UN Secretary-General took place in the UN General Assembly The live debate was broadcasted by Al Jazeera UN Secretary-General Candidates (L-R): Natalia Gherman, Moldova; Vuk Jeremić, Serbia; Susana Malcorra, Argentina; António Guterres, Portugal; and Vesna Pusić, Croatia UN Secretary-General Candidates (L-R): Irina Bokova, Bulgaria; Igor Lukšić, Montenegro; Christiana Figueres, Costa Rica; Danilo Türk, Slovenia; and Helen Clark, New Zealand Around the Venue Delegates gather for the second day of the 2016 HLPF Delegates confer before the start of plenary Delegates meet informally between sessions Paula Caballero Gómez, World Bank Federica Pietracci, UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) Women's Major Group members distributed red scarves as a reminder of the need for women and girls empowerment Around the UN Headquarters

The Habitat III Informal Hearings with Local Authorities Associations concluded on Tuesday, 17 May 2016, at UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting brought together representatives of local and regional governments to exchange views with member states and observers on the recently submitted zero draft of the Habitat III outcome. The meeting was mandated by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2015 (A/RES/70/210). In the morning, two panels took place on building the urban structure, establishing a supportive national, sub-national and local framework, and on planning and managing the urban spatial development. On building the urban structure, discussions addressed: capacity building; the importance of citizen participation; participation of local authorities in the New Urban Agenda; a forum for monitoring implementation; and access to development funds. On planning and managing the urban spatial development, the debate included suggestions to improve the zero draft of the New Urban Agenda, and how to address issues related to food and healthy lifestyles. In the afternoon, two panels addressed enhancing means of implementation, and follow-up and review of the New Urban Agenda. On enhancing means of implementation, the panel addressed, inter alia, the need to ensure: sufficient funding of local authorities; access to funds from both the national and international levels; review implementation; and mechanisms for grant funding of small projects. On follow-up and review of the New Urban Agenda, discussions focused on: eliminating socioeconomic segregation and poverty; building multi-level, multi-actor partnerships; constructing frameworks for follow-up and review that feed into the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) process; and decentralizing cooperation. In closing, Habitat III Co-Chair María de los Ángeles Duarte, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ecuador, thanked representatives of local authorities saying the zero draft will be further enriched by the contributions made. The meeting closed at 5:31pm. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web updates from the from the Habitat III Informal Hearings with Local Authorities. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary report of this event, which is available in HTML and PDF format. L-R: Luis Fernando Matute Rivera, Mayor, Pujili, Ecuador, and Association of Municipalities of Ecuador; Juan Espadas Cejas, Mayor, Sevilla, Spain; and Habitat III Deputy Secretary-General Kumaresh Misra The first panel of the morning addressed building the urban structure—establishing a supportive national, sub-national and local framework L-R: Luis Fernando Matute Rivera, Mayor, Pujili, Ecuador, and Association of Municipalities of Ecuador; Juan Espadas Cejas, Mayor, Sevilla, Spain; Habitat III Deputy Secretary-General Kumaresh Misra; Deputy Permanent Representative Helena Yáñez, Ecuador; Habitat III Co-Chair Maryse Gautier; Radhika Ochalik, Secretary to Habitat III; and Illiza Sa’aduddin Djamal, Mayor, Banda Aceh, Indonesia L-R: Geoffrey Makhubo, Member, Mayoral Committee for Finance, Johannesburg, South Africa; Habitat III Deputy Secretary-General Kumaresh Misra; Habitat III Co-Chair Maryse Gautier, France; Habitat III Co-Chair María de los Ángeles Duarte, Ecuador; Rachel Stein-Holmes, Secretary to Habitat III; Philip Anthony McPhee, President, Bahamas Association for Local Government Authorities and Caribbean Association of Local Government Authorities; and Souad Zaïdi, Deputy Mayor, Rabat, Morocco

The Habitat III Informal Hearings with Local Authorities Associations opened on Monday, 16 May 2016, at UN Headquarters in New York. The meeting brings together representatives of local and regional governments to exchange views with member states and observers on the recently submitted zero draft of the Habitat III outcome. The meeting was mandated by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2015 (A/RES/70/210). In the morning the opening segment took place, UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson, Habitat III Co-Chair Maryse Gautier, France, and Habitat III Secretary-General Joan Clos underscored that the Habitat III preparatory process is at a critical juncture with the launch of the zero-draft. They also noted that the Hearings represent the first time that an intergovernmental process provided a dedicated platform for local and regional governments to provide inputs into negotiations. A panel on key recommendations for the Habitat III draft outcome document from a regional perspective then took place. Participants welcomed the opportunity for local and regional governments to engage in the Habitat III preparatory process. The panel discussed issues, including: sustainable urban development strategies used in their cities; stakeholder engagement, particularly women, youth and indigenous peoples; creation of institutional arrangements to codify local government participation; and decentralization. In the afternoon, presentations were made by members of the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments on transformative commitments for a sustainable urban development. Presentations addressed: aspects that should be added to the zero draft; the right to the city; cultural patrimony; the importance of planning; and stronger participation for local and regional governments in intergovernmental processes. IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided daily web updates from the from the Habitat III Informal Hearings with Local Authorities. In addition, IISD Reporting Services, has published a summary report of this event, which is available in HTML and PDF format. Opening Panel. L-R: Julián Castro, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, US; UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson; Habitat III Co-Chair Maryse Gautier, France; Co-Chair of the Habitat III Preparatory Committee María de los Ángeles Duarte, Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ecuador; Movses Abelian, Assistant Secretary-General for General Assembly and Conference Management; Habitat III Secretary-General Joan Clos; and Jacqueline Moustache-Belle, Mayor, Victoria, and President, Association of Districts of Victoria, Seychelles. L-R: Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Municipal President, Municipal Council of Seberang Perai, Malaysia; Enrique Peñalosa Londoño, Mayor, Bogotá, Colombia; and Habitat III Deputy Secretary-General Kumaresh Misra Habitat III Secretary-General Joan Clos Habitat III Co-Chair Maryse Gautier, France, moderates the session on presentations by members of the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments on transformative commitments for a sustainable urban development.