Cities and International Support Programmes
Istanbul Manifesto (1)
Implementing the Urban Environment Agenda
The Key Message
The Meeting (3) produced compelling evidence (4) of the impressive range of initiatives and accomplishments in urban environmental management world-wide, and of the resources and expertise, local and international, which have been mobilized and effectively applied.
The participants recommended that existing support programmes, such as those participating in the Meeting, be strengthened and supported in their ongoing work with the cities, and that new programmes and initiatives be carefully designed in order to most effectively complement and reinforce existing ones.
The participants also recommended to build upon the momentum already gained through
the Meeting and to continue the global dialogue between cities and programmes (5). This, to
provide a firm basis for strengthening and expanding future activities in support of their
joint commitment to implementing the urban environment agenda.
(2) More than 75 cities and over 20 international support programmes (200 participants)
(3) Organized by UNCHS (Habitat) and UNEP through their Sustainable Cities Programme in cooperation with17 international organizations (UN, bilaterals, NGOs, local government associations, etc)
(4) Close to 50 cities and international programmes reported on years of operational experience; working groups produced the AIstanbul Manifesto on Implementing the Urban Environment Agenda@ with commitment to technically specific city environmental management approaches and international programme support strategies.
(5) In his opening address, Dr. Wally N ‘Dow, Secretary General, Habitat II and Executive Head of Habitat, challenged the participants to make the Meeting Athe beginning of a continuing process rather than just the conclusion of a valuable but one-off effort”; in her closing address, Ms. Elizabeth Dowdeswell, Executive Director, UNEP, supported the idea as the Atype of activity which the United Nations system does best, bringing together many of the major players in the urban environment arena, facilitating consensus, forging alliances and improving the way in which we work together” and as Aa means of implementing the urban environment agenda in a more coherent and mutually supportive manner” which Awill be able to attract more financial assistance for all the varied initiatives.”