Public places

Public spaces are the heart of urban areas: Q&A on building city resilience with UN-Habitat's Esteban Leon

Ahead of the 2024 Evergreen Conference, Esteban shares how urban resilience strategies can transform public spaces to tackle climate change, inequality, and housing crises.

Published on July 16, 2024 by Laura Iruegas

Man stands in front of a podium with a microphone
© City Resilience Global Programme

How resilient is your city to the many challenges it is facing today?

 

The climate crisis is upon us like never before, with this past year breaking global heat records. Economic disparities are widening globally and many communities are still reeling from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The demand for affordable housing is growing, but housing availability, especially for low-income families, is not keeping pace.

 

These crises are interconnected and to solve them, we’ll need to take a holistic approach.

 

At the forefront of this effort is Esteban Leon, Head of the City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP) at UN-Habitat. With over 25 years of experience in sustainable urban development, Esteban leads initiatives that enhance urban resilience in the global south, helping these regions develop sustainably while avoiding the pitfalls that have plagued more industrialized nations.

 

We’re pleased to have the Urban Resilience Hub by UN-Habitat’s CRGP as our lead content partner at this year’s Evergreen Conference, to share how people around the world are using public spaces to create more resilient cities.

 

Esteban will be one of several speakers joining us from the Urban Resilience Hub, bringing a global perspective to our Canadian context. What can Canadian cities learn from global examples and case studies? How can we create public spaces that not only build climate resilience, but also enhance the quality of life of its residents?

 

In our Q&A, Esteban tells us about his role at CRGP and what he hopes to bring to the Evergreen Conference. Answers have been lightly edited for clarity.

 

Can you tell us about your role as the Head of the City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP) at UN-Habitat?

 

“As the Head of the City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP) at UN-Habitat, my role is to lead our efforts in supporting cities and territories worldwide to enhance their resilience. The main objectives of the program are to assess and strengthen the resilience of urban systems, promote knowledge-sharing, and develop policies and actions that reduce vulnerabilities. Our initiatives include providing technical assistance, fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships, and implementing innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of each city or territory.”

 

Your work spans diverse regions and contexts. How do you adapt resilience strategies to meet the unique needs of different communities?

 

“We adapt resilience strategies by conducting thorough assessments of each city’s specific challenges and strengths. This involves engaging local stakeholders including communities, governments, and the private sector to understand their perspectives and needs.

 

By adopting a participatory and multidimensional approach, we ensure that our strategies are context-specific and address both chronic stresses and acute shocks, with a particular focus on making public spaces inclusive, safe and accessible. Our approach is multi-hazards, multi-stakeholders and multi-sectoral that considers the complexities of urban systems and adapts to the contextual realities.”

Public spaces are the heart of urban areas and the engine for a good quality of life of its citizens.

Esteban Leon, Head of the City Resilience Global Programme (CRGP) at UN-Habitat

How do you see your work with the CRGP connecting to this year’s Evergreen Conference theme of ‘Unlocking public spaces for people and planet’? What do you hope to contribute to the discussions?

 

“Our work with the CRGP aligns very closely with the Evergreen Conference theme as both organizations aim to highlight the importance of resilient public spaces as key elements for sustainable urban development.

 

Public spaces are the heart of urban areas and the engine for a good quality of life of its citizens. At the conference, I hope to contribute insights on how cities can integrate resilience into their public space planning and management and vice versa, sharing examples of successful projects and fostering discussions on innovative solutions to create inclusive and climate-ready spaces—spaces that also contribute to the wellbeing of cities.”

 

 

The 2024 Evergreen Conference promises to be an energizing experience with workshops, trail walks, and fireside conversations. What aspects of the conference are you most looking forward to?

 

“I am particularly looking forward to the opportunity to engage with a diverse group of leaders and practitioners across sectors during the workshops and discussions. I’m also excited about exploring innovative topics such as the integration of Artificial Intelligence in urban planning and housing. These aspects of the conference are crucial for building the collaborative networks needed to advance our shared goals of creating resilient and sustainable public spaces, particularly here in Canada, where such forward-thinking approaches are already making significant impacts.

 

If we are to successfully deliver the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, the use of innovative approaches and new technologies is a must. It is imperative to do our most to support a resilient development in our cities, regions and nations.”

 

Learn more

By examining successful development examples from around the world, we can learn how to create public spaces that work to solve some of the most pressing issues confronting cities today. Join us at the Evergreen Conference this October 9 & 10, 2024, to dive deeper into these critical discussions and discover how we can unlock the potential of public spaces for the benefit of people and the planet.

Get early bird tickets for the 2024 Evergreen Conference