Photo - Siavosh Hosseini/Unsplash
As nearly 3 billion people worldwide continue to face inadequate housing conditions, participants at the thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) gathered for the One UN Roundtable to examine how stronger coordination across the United Nations system and among development partners can help accelerate progress on housing and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Bringing together Resident Coordinators, United Nations entities, local governments and development partners, the session highlighted the growing recognition that housing is not only an urban issue, but also a cross-cutting development priority connected to poverty reduction, climate resilience, health, food security and economic opportunity. Throughout the discussions, one word repeatedly emerged: integration. Speakers stressed the need for more integrated approaches capable of connecting housing, finance, climate action, mobility, food systems and basic services through coordinated action across sectors and levels of governance.
The roundtable reflected a record level of participation from the United Nations system at a World Urban Forum, with more than 1,000 registered U.N. participants and 14 principals-level representatives attending WUF13. Discussions also underscored the growing importance of localisation and multilevel cooperation, positioning cities and housing as key accelerators for achieving the SDGs.
Opening the session, UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach stressed the urgency of moving beyond fragmented responses to the housing crisis. “We need systemic action and stronger collaboration with countries to address these challenges,” she said.
Rossbach also highlighted the role of the Resident Coordinator system in connecting national priorities with implementation at the local level. “It supports countries to translate the Sustainable Development Goals into local action and helps connect planning, data, financing and implementation while strengthening cooperation across levels of government,” she noted. “It also creates space for joint United Nations support at country level.”
Throughout the roundtable, speakers explored how integrated approaches can strengthen housing delivery while supporting broader sustainable development priorities. Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme, Elizabeth Maruma Mrema, emphasized that housing cannot be viewed in isolation.
“We cannot separate housing from climate resilience,” she said, noting that buildings account for 34 per cent of global carbon dioxide emissions while climate risks are expected to affect more than 167 million people by 2040. Mrema highlighted the importance of sustainable construction, stronger implementation of building regulations and increased public awareness around environmentally responsible housing materials and practices.
Localising the SDGs through housing
A central focus of the session was the role of localisation and multilevel cooperation in delivering housing solutions. Speakers emphasized that while housing challenges are global, implementation happens locally — requiring stronger coordination between national governments, cities, communities and development partners.
