Built Environment Professional in the Commonwealth Commit to support the Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation across the Commonwealth (The Kigali Commitment)
22 June 2022, Kigali, Rwanda
By 2050, an additional 2.5 billion people will be living in the world's towns and cities, with almost 50% of that growth taking place in commonwealth countries. Member states, both large and small, are facing the impacts of climate change and rapid urbanisation. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded these impacts and resulted in one of the worst global health and economic shocks of recent times. Consequently, progress towards achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals has been eroded in many countries, undermining the first years of the Decade of Action to achieve the Global Goals.
With almost 50% of Commonwealth citizens living and working in cities and human settlements, and 65% of the 169 targets underlyiing the 17 SDGs linked to territorial and urban development, sustainable urbanisation must be central to the Commonwealth's agenda for delivering a common future: connecting, innovating, and transforming.
On June 22, 2022, leaders from several Commonwealth architecture, engineering and planning associations came together to consider how they can contribute to implementation of the Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation across the Commonwealth, and they resolved to commit themselves to work together in a multi-disciplinary collaboration:
With almost 50% of Commonwealth citizens living and working in cities and human settlements, and 65% of the 169 targets underlyiing the 17 SDGs linked to territorial and urban development, sustainable urbanisation must be central to the Commonwealth's agenda for delivering a common future: connecting, innovating, and transforming.
On June 22, 2022, leaders from several Commonwealth architecture, engineering and planning associations came together to consider how they can contribute to implementation of the Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation across the Commonwealth, and they resolved to commit themselves to work together in a multi-disciplinary collaboration:
- To champion and ensure that sustainable urbanisation and climate action (mitigation and adaptation) is at the heart of our common future, and is firmly rooted in Built Environment Professionals (e.g. Architecture, Engineering, Planners, Economists, Surveyors, Environmental Specialists, and Finance Experts, etc.) ethics, standards, principles, data, and policies;
- To develop and promote a Commonwealth dialogue in our respective jurasdictions and networks to define and implement a new way of working towards transparent and accountable multi-level governance, sustainable urbanisation, and climate action:
- To lead the development of new partnerships and strategies within and between the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, and at all levels of government to achieve a Commonwealth-led response to the challenges and opportunities of sustainable urbanisation and climate change;
- To come together between and at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings to review progress and to look for further opportunities to take practical action to address sustainable urbanisation, climate change, and the SDGs;
- To promote and celebrate the Built Environment Professionals as experts in sustainable urbanisation and in taking climate action, and to jointly advocate for the Call to Action to Commonwealth Heads of Government and other associated internatioal organisations;
- To invite the Presidents of all Built Environment Professionals to engage in and implement the Call to Action on Sustainable Urbanisation.