Building sustainable cities is a pressing global need, and youth play a crucial role in shaping resilient urban environments. By engaging young leaders, we can encourage innovative solutions to tackle urban sustainability challenges and create cities that are environmentally friendly and inclusive.
With over 56% of the global population living in urban areas, cities face significant challenges from climate change, inequality, and rapid, unplanned urban growth. These issues result in pollution, biodiversity loss, and deteriorating air and water quality. Addressing these challenges requires the active involvement of youth, who are increasingly aware of the need for sustainable urban development.
In line with this goal, Youth for Policy, in collaboration with the Institute of Wellbeing Bangladesh, hosted a webinar on October 31, 2024, bringing together youth leaders, urban planners, and policymakers from Nepal, Bhutan, and Bangladesh. The event served as a platform for sharing knowledge, learning from best practices, and discussing how to create sustainable and resilient cities across South Asia.
The event covered several important issues related to sustainable urban development. It highlighted the need to empower youth as key agents of change in urban planning and development. The discussion emphasized the importance of amplifying youth voices in policy-making processes to ensure that urban development reflects their concerns and needs. A key topic was the promotion of the circular economy, which is vital for environmentally sustainable cities. The webinar also stressed the importance of inclusive urban policymaking, ensuring that youth are involved in decision-making processes, and recognized the role of individual responsibility in contributing to a more sustainable urban environment.
Md. Maruf Hossain, National BCDP Coordinator at ADB and executive member of the Centre for Urban Studies, presented the keynote at the event. Panelists included Arraf Hossin, a student of Urban and Regional Planning at KUET, Khulna; Saiful Islam, Policy Champion at Youth for Policy and Co-founder of Zero Waste 101; Jagadish Pokharel, a student of Architecture at Pulchowk Campus, Nepal; and Kezang Wangmo, a BSS in Anthropology graduate from Bhutan.
Looking ahead, the webinar marked the beginning of further collaboration. By facilitating dialogue between youth, policymakers, and urban planners, the event highlighted the urgency of inclusive and sustainable urban development. Moving forward, participants are encouraged to take individual and collective action to drive change in their communities and continue advocating for policies that reflect the sustainable needs of future generations.
