Habitat III Issue Papers - 18: Urban Infrastructure and Basic Services, including Energy

This paper defines the means by which infrastructure, as the pivotal enabling force and delivery vehicle of a resilient urban environment, can rise to meet both existing and rapidly increasing future challenges presented by urbanisation, population growth and climate change, with the aim to support equitable, inclusive and sustainable development. The Habitat II Agenda refers to basic infrastructure and services to include the delivery of safe water, sanitation, waste management, social welfare, transport and communications facilities, energy, health and emergency services, schools, public safety, and the management of open spaces. However, the prevailing understanding of infrastructure has been typically based upon a limited view of infrastructure as discreet sectors which contain physical structures and facilities. Over the last decade, infrastructure has evolved to a more increasingly system based understanding which consists of networks of assets, knowledge and institutions.

This issue paper on "Urban Infrastructure and Basic Services, including Energy" is part of a series of thematic reports offering a comprehensive, expert-level view of the processes of urbanisation that characterise today’s century of cities — and look forward to what could and should come next. The 22 “issue papers” were submitted by a range of multilateral institutions. They will ultimately be used to guide discussion by 10 formal “policy units”, which will focus on the six thematic issues deemed important for the Habitat III process. Made up of independent experts, these units touch on housing, resilience, equity and other issues. Eventually, they will each provide formal input regarding the crafting and, especially, implementation of the New Urban Agenda.