Sustainable development in the APEC region is fundamentally linked to the sustainability of cities. Given that the proportion of people in the region living in cities is expected to increase by 20% between now and 2015, addressing the environmental impact of urban activities is a major objective for overall quality of life and well-being. All aspects of urban planning and development must therefore be people-centered and take into account environmental protection and economic and social considerations . Special emphasis should be placed on pollution prevention and control, and environmentally sustainable infrastructure development, addressing the needs of urban poor settlements, and promoting their economic well-being.
To improve the quality of urban environments while promoting sustainable growth, we are implementing a Program of Action on Sustainable Cities which identifies specific measures to:
* bridge the knowledge gap;
* encourage investment;
* integrate the agendas of the public and private sectors;
* engage stakeholders and draw on their creativity and knowledge especially at the community level; and
* enhance human well-being and quality of life.
In this respect, we commit to working with others to double by the year 2003 the current number of 170 APEC communities with Local Agenda 21 plans.
We will also continue to share APEC best practices for sustainable urbanization through a compendium of member economies’ examples of success.