Nga Secures Support From China, Vietnam, Brunei To Integrate New Urban Agenda In UNFCCC

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 19 (Bernama) -- The UN-Habitat Assembly (UNHA) president Nga Kor Ming has secured support from China, Vietnam, and Brunei to strengthen collaboration on the UN-Habitat platform and to integrate the New Urban Agenda (NUA) into the processes of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Nga, who is also Malaysia’s Minister of Housing and Local Government, held bilateral meetings with key representatives from the three countries on the sidelines of the ASEAN-China Ministerial Roundtable on Construction 2025 in Guilin from Sept 14 to 16.

The delegations were led by China’s Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Ni Hong, Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Construction Nguyen Tuong Van, and Brunei’s Minister of Development Datuk Seri Awang Muhammad Juanda Abdul Rashid.

Among the key topics discussed was the integration of the NUA into the processes of the Conference of the Parties (COP) under the UNFCCC.

“Cities and human settlements generate nearly 70 per cent of energy-related emissions, concentrate the most acute climate vulnerabilities, and also embody the greatest potential for innovation and resilience,” he was quoted in a statement issued by the Ministry Friday.

According to him, the integration would mark a significant advancement in climate policy by linking global climate ambition with local transformation in at least six ways, namely advancing multi-level climate governance; unlocking urban levers of decarbonisation; strengthening adaptation and resilience; mobilising finance to the local level; ensuring equity and inclusion; and enhancing coherence across global agendas.

“Such integration would create important synergies with sectoral initiatives by linking industrial decarbonisation pathways with the urban systems that drive demand for steel, cement, shipping, and other critical sectors,” he said.

The statement also mentioned that the proposal drew supportive responses from the participating parties.

According to the statement, the Declaration on Integrating the New Urban Agenda into the UNFCCC Process is set to be presented at the High-Level Closing Ceremony of the Ministerial Meetings on Urbanisation and Climate Change at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

Nga invites more member states to support the cause and advance the implementation of the NUA at the local level, aiming to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda.

-- BERNAMA