Academia Roundtable (World Urban Forum 12th Session…

Urban areas worldwide face interconnected systemic crises, including the housing crisis and climate emergency, which are global common denominators, uniting north and south. Enhancing infrastructure and housing contributes to a substantial ecological footprint through increased emissions and urban expansion. Additionally, climate change disproportionately affects vulnerable communities and regions. While climate change is the most urgent challenge facing the world today, the global housing crisis is a key priority that aligns closely with UN-Habitat's mandate. UN-Habitat is uniquely positioned to address these interlinked challenges by promoting access to adequate housing, land and basic services, and through the transformation of informal settlements and slums to enhance resilience and reduce their environmental footprint.

This roundtable will explore how research and data can inform evidence-based strategies to effectively tackle pressing issues such as housing affordability, access to basic services and environmental sustainability. Data are needed to assess progress, provide foresights and inform future investments and decisions to address urban issues. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, knowledge co-production and cross-sector collaboration, research can generate innovative solutions that inform urban planning and policy, ensuring that interventions are tailored to the specific needs of diverse communities.

Within this context, the academia roundtable will discuss the strategies and collaborative efforts needed to enhance the body of research and data to tackle these complex challenges. Academia and research institutes have a crucial role in addressing these crises at all scales, contributing to the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. The session will reflect on the key findings from major reports and events, including the 2023 SDG 11 synthesis report, The World Cities Report (WCR) 2024, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s Special Report on Climate Change and Cities, the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference (I4C24) (Montréal, 10-12 September 2024) and the International Conference on Collective Housing: Let People be the Solution (Thailand, 1-4 July 2024).