Uğur İbrahim Altay attends 6th UN Forum of Mayors in Geneva

Uğur İbrahim Altay, President of United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and COP31 Special Envoy for Cities and Local Governments, participated in the 6th UN Forum of Mayors in Geneva, Switzerland. The forum, organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), focused on the theme “Cities Producing Solutions for a Sustainable Future.”

During his address, Altay highlighted that over 2.8 billion people worldwide face inadequate housing conditions. He noted that the financialization and speculation of housing make access to affordable homes increasingly difficult. Altay emphasized the intrinsic link between housing rights and the climate agenda, stating that urban planning and neighborhood renewal directly impact both community resilience and emission reduction capacities.

Altay expressed his intention to carry the discussions regarding housing access and climate change from Geneva to the upcoming COP31 in Antalya, advocating for climate goals to reflect the specific needs of cities and the solution-oriented capacities of local governments.