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The Quality of Life Initiative at HLPF
Ulrich Graute • 7 July 2023
Concept note for the Side event at the HLPF in New York on 14 July 2023
The Quality of Life Initiative: At the heart of the SDG Rescue Plan for People and Planet
The 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that, by 2030, all people enjoy peace and prosperity. If achieved, nearly all 169 targets will contribute to improving the quality of life of people and communities. It is in this context, that UN-Habitat has launched the Quality of Life Initiative. With the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and other Member States the Initiative will help local governments and other policy-makers to make clear, informed decisions for the well-being of people and the implementation of the SDGs.
SDGs off track
Halfway towards the 2030 deadline, many countries are falling behind their global commitments. The slow progress has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, rising food and energy prices and climate-related disasters. Some successes have been recorded, such as the reduction of extreme poverty and child mortality, improvements in gender equality and access to electricity. However, many others are off track or have even gone backwards. Only 12 per cent of the 140 SDG targets with data are on track; close to half are moderately or severely off track, and around 30 per cent have seen no movement or regression below the 2015 baseline.
Cities hold the key to achieving the SDGs
Halfway towards the 2030 deadline, many countries are falling behind their global commitments. The slow progress has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts, rising food and energy prices and climate-related disasters. Some successes have been recorded, such as the reduction of extreme poverty and child mortality, improvements in gender equality and access to electricity. However, many others are off track or have even gone backwards. Only 12 per cent of the 140 SDG targets with data are on track; close to half are moderately or severely off track, and around 30 per cent have seen no movement or regression below the 2015 baseline.
Cities hold the key to achieving the SDGs
The theme of this HLPF is Accelerating the recovery from COVID-19 and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels. The UN-Secretary-General has called for a rescue plan for the SDGs and clearly, any such plan needs to put cities and towns at the front. Today more than half the world’s population live in cities, and by 2050, seven of every 10 people will reside in urban areas. As host to most of the world’s population, cities have a significant impact on the realization of SDGs and nearly two-thirds of the SDGs targets have urban components.
Notably, countries are also failing to reach the SDG 11 on inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities Only 10 per cent of the targets are on track to be fully met. This is reflected in growing informal settlement populations, the fact that only half of urban residents have convenient access to public transport, and a fifth have no municipal solid waste collection. More than three-quarters of cities have less than 20 per cent of their area dedicated to open public spaces and streets. This poor delivery compromises the quality of life of people. Clearly the well-being of over half the world’s population depends on achieving SDG11 and the other urban-centric goals.
Quality of Life Initiative – a tool for rescuing Cities and the SDGs
Clearly local governments, communities and development partners must implement sustainable community-based actions in support of people’s well-being. The questions are – how do they know which are the most important, cost effective, transformative actions, and how can they monitor progress?
Based on the Urban Monitoring Framework, the Quality of Life Initiative is a powerful tool to realize SDG implementation at a local level. The Initiative will be used as an evidence base for stakeholders in urban settlements to optimise policies and investments to make cities and towns safer, more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable.
A Rescue Plan for People and Planet and the Quality of Life Project
The UN Secretary-General’s Rescue Plan proposes major recommendations that are necessary breakthroughs for SDGs to play an important role in the remaining seven years of implementation. Many of these recommendations are strongly connected to the Quality of Life Initiative, including:
• Delivering promises based on a new people-centric approach
The UN Secretary-General has called for a global alliance for SDG action between local authorities, business, civil society and other development partners, including national governments, to deliver the Rescue Plan for People and Planet. The Quality of Life Initiative will contribute to this, using a data-driven approach that puts people in its focus.
• Bridging the data gap
The advancement of data for many targets and goals has had a direct impact on the formulation of evidence-based policies and the quality of life of people. Unfortunately, this is not the case for Goal 11, which, at 60 percent, has the highest proportion of insufficient data, with significant gaps in geographic coverage, timeliness, and disaggregation.
The Quality of Life Initiative will redress this by drawing on new and established data, analysis, visualization and dissemination of information. Data from the Initiative will help close the information gap and, in doing so, help improve quality of life.
• Accelerating, and sustaining transformative action to deliver on the SDG promise
The UN Secretary-General calls for the strengthening of social cohesion to secure dignity, opportunity and rights for all. The inclusion of individual and community views, concerns and preferences in decision-making is a fundamental component of the Quality of Life Initiative. The Quality of Life Initiative can make sustainable development more responsive and relevant to local needs and ensure no one is left behind.
• Advancing concrete, integrated and targeted policies and actions to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and end the war on nature
This recommendation calls for the expansion of social protection floors and access to essential services, creating job opportunities, responding to education and the advancement of gender equality, as well as leveraging digital technologies to close divides. These are all critical aspects of quality of life. The adoption of a territorial approach to SDG policies can help to prioritize the Goals through integrated responses and better management of budgets at local level.
Local authorities, the communities they serve and by other tiers of government and partners, will be able to leverage the Initiative to redefine their policies and actions, and ensure promises are delivered.
• Strengthen national and sub-national capacity, accountability and public institutions to deliver accelerated SDG progress
• Delivering promises based on a new people-centric approach
The UN Secretary-General has called for a global alliance for SDG action between local authorities, business, civil society and other development partners, including national governments, to deliver the Rescue Plan for People and Planet. The Quality of Life Initiative will contribute to this, using a data-driven approach that puts people in its focus.
• Bridging the data gap
The advancement of data for many targets and goals has had a direct impact on the formulation of evidence-based policies and the quality of life of people. Unfortunately, this is not the case for Goal 11, which, at 60 percent, has the highest proportion of insufficient data, with significant gaps in geographic coverage, timeliness, and disaggregation.
The Quality of Life Initiative will redress this by drawing on new and established data, analysis, visualization and dissemination of information. Data from the Initiative will help close the information gap and, in doing so, help improve quality of life.
• Accelerating, and sustaining transformative action to deliver on the SDG promise
The UN Secretary-General calls for the strengthening of social cohesion to secure dignity, opportunity and rights for all. The inclusion of individual and community views, concerns and preferences in decision-making is a fundamental component of the Quality of Life Initiative. The Quality of Life Initiative can make sustainable development more responsive and relevant to local needs and ensure no one is left behind.
• Advancing concrete, integrated and targeted policies and actions to eradicate poverty, reduce inequality and end the war on nature
This recommendation calls for the expansion of social protection floors and access to essential services, creating job opportunities, responding to education and the advancement of gender equality, as well as leveraging digital technologies to close divides. These are all critical aspects of quality of life. The adoption of a territorial approach to SDG policies can help to prioritize the Goals through integrated responses and better management of budgets at local level.
Local authorities, the communities they serve and by other tiers of government and partners, will be able to leverage the Initiative to redefine their policies and actions, and ensure promises are delivered.
• Strengthen national and sub-national capacity, accountability and public institutions to deliver accelerated SDG progress
Local and sub-national governments must be empowered and supported to bring SDG implementation to the local level. Localization, anchored on the principle of multilevel governance, and multistakeholder collaboration and supported through national urban policies, is recognized as a key approach to collectively propel the world towards greater inclusion and sustainability.
The Quality of Life Initiative will contribute to increasing the autonomy of local governments, reinforcing multi-stakeholder consultation processes about the society, the economy and the physical environment, and identifying challenges and opportunities for local implementation. It will help accelerate SDG delivery and positively reshape multi-level governance arrangements.
The Quality of Life Initiative side event
The side event will examine many of these recommendations in the context of the Quality of Life Initiative, including:
1. Promoting quality of of life as lens through which SDG goals will be addressed
2. Tackling data gaps in understanding how our cities are sustainably servicing the needs of people.
3. Balancing the needs of people with the planet
4. Leveraging the power of all tiers of government and all scales of business and the community to succeed with Agenda 2030.
The side event will examine many of these recommendations in the context of the Quality of Life Initiative, including:
1. Promoting quality of of life as lens through which SDG goals will be addressed
2. Tackling data gaps in understanding how our cities are sustainably servicing the needs of people.
3. Balancing the needs of people with the planet
4. Leveraging the power of all tiers of government and all scales of business and the community to succeed with Agenda 2030.
Speakers
- Hon. Zacharia Mwangi Njeru, Cabinet Secretary, The Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, Kenya
- Ambassador Giovanna Valverde Stark, Ambassador of Costa Rica in Kenya and PR to UN agencies, UNEP and UN-Habitat
- Ms. Norah Alyusuf, Senior Advisor, Quality of Life Program Center, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Mr. Mauricio Rodas, Former Mayor of Quito, Ecuador
- Ms. Norlizah Hashim, Chief Executive, Urbanice Malaysia, Ministry of Housing and Local Government, Malaysia
- Dr. Sukaina Abdul Ilah Al-Nasrawi, Social Affairs Officer, Sustainable Urban Development Lead, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia
- Mr. Mihir Prakash, Technical Team, The Quality of Life Initiative, UN-Habitat
Moderator
- Dr. Ayman Elhefnawi, Team leader for the UN-Habitat Office in Saudi Arabia
The Quality of Life Initiative (2023-2025) is strategically defined and governed by a joint team from UN-Habitat and the Quality of Life Program Center, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and supported by various other countries. This initiative is implemented by UN-Habitat, which is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities.
For more information contact
Ms. Norah Alyusuf, Senior Advisor, Quality of Life Program Center, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia nalyusuf@qol.gov.sa
Dr. Ayman Elhefnawi, Team leader for the UN-Habitat Office in Saudi Arabia - ayman.elhefnawi@un.org
Dr Ulrich Graute, Institutional Leader – ulrich.graute@un.org
Policies and Governance for Resilient and Sustainable Cities and Regions
Report on the Urban Conversation on Ethical Use of AI in Urban Planning at the 60th World Planning Congress in Siena, Italy on 11 OCTOBER 2024
Date: 11 October 2024 Time: 10:45 - 13:15 Room: Accademie. Fisiocritici Session background and a short description of the Content Cities form the heart of human development and innovation, with 80% of global GDP generated within them and according to the United Nations approximately 56% of the world’s population now live in cities, and likely to reach nearly 70% by 2050. At the same time, the urban world is on a journey to revitalize cities, build new cities for growing populations, to dismantle inequalities, and to create a sustainable urban legacy for future generations. The growth and demands of cities are rapidly changing and looking (or exploring) for new systems and planning tools. In this situation, Artificial Intelligence (AI) provides a transformative potential in managing and planning cities. It can support, analyze, and predict the impact of policy changes, demographic shifts and development plans. AI facilitates a valuable foundation for productive dialogue and constructive debate between municipal authorities, and the public and private sector. AI enables the People-focused city through systems integration and collaborations. Simultaneously, the application of generative AI in the public domain brings a number of risks and pitfalls. To assure an ethical use of the new wave of innovation in planning it is necessary to strike a careful balance between risk mitigation and harnessing its capabilities for public good and resilience. The central concept of modern Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the intelligent agent. As of today, we have limitations to building one general-purpose AI program that does everything, instead AI developers build different types of agent programs for different types of problems and contexts. AI researchers agree that the new wave of innovation will impact all spheres of life and require more actors for future developments of AI. The discussion on the use of AI cannot be left alone to IT programmers and code developers. In this context, the objective of the conversation is to bring together planning practitioners and experts from city-making to discuss the use and potential impact of AI in urban planning and management and the related leadership of ISOCARP in the global dialogue on AI governance and capacity building of planners. Recent examples eg from Australia and Saudi Arabia will be presented along with panel discussions. Session Organizers Dr Ulrich Graute, Chair of the ISOCARP Scientific Committee, Berlin Dr Sunil Dubey, The UNSW Cities Institute, Sydney. 1. Introduction to the theme of the session by Ulrich Graute 2. The making of inclusive, prosperous and sustainable cities and the new challenges and opportunities provided by AI and Data 2.1 The case of Australia - Key note by Dr Sarah Hill, CEO Greater Sydney Commission and Western Parkland City Authority (New South Wales Govt, former) ‘Planning New Cities and Inclusive economic development’ - Western Sydney Aerotropolis – Australia’s 22nd Century City Making through Community, Creativity and Innovation. 2.2 The case of Saudi Arabia (10 min) Progress, Peace & Prosperity 2030 – How Saudi Cities are transforming using data and power of Ai. Dr Sunil Dubey 3. Roundtable Moderation: Ulrich Graute Guiding questions include AI in Urban Planning: Navigating the Intersection of Technology and Values – AI as a technical tool and/or as co-pilot in planning New Cities and inclusive economic development. Including AI in existing planning systems and processes and the requirement eg of a regulatory framework and capacity-building. What shape will AI have on future cities? ISOCARP and the new wave of technological innovation. Panelists: Sarah Hill, Executive Project Director (Public Investment Fund PIF, Saudi Arabia) Eric Huybrecht, Congress Director ISOCARP’s 60th WPC, Institute Paris Region Elisabeth Belpaire, ISOCARP President-Elect Ulrich Graute, Chair of ISOCARP SciCom Sunil Dubey, Smart Cities thought leader. Website of the 60th ISOCARP World Planning Congress https://isocarp.org/activities/60th-wpc-siena-2024/ Website of the Academy of Social Sciences (UK) AI in urban planning: risks and opportunities https://acss.org.uk/publications/ai-in-urban-planning-risks-and-opportunities/
Privacy Communicting with AI raises privacy concerns A CV is personal documents including private information you may not want to share with everybody. Therefore, the sending of your CV to somebody (eg as part of an application or business offer) is usually considered as confidential. Using generative AI, for instance ChatGPT, to work on your CV, website or LinkedIn profile should be carefully considered because the info you share about yourself with ChatGPT stays with ChatGPT even if you delete it from your account after you finished your conversation. Nonetheless, I decided to take it easier using AI because my profile and CV is no secret in anyway. Through dozens of publications since the 1990s, speeches at many conferences worldwide, as blogger with an own website (www.ugraute.de) and a LinkedIn profile with close to 6000 followers you can find everything what’s written in my CV somewhere on the internet. And, most importantly, I carefully review everything that AI suggests to me, I review and finalize texts before I use them. While I cannot fully exclude misuse of information, the responsibility for the content of my website and CV remains with me. And I still use a CV version not aided by AI for business offers and applications. AI as a second eye - When should you consider using AI to review your CV and profile? After 16 years of mostly (but not only) working for the United Nations I am now shifting more attention beyond the UN to the private sector, national and local authorities, other international organizations, NGOs etc. All UN agencies have their own mandates, interests and priorities. As UN staffer and later as UN consultant I learnt the rules of the institution and lived with the limitations they generate for management and goal achievement. However, the UN, with its historical baggage of countless mandates, inadequate structures and resources and some overly cautious employees, at times stands in its own way. I want to continue supporting global cooperation using my global perspective, my skills in project and program management, cross-cultural communication, policy analysis and stakeholder cooperation. However, it is time to refocus and look at my skills and achievements from a different, a non-UN perspective. This is where AI comes into play as an additional opportunity to support the reorientation of my or your career. AI supports my own reflections on my interests and strategy and it does it in a very inspirational way. I recommend the same to others but, if possible, it should be only an opportunity in addition to exchange with friends, colleagues, books, trainers, coaches etc. How did I use Chat GPT to review my website and CV? ChatGPT is a conversational tool, and it’s for free in its basic version. You can login here: https://chatgpt.com/auth/login. After opening an account and login you find a box where you can enter you question (called prompt). You push Enter and get an answer within seconds. If the answer is not inspirational, correct or satisfying you just go on submitting a new or modified prompt. This way conversations with ChatGPT becomes conversational and easy. In this process ChatGPT gets to know you better and learns from your prompts. Prompting, ie formulating the right questions is key to get useful answers out of the conversation and it’s worth to spend some time training how to prompt. In my case, an earlier prompt submitted to ChatGPT had produced already this suggestion: “Adjust your communication style to match the language and expectations of non-UN clients, avoiding overly technical or UN-specific jargon.” That was the point when ChatGPT confirmed my own guess that I have to change communication when I look beyond the UN world. To further explore this, I submitted additional prompts including this one: “ChatGPT, please rewrite my CV in a style more appealing to private companies.” The answer after my own review and fine tuning produced the short CV version which you can find here: https://www.ugraute.de/bio-and-cv Could I have produced this without AI? Of course, I have produced two pages versions of my CV on my own. The point is, that many things which are super important at the UN as “ an animal of its own kind ” are not so relevant outside of the UN. In such situations it may take a lot of time to decide what to leave in and what to take out of your CV. A second eye like AI proposing specific cuts and a repackaging can be very inspirational and helpful to get a fresh and crispier look at your own experience and credentials. I also liked very much that ChatGPT explained its approach to me: “To make your CV more appealing to private companies, I'll focus on making the language more dynamic, emphasizing your key achievements, leadership roles, and strategic impact. I'll also streamline the format for clarity and brevity.” Of course, I reviewed the suggested version of my CV and other website texts revised by AI to confirm the correctness of the content. Overall, this review exercise is a test to use a new technical tool. It is certainly inspirational. Success remains to be seen but that is also the case when I review my CV for an application or if I review my website in a traditional way. I decided for an open approach to use AI and to talk about my personal experience in this post, because in this new wave of innovation, we are all learners and can help each other. As adviser, I like to share, teach, and keep learning, inside or outside of the UN.
Figure: Human-in-the-loop intervention. ‘The Ethical Concerns of Artificial Intelligence in Urban Planning’ Thomas W. Sanchez, Marc Brenman, and Xinyue Ye (2024)
Human Compatible - AI and the Problem of Control
A slide from the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) presented at the opening of HLPF highlights that only 17% of the SDG targets are on track
Background and Objectives The Gerd Albers Award (GAA) is celebrating inspiring publications such as books and essays. It was established in 1999 in honor of Professor Gerd Albers, a co-founder and past president of ISOCARP, who placed a particular emphasis on the task of publishing as a means of elucidating both the current debate and practical achievements in the planning field. This reputable award is given for the high-quality academic publications written by ISOCARP members. Eligible entries Pertinent submissions include the following publications by ISOCARP members published in the period between July 1, 2023, and June 31, 2024: • Books and/or Book chapters • Journal articles • Published project reports Exhibition catalogues and/or unpublished reports are ineligible. Unpublished journal articles are eligible if the publisher’s acceptance letter is attached to the article submitted. Evaluation criteria Content: • Thematic introduction • Contribution to discussions on the topic • Consistence and coherence (conceptual background, methodological approach) • Target audience Design: • Clarity • Technical requirements • Production Language All languages are eligible, although the “official languages” of the Society are English, French, German, and Spanish. Non-English entries must have an extended abstract in English (min. 3 pages). Jury The jury consists of three members of the ISOCARP Scientific Committee and the A&P Program Director. The deliberations and votes of the jury are confidential. Prof. Sebnem Hoskara Dr. Ulrich Graute Dr. Dorota Kamrowska-Załuska Prof. Ali A. Alraouf (A&P Program Director) Substance of the Award The Award is bestowed in three categories: GAA ‘Best Book’, GAA ‘Best Article’ and Special Mention. The Award winners are announced during the official ceremony at the ISOCARP annual World Planning Congress. GAA ‘Best Book’ and GAA ‘Best Article’ get two years of free membership to ISOCARP, official ISOCARP award certification and its dissemination through the ISOCARP website, social media and newsletter. Special Mention gets an official ISOCARP award certification and its dissemination through the ISOCARP website, social media and newsletter. Who is eligible? • Scholars • Writers • Book Authors • Researchers • Urban and City Critics • Professors and Academics Prize • Recognition at the ISOCARP 60th Congress in Siena at the Awards Special Session. • Certificate. • ISOCARP Medal. • Waiving form the registration for a single representative of the winners. • One year Membership at ISOCARP for a single representative of the winners. Registration fee 150 Euros for each entry in the Best Book Award (a candidate can apply with multiple proposals). 50 Euros for each entry in the Best Paper Award (a candidate can apply with multiple proposals). Submission material ⦁ Contribution (book/chapter/article) in pdf format Application procedure 1. Submit your online application https://isocarp.org/gerd-albers-award-2024-submission-form/ 2. Pay the registration fee: 150 Euros for Best Book Award and 50 Euros for Best Paper Award 3. Please, send your application to Ali Alraouf, ISOCARP Board member (alialraouf@isocarp.org) and ISOCARP HQ (awards@isocarp.org). Kindly specify the email subject: GAA 2024 Candidature. Deadline for submission August 15, 2024 Submit your application here https://isocarp.org/gerd-albers-award-2024-submission-form/
International Organizations like the UN are struggling if not failing to cope with the many crises - but can I do any better as independent advisor?
IAG Briefing Series This briefing series by the International Advisory Group of the Academy of Social Sciences of the United Kingdom seeks to bring an international dimension to the Academy’s policy positions and identify interdisciplinary solutions to complex challenges facing society from a global standpoint.
ISOCARP Cyber Agora #10