UCLG UN 75 Toolkit

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TOOL KIT

TOOLKIT This document is an easy guide for local governments and their associations on how to participate in the United Nations’ UN75 consultation and beyond. It pays special attention at the possibility to organize consultation among political representatives on how they envisage the role of our constituency in the future multilateral system.

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#ShapingOurFuture

LOCAL AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS

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sultation commenced in a session in

system that is fit for purpose to meet

which the local and regional govern-

these aspirations.

On the occasion of the 75th Anni-

ments constituency, representing

versary of the United Nations, the

local governments, regions and their

The Report should reflect the visions

UN Secretary-General has launched

associations, together with interna-

of world regions but also that of the

a global conversation on the role of

tional organizations, civil society and

different types of local governments

global cooperation in building the fu-

academia started to co-create and

and has the most diverse and inclu-

ture. He considers this consultation a

define the specific questions that

sive approach possible towards the

milestone to capture the views of the

will be answered by the constituency

constituency as a whole.

global public and stakeholders from

on the future of multilateralism, the

all sectors on the future of multilater-

future of the UN, and in general on

UCLG members and Sections are in-

alism and its role in managing global

the future it wants in 2045, the year

vited to organize consultations. Also,

trends, including climate change,

that marks the 100th anniversary of

all members of the Global Taskforce

changing demographics, new tech-

the UN.

are invited to participate.

Moreover, the constituency expressed

A draft report needs to be presented

As part of its mandate to enhance

its priorities and set the global trends

to the United Nations in June.

the role of local governments in in-

that it would like the questions to fo-

ternational policy making, and given

cus on, namely the ecological tran-

The final version is envisaged to be

that the local and regional govern-

sition, peace and solidarity, equality

presented to the UN Secretary Gen-

ment’s constituency will be at the

and justice, and the right to the city,

eral in September within the frame-

heart of managing these challenges,

among others.

work of the UN General Assembly.

nologies and inequalities.

UCLG has confirmed its commitment to promoting the UN75 initiative,

by disseminating the online survey (http://un75.online) and increasing

#UN75 decided to #Listen2Cities

the number of people consulted and

Upon request of the United Nations,

the diversity of those engaged.

UCLG has committed to facilitate

a Report on the vision of local and During the 2020 UCLG Retreat held

regional leaders of the challenges

in Tangier from 24 to 28 February,

ahead, the future we imagine, and an

the groundbreaking, dynamic con-

inclusive and networked multilateral


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THE CONCERNS OF THE CONSTITUENCY

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Global action, learning and exchange

Is it up to local and regional governments,

is in the very DNA of the internation-

together with member states, to deliv-

al municipal system with its origins

er the global agreements? What kind of

in 1913. Our Municipal Diplomacy is

system is fit for purpose to be able to ac-

based on the very notion of need-

celerate implementation and achieve the

ed to learn from each other and ac-

global goals?

knowledging the interconnectivity of our destiny as humanity. This be-

What is the new model of governance

comes even more relevant in the era

that allows us to achieve the localization

of urbanization when the solutions

of the goals that we committed to?

to many of our worldwide challenges need to be led from our cities, big

What governance do we need for our in-

and small and with a territorial ap-

terconnected future?

proach-based solidarity.

Are Local and Regional Governments In a world where local and regional

seeing and imagining themselves as the

governments are currently leading

spaces in which transformation is tak-

the way, with half of the global pop-

ing place?

ulation and over 70% of its economy, the time to “beg� to be represented in

What is our role in delivering the global

the global system is over.

agreements? What kind of system is fit for purpose to be able to accelerate implementation and achieve the global goals? How do we imagine our place in a renewed UN System?


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What are they for?

REGIONAL AND SPECIFIC CONSULTATIONS

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The regional and specific consul-

Who organizes? Who convenes?

What is expected of the participants?

tation are a series of engagement

UCLG Sections, Local and Regional

To provide inputs and answers to the

meetings of local elected represent-

Governments’ Associations or local

global questions. To provide a vision

atives and practitioners in which the

and regional government members

on the world we want for the future.

key issues to be addressed in the re-

can convene a session. Special at-

To disseminate among communities

port will be debated.

tention will be payed to Sections.

the UN75 general conversation and encourage participation.

Who should give their opinion?

Give visibility to the consultation on

UCLG leadership Representatives of

social media.

local and regional governments; Local & Regional Government Asso-

Where and when?

ciations Officials and practitioners

Consultations can be organized either by in-person meetings or on line. Organizations are encouraged to use the existing activities as the framework of consultations.


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The Report will be structured in 4

vey with a specific perspective of our

stand how the relationship between

segments. An introduction and 3

constituency.

rural and urban areas are evolving.

The first chapter reflects on the

The climate emergency that our

The Introduction: Will provide the

world we live in in 2020: its main sys-

planet faces, the unfulfilled civil de-

overview of our constituency´s call

temic challenges, the global trends

mands, and the growing inequalities

for a seat at the table. It will provide

both positive and negative that de-

are showcasing the limits of our cur-

the background on the movement

termine the work of local and region-

rent action, and are even putting the

and will also include the perspective

al governments today, the obstacles

current human rights to the test on

of key partners that our movement

they face and also the global frame-

how, and if, our current conception

has been working with during the

works that regulate them.

of human rights can evolve for the

chapters.

THE LRG REPORT PROCESS

past’s decade. It will build the argu-

coming decades.

ment for the necessity to change the

A world in which centralization

paradigms and the existing models

trends are affecting local demo-

The current model of governance

of multilateralism. The following ide-

cratic self-governance and thus the

needs to shift, by 2045, if we are to

as, our patrimony as movement will

capacity of our communities to own

transform the world according to

be at the center:

the global goals and truly contribute

the dreams of our communities.

to the SDGs. The Universal Develop-

The current international system is

ment Agendas, chief among them

one of sparse international coop-

the 2030 Agenda, the New Urban

eration that does not consider all of

•Local Democracy is and should be in

Agenda, and the Paris Agreement,

the stakeholders as equally neces-

the heart of peaceful and just soci-

represent a new social contract that

sary for transformation. A top down

eties.

needs to be fulfilled, and the urgen-

approach towards governance that

•The seat at the table of our constit-

cy to do so becomes greater when

ultimately deems local and regional

uencies is a strong link of communi-

faced with challenges that threaten

governments and other stakeholders

ties with international institutions.

the very core of our planet.

that defend and protect the multilat-

•City Diplomacy is Transformative Diplomacy.

•From an international system-built

eral system as secondary actors.

post wars to an inter-urban system

Our current development model, in

at the urbanization era.

spite of the transformative efforts of

A second chapter on the world ex-

the global development agendas, is

pected in 2045 and the constituen-

The structure of the 3 Chapters is

also rooted in an artificial urban-ru-

cy’s vision for 25 years from now: this

designed to speak to the UN75 sur-

ral dichotomy that does not under-

vision should provide an answer to


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THE LRG REPORT PROCESS

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the issues raised in 2020 and should

manent and temporary) will be able

belong to, explicitly acknowledging

also provide continuity to the trends

to use, occupy, produce, govern and

the fundamental importance of un-

raised in the previous section.

enjoy just, inclusive, safe and sustain-

derstanding and promoting sustain-

able cities, villages and settlements

able development across the whole

A decentralized world and multilater-

(Right to the City). An inclusive global

urban-rural continuum.

al system with strong local commu-

governance will lead 2045 driven by

In an ideal multilateralism, stronger

nity participation in the international

solidarity and peace preserving our

collaboration and dialogue across

architecture will reinforce the push

planet. For this, we will need to bring

generations will be vital to explore

towards the achievement of future

about changes in the way we co-cre-

alternatives for delivering sustain-

social contracts and empowered

ate the territory, by empowering the

able development in 2045. Special

communities will take full ownership

community and to harness the power

emphasis will be need on defending

of the localization processes.

of co-production of our cities and ter-

the commons, and placing local level

ritories. We will transition an inter-na-

public service delivery at the heart

We imagine a world with an integrat-

tional to an inter-urban system where

of the investments. A new genera-

ed planning approach, as reflected in

Local and Regional Governments will

tion of legal and policy frameworks,

the New Urban Agenda, to strength-

consolidate as the spaces in which

capacity building, peer to peer learn-

en the inclusive dimension of cities,

transformation takes place.

ing and political debates to move

climate adaptation and mitigation

Finally, the last chapter will answer

towards an urban model based on

and disaster risk prevention strate-

what structural shift there must be

human rights and the right to the city

gies, and multiply the benefits of in-

in international multilateralism to

should be developed.

terlinkages between urban and ter-

face the reality we imagine in 2045. The structural shift requires a better

ritorial areas.

In 2045, a new relationship between

The structural shift requires co-cre-

articulated international architec-

our society and the natural world will

ation mechanisms that allow the allo-

ture based on a networked, inclusive

become a reality built on the princi-

cation of competences and respon-

and territorial multilateral system.

ples of solidarity and territories as the

sibilities of the different spheres of

The territorially integrated multilat-

living spaces of human values and ac-

government and society both verti-

eral system will promote bottom up

tions: the true ecological transition.

cally and horizontally in accordance

development and will tackle issues

A world centered on the basis of the

with the principle of subsidiarity.

related to siloes and reach those

principles of social justice, equity, de-

A shift in the approach will also be

‘furthest behind’ first. A true interna-

mocracy and sustainability where all

needed in order articulate the urban

tional system that ensures all voices

inhabitants (present and future; per-

areas into the wider territory they

are truly heard.


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How should the consultations be shaped? The consultations should take no more than 90 minutes, and be divided into three aspects, coinciding with the chapters of the Report: The consultations can be held on-line, through platforms such as “Zoom�.

REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS:

The current trends and challenges in 2020

The world we expect in 2045

The structural shift that we expect to see

1. What is our role in delivering the global agreements?

1. How have the current trends changed by the year 2045?

2. What are the three key defining traits of the current international system?

2. Are Local and Regional Governments seeing and imagining themselves as the spaces in which transformation is taking place?

1. What is the new model of governance that has allowed us to achieve the localization of the goals that we committed to?

3. Is it up to local and regional governments, together with member states, to deliver the global agreements?

2. How do we imagine our place in this renewed UN System?

3. What governance do we need for our interconnected future?

3. What are the tools set in place for us to carry out our role in the new system?

A. It is expected for members to an-

B. It is expected for the regional sec-

C. It is expected for sections to give

swer to the questions below in a

tions to hold these consultations

visibility to the consutation on so-

political and open manner, bring-

involving as many participants as

cial media.

ing to the table the local expertise

possible, gathering their answers

and the challenges that need to

to ensure that the views from our

be answered for the future of our

membership from all over the

communities

world is heard.

What is to be expected?


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