World Cities Day 2023; October 31st.

FORUM: "Financing sustainable urban future for all." World Cities Day 2023.

The global economic outlook remains fragile amid a convergence of crises that are threatening to further reverse progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. The United Nations World Economic Situation and Prospects 2023 projects that global growth will decelerate to 1.9 per cent in 2023. It is also estimated by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and IEA, that roughly $2.6 trillion dollars is required every year until 2030 to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and stay on course towards a net-zero society by 2050. (United Nations, 2023). This amount may appear huge but compared to annual global savings and other large financing markets, it is achievable. The availability of capital is large enough to solve global infrastructure needs. (World Bank, 2022) To unlock this capital, a paradigm shift is essential to inform the way efforts toward sustainable development is deployed in low-to-middle income countries. A significant drop in development grant funding and an increase in public investment is a clear signal that a change from a granting model to a financing model is crucial in keeping up the pace towards attaining the SDGs. (UN-Habitat CIF, 2023). While the financing model is not entirely new for public authorities, this period of economic downturn has not only elevated the urgency of scaling up investments for development but has also provided an opportunity for transformative innovative finance to be prioritized in public discourse. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #WorldCitiesDay, #31October, #UrbanOctober, #sustainableurbanfuture, #Cities.

EVENTS: On 31 October 2023, the Global Observance of World Cities Day 2023, under the theme Financing sustainable urban future for all, will explore how we can unlock transformative investment in urban planning and achieve adequate fiscal decentralization.

Programme - 11:00 – 11:45 Opening address by the Master of Ceremony • Welcome addresses by high-level representatives of the Government of Türkiye • Welcome address by the UN Secretary-General • Welcome address by the USG and Executive Director of UN-Habitat - 11:45 – 12:00 Keynote address by special guest - 12:00 – 12:10 Cultural performance - 12:10 – 12:20 Presentations on financing sustainable urbanization • Video of the Sustainable Human Settlements Foundation • Video of the Zero Waste Initiative by the Government of Türkiye - 12:20 – 12:25 Videos on the theme of World Cities Day and on Urban October - 12:25 – 13:05 Speeches by international speakers - 13:05 – 13:15 Presentation of special citation awards - 13:15 – 13:30 Closing of the morning session by the Master of Ceremony.

It will be a culmination of month-long global deliberations in Istanbul, Türkiye. The high-level segment sessions on October 31st, from 08:30 AM-19:30 PM (UTC+03) will bring together leaders of sovereign wealth funds, development finance institutions, private sector and governments to focus on the theme of “Financing sustainable urban future for all.” to explore how to unlock transformative investment in urban planning and achieve adequate fiscal decentralization. Two roundtable discussions will be organized for the Global Observance of the World Cities Day 2023.

The first roundtable on ‘‘Financing sustainable future for all.” will be held from 14:00-16:00 PM (UTC+03). The main objective of this roundtable will be to examine and refine recommendations received throughout Urban October on how to best facilitate the financing of the Sustainable Urban Development.Through this mechanism, the SDG Cities Global Initiative aims to support over 1,000 cities to accelerate their progress of the UN SDGs and the impact this would have on around 1 billion lives. Whilst the SDGs Global Cities Initiative centers on increasing the institutional capacities of cities and government to prepare projects that are viable and appropriate for private sector investments. Strategic reforms in the fiscal, regulation, and systemic environments are equally important factors contributing towards securing private sector investments that need to be considered. The challenge in facilitating private capital in sustainable urbanisation in emerging markets and developing economies though remains multifaceted and complex, provides a clear path and establishes its integral role in accelerating current progress towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

The second roundtable on “Waste to Wealth” will be held from 16:00-18:00 PM (UTC+03). Building On World Cities Day 2023 and on the transition to a circular economy, This roundtable will discuss the strategies national and local governments can adopt to move towards a circular economy through sustainable operational finance to unlock investments and bring decent job in the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) value chain and shift towards a circular economy. The roundtable will also explore how cities can collaborate with industries to promote circularity and zero waste in the built environment, while simultaneously ensuring that people who depend on the waste value chain for their livelihoods, particularly vulnerable groups such as waste workers, benefit from the transition. It will also discuss how cities can leverage the “value of urbanization” in bridging the financing gap and adopting innovative financing models in collaboration with the private sector and communities to finance capital and operational expenditures to improve solid waste management and to promote a circular economy. UN-Habitat, through its Waste Wise Cities and African Clean Cities Platform programmes, is increasingly working with national and local governments to develop business models and facilitate financial investments to shift towards circular and zero-waste economies.

EXHIBITS AND RECEPTION: The guests are also invited to visit the 2023 World Cities Day Urban exhibition from 9: 00 AM -16:00 PM UTC+03, followed by the Reception hosted by the Mayor of Üsküdar, Istanbul at 19:30 PM. Read the Information for Participants, Register to participate and Get the draft programme of the World Cities Day 2023!

On World Cities Day, the World Heath organization (WHO) will organize various events to launch its new technical guidance and tools, disseminate advocacy messages, and raise awareness of urban health issues along with health experts and urban practitioners. Learn more on the Expression of interest in hosting the Global Observance of World Cities Day for 2023.

PUBLICATION: This document presents a practicable plan for municipalities to process waste in-situ and within wards, aggregate recyclables and domestic hazardous waste at the zone level, and leverage private formal and informal waste networks.