This study, which has been carried out by international multi-disciplinary teams and informed the inputs of the local and regional government constituency throughout the Habitat III process, is the most comprehensive global reflection on the state of local and territorial governance. It has been drawn up as the legacy of local and regional governments in the Habitat process, building links with the overall global development agendas (SDGs, Habitat III, climate change). It voices the priorities of local and regional leaders and will guide the work of the local and regional government networks gathered in and around UCLG. The GOLD IV report makes a unique contribution by moving away from traditional sectoral approaches to a broader, territorial approach, based on an in- depth analysis of three different levels, namely: i) metropolitan areas; ii) intermediary cities; and iii) Territories (regions, small towns and rural areas). The report provides analyses, examples of local government innovation, and case studies from across the world to support many of the key recommendations that key mayors and governors will bring forward at the World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments. In summary, the GOLD IV Report provides the underlying arguments and evidence to advocate for the essential role of local and regional governments in addressing many of the world’s most pressing challenges and in supporting the New Urban Agenda.
Citation: 2017. In: United Cities and Local Government. Fourth Global Report on Decentralization and Local Democracy. Co-Creating the Urban Future. The Agenda of Metropolises, Cities and Territories. Barcelona: UCLG.
