The Future we want: The city we need. Together towards HABITAT III

Cities are either helpful or unhelpful in achieving sustainable development. As we declared in the 2012 Manifesto for Cities and further reiterate here: “the battle for a more sustainable future will be won or lost in cities.” How we plan, build, and manage our cities now will determine the outcome of our efforts to achieve a sustainable and harmonious development tomorrow. Well- planned cities afford all residents the opportunity to lead safe, healthy, and productive lives. Well-designed cities present nations with major opportunities to promote social inclusion, resilience, and prosperity. The city we need must recognize local contexts, cultures, and customs, stripped to its barebones, it is founded on two key qualities: the respect of public and private uses of land, and a well-coordinated system of systems.

Keywordsurban agriculture, urban areas, urban land policy