Committed to Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements for All

In Special Consultative Status with ECOSOC

HIGH-LEVEL DIALOGUE

IMPLEMENTING RIO+20 DECISIONS AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE CITIES, TRANSPORT AND TOURISM & GLOBAL FORUM ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS 2014

OUTCOME DOCUMENT

      We, the representatives of governments, agencies of the United Nations System, international organizations, NGOs, city networks, universities, civil society organizations, businesses, communities, experts and citizens, assembled in Bogotá, Colombia, from 10 to 12 of August 2014 for the High-Level Dialogue on the "IMPLEMENTING RIO+20 DECISIONS AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE CITIES, TRANSPORT AND TOURISM - GLOBAL FORUM ON HUMAN SETTLEMENTS 2014":

    1. Express our deep appreciation to the city of Bogotá and to Colombia, their authorities and people, for the hospitality and organization of this High-Level Dialogue.

    2. Recognize that promoting and delivering sustainable consumption and production is one of the three overarching sustainable development objectives together with the sustainable management of natural resources and the eradication of poverty.

    3. Recall that today about 3.5 billion people live in cities around the world and that Latin America and the Caribbean is a fundamentally urban region, where almost 80% of its population now live in cities, a region where there are resources and capabilities to drive sustainable cities that can create growth, improve the use of resources, reduce pollution and poverty by generating opportunities, access to basic services, energy, housing, transport and proper planning to meet the requirements of three dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental, in an integrated manner.

    4. Affirm that cities are like eco-systems or living organisms. Cities are much more than infrastructure, houses and facilities, a sustainable city must cover social, environmental and cultural aspects in a holistic way, so that investment in people becomes the driver of growth.

    5. Reiterate the necessity for urgently addressing and promoting resource efficiency, in particular energy efficiency, use of new and renewable energy in buildings and construction sectors, and recognize energy as an accelerator to all the other objectives of sustainable development.

    6. Re-affirm that mobility is a fundamental dynamic of urbanization, an associated infrastructure that integrates sustainability and shapes the urban context including roads, transport systems, urban spaces and buildings, which should avoid low-density urban growth and expansion that generates negative externalities such as pollution, noise pollution and accidents, as well as being a cornerstone of participatory spaces and social integration in cities.

    7. Recognize that the development of productive, efficient, and sustainable cities, generating opportunities is a fundamental condition for overcoming poverty and achieving a decent standard of living for all, while creating value and jobs through the growing concentration of economic activities in cities.

    8. Re-affirm the importance of social inclusion in the processes of urbanization and the promotion of sustainable cities, as well as the importance of ensuring high standards of health for all citizens through planning and health management, and considering epidemiological factors derived from climate change.

     9. Recall that the core of sustainable urban development lies in scientific planning and design.

    10. Affirm and recognize that all countries possess a high potential for tourism but presently, tourism is not a sustainable activity. As the global middle class continues to grow, so does the demand for tourism industries consequently generating negative environmental impacts such as the increase in greenhouse gas emissions and a deterioration of the natural and cultural environments. Therefore it is necessary to include tourism as one of the five key points in global sustainable consumption.

    11. Reaffirm that sustainable development is everyone's responsibility, and that this should be constructed jointly between the public, private and civilian sectors at local, national and international levels, which is required to strengthen global governance and public private partnerships.

    12. Recall that mitigation and adaptation to climate change must be central and overarching in the post-2015 development agenda for developed and developing countries, as well as at local and national levels, in particular through resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production, considering the serious threat posed by climate change to gains obtained in social and economical development.

    13. Note the statement of the Seventh World Urban Forum, in which governments, the private sector, international organizations, academia, professionals, civil society and other stakeholders reaffirmed the importance of cities in the new development agenda for post-2015.

    14. Congratulate the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, for the conclusion of their work by adopting by consensus the set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals, and recognize and appreciate the leadership of the National Government of Colombia in this process.

    15. Acknowledge the contribution of the Global Task Force of Local and Regional Governments for the Post-2015 development agenda towards Habitat III, city networks and cities, in the formulation of Sustainable Development Goals.

    16. Celebrate and support the Urban SDG #11, that will help local governments and all stakeholders committed with sustainable urbanization to design, implement and monitor efficient policies for sustainable cities.

    17. Affirm the critical role of local governments in the formulation and implementation of policies, plans and programs to implement the international post-2015 development agenda, as well as the new climate agreement, the new Framework for Action on Resilience and risk management, and the new urban agenda to be adopted at Habitat III.

    18. Insist on the importance of international cooperation, North-South, South-South, triangular, decentralized, technical and financial, and networking, as well as the necessity for Public-Private Partnerships, to achieve sustainable development at local, national and global levels.

    We call upon all concerned leaders and decision makers to:

    19. Work alongside all development actors to achieve consistency between the Post2015 Development Agenda and the Climate Change, Risk and Resilience, Biodiversity, Water and Urban (Habitat III) agendas, and the integration of climate action in developing strategies Post-2015.

    20. Promote the localization of Sustainable Development Goals, targets and indicators, which will allow a successful implementation of the Post-2015 Development Agenda at a local level.

    21. Promote appropriate decentralization processes that create a coherence in national and local development policies.

    22. Ensure the adequate and responsible management of resources in particular energy as a key factor for development, as it is needed for transportation, commercial and industrial activities, in construction and infrastructure, for water supply and food production, in view of reducing the ecological footprint, contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

    23. Induce environment – friendly, renewable, low-carbon, and efficient energy, that supports communities’ development, through, inter alia, the adoption of tax and fiscal incentives.

     24. Further promote public transport, greener and low carbon transport systems and expand mobility, that support sustainable community development, by reducing commuting time and inducing environmentally friendly transport systems, such as walking, bicycles and electric vehicles, among others.

    25. Induce and support the promotion of greener, low carbon and sustainable built environment, particularly in the buildings sector, through adequate legislation, market tools, incentives, information and capacity building.

    26. Promote the compact city model, which lowers the cost of building infrastructure, natural resources consumption and carbon emissions, contributing to climate change mitigation, while ensuring liveable communities.

    27. Implement special care for historical town centers, as territories of high social complexity and great cultural and identity value, revitalizing and renaturalizing them in a participatory manner.

    28. Protect environmental goods and services, ecosystems, agricultural soil, promote efficiency and sustainability in the use of urban land, ensuring participation and inclusion of citizens in land use planning.

    29. Design and implement integral and integrated water policies that take into account the regional watershed approach, the water cycle and adaptation to climate change, including access and sanitation aspects, management of water demand, resource efficient consumption, risk-oriented and useful rain water management, conservation and restoration of hydrological resources, land use and urban planning around water spaces.

    30. Design and implement public waste policies supported by the following principles: "The best waste is the one that is not generated" and "Waste is a public resource and can be managed and profitable." Cities should recycle their waste and transform it into energy, creating jobs and mitigating climate change.

    31. Encourage the creation of decent and green jobs, with a focus on the inclusion of women and youth, and the prohibition of child labor in all its forms.

    32. Promote sustainability in tourism, optimizing the use of natural resources, helping the conservation of the natural and cultural heritage, biodiversity, traditional values and ensuring economic operations that provide long-term socioeconomic benefits, employment opportunities, local poverty alleviation, social services to local communities and enable the development of efficient infrastructure and services that do not impact the environment. Tourism should be strongly committed to minimizing the associated social risks such as trafficking in persons, prevention of Sexual Exploitation of Children (SEC) and to implementing actions on accessible tourism for disabled persons. Tourism policies and programmes should be integrated into national development plans and strategies.

    33. Design and implement policies for micro, small and medium enterprises, based on social responsibility to its workers, the incorporation of clean and environmentally friendly technologies, access to finance, innovation and the use of information technology and communications.

    34. Develop policies that promote the public procurement of goods with a low carbon footprint, and promote the adoption of internationally transparent labeling indicating the origin, mode of production and the ecological footprint of these products.

    35. Underscore that shaping the culture of sustainable development is key to sustainable cities, and induce a sustainability culture and harmony between nature and human beings, supporting and promoting abstemious, resource efficient and healthy lifestyles among citizens, especially the young and children.

Bogota, Colombia