From Global Agreements to Local Action Multi-Level Governance for Sustainable housing and resilient communities.

Organized by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) , the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (IHS), ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability and UN-Habitat, this event will explore how multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) can be effectively operationalized at the local level to advance sustainable housing and resilient communities, in line with SDG 11. Held at a pivotal moment ahead of the convergence of the three Rio Convention COPs, the discussion will focus on the evolving role of local and regional governments (LRGs) as key actors in translating global environmental commitments into tangible urban outcomes. The event will outline how cities and regions advance the implementation of MEAs through legally binding regulations and integrated urban planning, with a focus on housing. It will examine barriers to meaningful LRGs engagement in MEA processes and identify concrete entry points to strengthen multilevel environmental governance. It will bring together urban practitioners and government representatives to exchange knowledge and practical experience informing climate and sustainability policies across governance levels. Building on insights from the UNEP–IHS Working Paper “Facilitating Local and Regional Governments’ Participation for More Effective and Inclusive Multilateral Environmental Agreements” to be launched during the event, the discussion will highlight concrete city-level examples of how MEA commitments have been translated into local action. Furthermore, as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) 3.0 increasingly recognizes cities’ role amid converging housing and climate crises, UN-Habitat will provide insights on the shift toward more action-oriented urban content in the NDCs 3.0. In line with the event’s networking objectives, part of the session will be dedicated to a dialogue amongst speakers and participants to discuss ways to strengthen the effective engagement of LRGs across multilateral environmental agreements and how to track this over time. By convening stakeholders operating at different governance levels and with complementary institutional roles, the session aims to catalyze partnerships, reinforce inclusive multilevel governance, and advance the localization of global frameworks such as the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda. This supports the translation of international commitments into locally implementable solutions for sustainable housing and resilient cities.