Comments
This measure must take account of the particular situation of indigenous peoples and Afro-descendants, and thereby complement priority measure 88 on the territorial rights of indigenous peoples and priority measure 96 on affirmative action policies for the development of Afro-descendent populations. The following indicators are also proposed for consideration: percentage of reforested areas; percentage of municipalities that have prepared risk atlases; number of days per year on which air quality falls below minimum standards; and number of decibels in the public area to measure degree of noise pollution.
ECLAC has worked with several countries in the region on economic assessments of climate change, collecting data on sectoral impacts and specific socioeconomic groups at a local level. The information generated in this way supports public policy formulation geared towards alleviating the adverse effects of climate change and taking mitigation action, with a view to achieving a path of green development and growth, with low-carbon economies based on the principles of equity and social inclusion, not only for the present but also for future generations.
Possible lines of action
1. Create regulatory instruments for territorial and urban development that include the human rights, gender and environmental perspectives. 2. In territorial and urban development plans, implement guidelines to guarantee protection of vulnerable or protected natural areas. 3. Take action for climate change mitigation and adaptation in the area of urban and territorial development. 4. Implement sustainable urban mobility and public transportation policies that are coherent with urban and territorial development plans. 5. Provide localities with equipment, services and infrastructure to manage people’s spatial mobility. 6. In zoning plans, incorporate the identification of vulnerable and environmentally at-risk areas and determine places in which human settlement is banned. 7. Strengthen information and communications technologies. 8. Make administrative services readily available to the local population. 9. Create policies and instruments for oversight and improvement of air quality.
Related instruments, forums and mechanisms
The Habitat agenda provides for follow-up to priority measure 81 with its proposals to “promote social integration and support disadvantaged groups”, “promote gender equality in human settlements development” and “prevent disasters and rebuild settlements”. Each of these identifies one or two monitoring indicators.
The Santiago Declaration MINURVI (2013) addresses this measure in agreements 1 (“To foster the development of urban policies that aim at integrating the population of informal settlements, giving access to serviced lots with urban infrastructure, community facilities and environmental sanitation, and promoting the strengthening of their human and social capital”), 5 (“Reduce the environmental impact on cities in an integrated manner through territorial ordinances”), 6 (“To encourage access to sustainable design and construction of quality housing, within the urban context, with access to services, infrastructure and facilities that foster the building and restoration of social ties”) and 8 (“To develop strategies for the prevention of risks and the management of emergencies in human settlements, [caused by] natural disasters, and to develop building techniques in order to reduce the risks through a variety of actions that include the analysis of potential disasters, the vulnerabilities, the adoption of appropriate standards of construction designs, technologies and building regulations, both in mitigation and in adaptation”).
Sustainable Development Goals, Goal 11 (“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”), and in particular target 11.2 (“by 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons”), as well as targets 11.5 (“By 2030 significantly reduce the number of deaths and the number of affected people and decrease by x% the economic losses relative to GDP caused by disasters, including water-related disasters, with the focus on protecting the poor and people in vulnerable situations”) and 11.b (“By 2020, increase by x% the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, resilience to disasters, develop and implement in line with the forthcoming Hyogo Framework holistic disaster risk management at all levels”), and Goal 13, (“Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”), three targets for which are relevant to this priority measure.
