At the Thirteenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, Azerbaijan, UNECE is advancing urgent action on housing affordability, sustainability, and resilience as key drivers of sustainable urban development. Building on commitments made at the 2025 Ministerial Meeting, UNECE’s engagement focuses on translating policy pledges into practical action at national and local levels through evidence-based tools, common standards, and stronger governance frameworks.
Housing affordability remains a pressing challenge across the UNECE region. Analysis shows that more than one-third of households in the lower 40% income bracket in Europe face housing stress, with many spending over 45% of disposable income on housing. Over 100 million people are estimated to struggle with unaffordable housing. UNECE will highlight how stronger housing policies, improved governance, and integrated planning can accelerate progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 11, particularly in regions such as Eastern Europe, the Western Balkans, the Caucasus, and Central Asia.
Urban resilience, climate action, and disaster preparedness are also central to UNECE’s contribution. With aging housing stock, energy inefficiency, and growing exposure to climate risks, cities face increasing vulnerabilities. UNECE, alongside UN-Habitat and UNDRR, will present policy tools to shift from reactive disaster response to preventive preparedness, including risk-informed land-use planning, resilient housing systems, and improved building safety. Lessons from recent earthquakes in Europe and Central Asia will inform discussions on strengthening recovery capacity in line with the Sendai Framework.
A dedicated focus at WUF13 will be on Ukraine’s housing-led recovery and reconstruction, with Kharkiv highlighted as a case study. Through the UN4UkrainianCities Project, UNECE will showcase how national reforms, local recovery strategies, and international cooperation are being integrated to rebuild resilient, inclusive, and energy-efficient communities. Innovative financing and governance mechanisms will be discussed to scale up recovery efforts and support long-term urban development.
Overall, UNECE’s engagement at WUF13 underscores housing as a foundation for sustainable urban transformation, linking affordability, resilience, and recovery to broader goals of inclusive growth and sustainable cities.
