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Implementing the harmonised Global Urban Monitoring Framework (UMF) and its Shanghai Adaptation (The Shanghai Adapted Index/SAI) for monitoring SDGs/NUA and supporting VLRs and the SDG Cities Programme

Robert Ndugwa

Moderator

date June 29, 2022 | 15:30 - 17:00
place
Multifunction Hall: ONE UN Room
organization
United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)
country
Global
language
Polish, Spanish, English, French + CART [English]
theme
Transforming Cities through Innovative Solutions and Technologies
Reference: 
UN 11

Summary

The Statistical Commission and various GA resolutions urged UN-Habitat to develop innovative methods, approaches and guidelines for data collection, analysis, monitoring and implementation, with the objective of supporting Member States, when needed, in dealing with emerging urban challenges and opportunities as articulated in global, regional, and national agendas. This led to the development of the UMF which was presented to the 53rd Session of the Statistical Commission on March 2022. The Commission endorsed the UMF and its further implementation as part of a harmonized global urban United Nations system-wide strategy for monitoring SDGs and NUA and other regional, national, and subnational urban programmes. This event is organized to share progress on the implementation of the UMF, its Shanghai adaptation, on-going piloting efforts, the experiences of cities and experts in using the framework, and strategies for expanding its application. The Urban Monitoring Framework (UMF) harmonizes existing urban indexes and tools and offers a universal framework for measuring the urban Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA), as well as other regional and national urban agendas. It also serves as a monitoring tool for the UN-Habitat Flagship Programme on SDG Cities, supports the UN-system wide framework’s mandate on the implementation of the urban SDGs and aligns with Member States’ search for greater coherence to measure progress and report on the urban dimensions of the SDGs. It also addresses the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable urban development, including a rural-urban interlinkage, ensuring no one is left behind through the preparation of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). As part of the UMF implementation, the UN-Habitat, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People's Republic of China (MOHURD) and the Shanghai Municipal People's Government collaborated to develop the Shanghai Adapted Index (SAI). The SAI is the first concrete implementation of UMF – characterised by a condensed set of Core UMF and adapted indicators – and has been crucial in showcasing how the UMF can be adapted while accounting for different urban dynamics.

Objectives

Through a harmonized approach for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, we expect to contribute directly to the implementation and localization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is also key to recognize the role of national, subnational, and local governments, as appropriate, and other relevant stakeholders in the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the 2030 Agenda, including policymaking, planning, design, implementation, and monitoring, as well as the financing and timely delivery of services. The effective implementation of these global agendas requires enabling policy frameworks at the global, regional, national, subnational, and local levels, and mutually beneficial partnerships.

Session speakers

Speaker
Role
Organization
Country
Mr. Robert Ndugwa
Head, Data and Analytics
UN-HABITAT
Mr. Rong Yang
Inter-regional advisor, UN-Habitat
UN-Habitat
Mr. Thomas George
Head, Urbanization
UNICEF
Ms. Amutshilani Setobooli
Urban Planner
Ministry of Housing
Mr. Santiago Saura
Manager
City of Madrid