3 September 2012: A special session at the Sixth World Urban Forum (WUF 6) provided an update on plans for the Third UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Development (Habitat III) to be held in 2016. According to the World Urban Campaign (WUC), Habitat III will seek to produce a new Global Urban Agenda to respond to new challenges and strengthen the role of cities and institutional frameworks in sustainable urban development.

The WUC is coordinated by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), and aims to build momentum toward Habitat III.

The WUC highlights that Habitat III focuses on the theme “urban futures.” While Habitat II in 1996 focused on national-local agendas, Habitat III will consider global implementation, including existing international conventions that address sustainable urban development, such as the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Habitat III also is expected to provide likely scenarios of urban trajectories, and evaluate changes in the urban challenges and opportunities facing cities over the 20-year period between Habitat II and Habitat III. [WUC Concept Note] [IISD RS Story on Decision to Convene Habitat III][IISD RS coverage of Habitat II]