The consultation process towards the development of the Global Agenda of Local and Regional Governments for the 21st Century continues and UCLG is working to collect inputs on the Agenda from different types of local governments.
The third consultation on the role of territories (regions, rural areas, and small municipalities) was held by UCLG in Barcelona from 29-30 June, 2015, with representatives of this constituency including local authorities, practitioners, experts, CSOs and partners. The publication of these reports is testament to the commitment of UCLG to facilitating an open, global conversation on the role of local and regional governments in sustainable development.
During the sessions the participants stressed the need for a more integrated approach to territorial development, a reduction in inequalities between territories and for the importance of strong and constructive rural-urban linkages to be taken into account. The debate covered a wide range of issues and challenges, including: equitable and inclusive economic growth, multi-level governance and subsidiarity, long term planning and integrated sustainable development, proximity and human scale, local democracy and participation, climate change, resilience and environment (including biodiversity and food security) and capacity building. Regarding small municipalities, the participants emphasized the need to support endogenous development and co responsibility, and to strengthen the identity of small municipalities and rural areas.
This consultation process, along with the two other consultations being held by UCLG with intermediary cities and metropolitan and peripheral cities, will provide UCLG’s input to the policy work of the Global Taskforce of Local and Regional Governments. It will hopefully also guide the inputs of UCLG’s leadership to the debates and recommendations of the Second World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments.
The development of the Global Agenda of Local and Regional Governments is an ongoing process. Draft policy documents related to each local government constituency will shortly be released for consultation. A series of meetings will be held in Barcelona in the first trimester of 2016 to debate and approve these drafts.
The results of these consultations and the participatory validation of their conclusions and recommendations will be at the heart of the Global Agenda of Local and Regional Governments and the next Global Report on Local Democracy and Decentralization process (GOLD IV). UCLG will build on these processes toward Habitat III, the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development to be held in Quito, Ecuador, from 17 – 20 October, 2016.
For more info, read the report: "Regions, Rural Areas and Small Municipalities : A territorial approach to development"
