BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 22. The Baku Call to Action, which serves as the final document of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku, aims to adapt housing systems to climate change and protect vulnerable communities, Trend reports.
"Climate impacts are accelerating housing insecurity and displacement, disproportionately affecting communities already facing social, economic and environmental precarity across neighbourhoods, cities and regions. Repeated floods, droughts, biodiversity loss, pollution, extreme heat, and worsening air quality are having devastating impacts on public health, ecosystems, livelihoods, livability, and overall quality of life. We call for housing systems that strengthen climate resilience, preserve biodiversity and mitigate harmful impacts through nature-based, community-led and locally grounded solutions, committed to climate justice and supported by environmentally conscious urbanization and planning. We call for strengthening people-led localized, indigenous and traditional practices along with national and local government interventions towards resilient infrastructure, renewable energy, basic services, disaster preparedness and prevention, livelihoods and social networks," the document states.
In addition, the text of the Baku Call to Action emphasizes the necessity of integrating ecological approaches into long-term development processes.
"We call for integrated housing approaches that link humanitarian response, recovery and long-term development, advancing climateresilient and people-centred urban recovery in fragile and post-conflict settings and facilitating their access to development and climate finance," the document reads.
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13) was held in Baku from May 17 to May 22.
Convened by UN-Habitat and co-organized with the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, WUF13 was held under the theme “Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities”.
The Forum hosted 579 sessions throughout the week, while the Urban Expo brought together 260 exhibitors, innovators and solution providers. WUF13 featured 11 heads of state, 9 high-level guests, 88 ministers and 76 deputy ministers, and 130 mayors, alongside representatives of international organizations, financial institutions, academia, civil society and grassroots organizations.
A key outcome emerging from WUF13 was the presentation of the Baku Call to Action, a stakeholder-led document developed through contributions from civil society organizations, local authorities, practitioners, researchers, community representatives and other urban actors. Framed around the urgent global housing crisis, the Call to Action advocates for renewed political commitment to adequate housing through people-centred, inclusive and climate-resilient approaches, while encouraging stronger multilevel governance, investment and community participation in housing solutions.
