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Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS), as a non-governmental and non-profit international organization, was officially founded and registered in New York State, USA, in March 2008, with the objective of “To Build Sustainable Human Settlements and Promote the United Nations Habitat Agenda”. GFHS has obtained 501(C) (3) status in the United States, and it is a member of United Nations Global Compact and the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI). It has become a cooperative partner with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP)(including the UNEP-SBCI), and United Nations Human Settlements Programme(UN HABITAT). GFHS has established good cooperative relationship with quite a lot of city governments, professional institutes and media both at home and abroad.

GFHS Profile

Background

We live in an era of unprecedented, rapid and irreversible urbanization. Currently, more than half of humanity is now living in cities where the built area accounts for only 2% of the total land area of the earth. The report released by the United Nations indicates that globally urbanization levels will rise dramatically in the next 40 years to reach 70 percent by 2050 when the world population is expected to hit 9 billion. Urban growth is most rapid in the developing world, where cities gain an average of 5 million residents every month. The world is facing the severe challenges of urbanization.

The UN and international community have been attaching great importance to the problem of urbanization. In 1996, the Habitat Agenda was adopted at the Second United Nations Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat II). The purpose of Habitat II is to address two themes of equal global importance: "Adequate shelter for all" and "Sustainable human settlements development in an urbanizing world". In 2000, to ensure environmental sustainability was listed as one of the eight Millennium Development Goals at the UN Millennium Summit. In 2012, the UN Sustainable Development Conference reestablished the universal principle of “sustainable development”, emphasizing making cities more sustainable will be a prerequisite for poverty eradication, a “greener” economy and sustainable development. It necessitates the common effort from all the national governments, enterprises, research and educational institutes, civil society and the public to cope with the rapid urbanization and realize those goals. In this context, the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS) was officially founded and registered in New York State, USA, in March 2008, with the objective of “Building Messages from Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations (Excerpt) Sustainable Human Settlements and Promoting the United Nations Habitat Agenda”, thereby establishing the platform for dialogue on world sustainable urbanization in response to the urbanization challenges.

Brief Introduction

As a non-profit international organization, GFHS has obtained Section 501(C) (3) status as a tax exempt entity in the United States, and is a member of United Nations Global Compact, the United Nations Department of Public Information (UNDPI) and United Nations Environment Programme- Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative. It has become a cooperative partner with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). GFHS has established good partnership with global city governments, corporate and professional institutes.

GFHS is headquartered in New York, USA, with representative offices in Beijing and Shenzhen, China. Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, a former Chairman of the United Nations Security Council, Under-Secretary- General and High Representative of the United Nations serves as Chairman of GFHS and the Board.

GFHS Mission and tasks

GFHS mission

To Build Sustainable Human Settlements and Promote the UN Habitat Agenda.

GFHS main tasks

GFHS’s main tasks include the convening of its annual conference, as well as other important seminars; to promote the United Nations’ agenda and enhance the communication and cooperation between different regions of the world in order to improve human settlements and the building of low carbon cities; to research and establish relevant standard systems for human settlements, the development of the pilot project of the "International Green Model City (IGMC)”, for example; to explore new types of sustainable urbanization and carry out green building assessment and certification; to present annual “Global Human Settlements Awards” and publish the World Best Practice magazine.

GFHS Annual Conference

As of June, 2013, the annual Global Forum on Human Settlements has been successfully held in China, the United States, Brazil and Germany for a consecutive 8 years. More than 5,000 representatives from all sectors of society have attended the forum. Some of the dignitaries and celebrities that have participated in these events include: Maurice Strong - UN Under Secretary General and first Executive Director of the UNEP, [Sha Zukang]] - former Under-Secretary-General of the UNDESA and Secretary-General of Rio+20, Cheick Diarra - Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Gyan Acharya - Under-Secretary- General and High Representative of the United Nations, Jiang Chunyun - former Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, Vice Premier of the State Council, Gu Xiulian – Vice Chairwoman of 10th Standing Committee of NPC, Li Jinhua - Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), and a lot of mayors from well-known cities, experts and business leaders. The forums have issued several declarations including the “Shenzhen Declaration on Building Green Civilization and Constructing Environment-Friendly Cities”, the “Wuxi Declaration on Water and Human Settlements in the 21st Century” and the “New York Declaration on Building Low-Carbon Cities in Response to Climate Change”. It has published the Water and Human Settlements in 21st Century (in both Chinese and English). It has also provided a platform for high-level dialogue for regional governments, NGOs, the business sector and the academic community both at home and abroad, making great contributions to the building of sustainable human settlements and the promotion of the United Nations Habitat Agenda and realization of Millennium Development Goals.

GFHS Award

The “Global Human Settlements Award” is an annual worldwide prize awarded by the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS). The award is focused on promoting the implementation of UN sustainable development goals and the mission of the GFHS. It has been successfully held for eight times. The awarded cities, enterprises, projects and individuals can be found all over the world. It has created a high-level interactive platform for insiders to share and propagate knowledge and experiences. It has significantly exerted demonstrative effects and has been lauded as “Human Settlements Oscar” by the media. The award is becoming more authoritative and influential due to the special support from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and is aggressively driving toward the promotion of the United Nations Habitat Agenda and realization of Millennium Development Goals.

Categories of the Award

City: Global Green City

Scenic Spot: Global Low-carbon Ecological Scenic Spot

Buildings: Global Human Settlements Demonstration Building (Residential Area)

Transport: Global Best Practice of Green Mobility

Designing: Global Human Settlements Award on Planning and Design (Urban, Architecture, Landscape, Transport)

Technology: Global Human Settlements Practice of Green Technology (Products)

Individuals: Global Human Settlements Outstanding Contribution Award; Global Little Green Ambassador (kids)

IGMC Initiative

The IGMC Project comes into being with the purpose of better responding to climate change, promoting low-carbon city building around the world, and exploring new models for sustainable urbanization.

IGMC was launched by GFHS at the headquarters of the United Nations in April 2011. With the support of UNEP, it has become a pilot project for low carbon city building with high starting point. It mainly features in combining low-carbon city building with green economy and with culture. The IGMC standards are compiled by some 50 experts from China and abroad, which include 12 principles and corresponding strategies and measures with an authentication rating system to guide IGMC planning and construction.

GFHS Publication

World Best Practices magazine (WBPM) is committed to spreading the forward-looking information and best practices on global sustainable human settlements, summarizing and reporting the efforts and achievements in improving living environment, and promoting the United Nations’ policies and actions, which has established itself as a high-level platform for cities and businesses to demonstrate their images on sustainable development. WBPM is published in accordance with the 20/6 Resolution by UN-Habitat, and has become a member of both UN Global Compact and UNEP Sustainable Buildings and Climate Initiative.

Readership and Publishing Network: they are UN agencies and international organizations’ principals and experts, world government officials, city mayors, business leaders, entrepreneurs and practitioners of planning, construction, city management, transportation, and other low-carbon and green sectors. It is run on the basis of both free distribution and subscription (hard & soft copy). Furthermore, it has been circulating in thousands of outlets including business sites, banks, leisure clubs and golf courses.

Screening and Selection of Best Practices: The magazine is open to global best practices on human settlements and cities, meaning cities, companies and individuals are able to participate in the competition. The practices will be promoted internationally after being nominated by WBMP. The post-earthquake reconstruction of Shuimo, Wenchuan County, for example, due to the broad coverage by the magazine, has become a model of sustainable reconstruction and a miracle of post-disaster regeneration in China.

WBPM Council: Relying on the platform by courtesy of WBPM, the Council was established thanks to the voluntary participation and support of city governments, enterprises, research institutes, universities and outstanding individuals. The Council is dedicated to building an integrated platform for its members to communicate with international counterparts and carve out business opportunities, with a view to strengthening capacity building and creating the situation of mutual benefit and multi-win. The Council keeps organizing activities at irregular intervals.