Habitat III is the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development. It takes place in Quito, Ecuador, from October 17-20, 2016.
In Resolution 66/207 and in line with the bi-decennial cycle (1976, 1996 and 2016), the United Nations General Assembly decided to convene, the Habitat III Conference to reinvigorate the global commitment to sustainable urbanization, to focus on the implementation of a New Urban Agenda, building on the Habitat Agenda of Istanbul in 1996.
The Conference welcomes the participation and contributions of all Member States and relevant stakeholders, including parliamentarians, civil society organizations, regional and local government and municipality representatives, professionals and researchers, academia, foundations, women and youth groups, trade unions, and the private sector, as well as organizations of the United Nations system and intergovernmental organizations.
Habitat III will be one of the first world summits of the United Nations after the adoption of Agenda 2030 and the agreement on climate change COP21 in Paris.
“The Conference is a unique opportunity for rethinking the Urban Agenda in which governments can respond by promoting a new model of urban development able to integrate all facets of sustainable development to promote equity, welfare and shared prosperity,” says Dr. Joan Clos.
Quito, the capital of Ecuador, is situated at 2,800 meters (9,200 feet) above sea level in the province of Pichincha. It is the second largest city in the country after Guayaquil with a population of 2.6 million people, and one of the highest capitals in the world.