Brussels, 07/04/2016 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 6 May, the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) and UN-Habitat signed a memorandum of understanding in Barcelona aimed at structuring their collaboration for an “integrated approach to socially and environmentally sustainable urban development” - with special regard to water management, risk reduction and resilience.
“Encouraging sustainable urban development is crucial for bringing effective progress to regional integration, stability and human development in the Mediterranean region”, the UfM states, adding that “the Mediterranean region is in the middle of a strong spatial transformation linked to population growth, widespread urbanisation and deep changes in its political, social and economic model. This transformation is particularly felt in its cities, which are also confronted with new environmental impacts”.
“The effects of climate change and the phenomenal shift towards urbanisation - six out of every ten people in the world are expected to reside in urban areas by 2030 - are already being felt and are bound to intensify in the coming years. There is thus a need to mobilise all actors, national governments, local authorities, academia, businesses and citizens, to ensure that the growth of cities and urban areas is turned into opportunities,” said UN-Habitat Executive Director Joan Clos. (Original version in French by Fathi B'Chir)