HABITAT-II AND THE CHALLENGE OF THE URBAN-ENVIRONMENT - BRINGING TOGETHER THE 2 DEFINITIONS OF HABITAT

Environment must be a central feature of the global messages of the HA BITAT II preparatory process and the conference itself. In conveying t o political leaders and the public that the economic and social prospe cts of nations in the twenty-first century will depend on cities, the conference must reassert the centrality of the urban environment. It m ust refer to the experiences of the respective regions of the world an d show that all countries and localities share the challenge of urban environmental management. The response to that challenge must in the f irst instance be local - with local authorities and populations being aware of the threats at hand and how they need to change patterns of b ehaviour. It must assemble the evidence to demonstrate that the prospe cts of cities have depended upon and will continue to depend upon envi ronmental resources.