Towards a New Urban Agenda
Habitat III is a a conference organized by the United Nations to discuss Sustainable Urban Development and Housing. It will take place in Quito, Ecuador starting from 17th to 20th October, 2016.
Why Habitat III?
The conference is expected to trigger political commitment to sustainable urbanization around the global. It will be a build up on the Habitat II which took place in Istanbul back in 1996. Habitat I had happened in Vancouver in 1976.
Conference Venue
Quito will be the venue for Habitat III. This is the second largest city in Ecuador. It is located 2,800 meters above sea level. It has a population of 2.6 million people. In 1978 UNESCO declared it a World Cultural Heritage site.
Habitat III Secretary General
Habitat III is headed by Dr. Joan Clos. He was born in Barcelona 67 years ago. He was trained as a medical doctor but served as a diplomat and civil servant for many years.
- He served as a Mayor in Barcelona (1997- 2006)
- Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade (2006-2008)
- Spanish Ambassador to Azerbaijan
- Deputy Mayor for Barcelona (1990-1994) when he presided over finance and budgeting for the city
- Councillor (1983-1987) he was popular for promoting urban renewal projects
- He was a director of Public Health starting 1979.
