OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
OECD - Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
OECD is an international organization to build better policies for better lives. It has 38 members across the globe.
About
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) aims to shape policies that foster prosperity, equality, opportunity, and well-being for all. It draw on 60 years of experience and insights to better prepare the world of tomorrow.
When it comes to regional, rural, and urban development, the goal is to make all regions more equitable, inclusive, and resilient. How? By putting the well-being and living standards at the core of their place-based approach to policy and economic activity.
Recognizing that cities are on the frontlines of efforts to tackle two of the most pernicious challenges of our time – rising inequalities and a changing climate, OECD acknowledges that these two issues must be addressed in tandem, as climate change has the potential to exacerbate structural inequalities on two levels.
First, climate change impacts risk affecting vulnerable populations, such as low-income households, the elderly, children, the homeless, and other minority groups. Second, there is also a chance that some policies to address climate change could have unintended regressive impacts on vulnerable populations.
OECD works to improve the quality of life and achieve more inclusive societies in cities of all sizes while addressing a range of issues – from managing urban expansion and congestion to encouraging innovation and environmental sustainability.
Under the OECD Regional Development Policy Committee (RDPC), the OECD Working Party on Urban Policy (WPURB) brings together national policymakers in charge of urban policy from OECD members and partner countries.
Building on solid data and more than two decades of expertise on urban issues, the Working Party offers a unique international forum to debate common challenges and opportunities facing cities of all sizes, exchange concrete policy experiences and share innovative solutions that help shape a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive urban future.
The Working Party holds two official sessions per year. It collaborates closely with several OECD-led policy forums, including the OECD Champion Mayors initiative, the Roundtable of Mayors and Ministers, the OECD Roundtables. A Bureau is designated every year to steer its work.
Across the world, local leaders are taking a stand against rising inequalities. Through innovations in health care delivery, to living wage campaigns, from the issuance of official identification cards for all city residents to facilitate access to public services to mobile apps to improve urban mobility for people with disabilities – mayors and local governments are advancing policies and programs that boost equity and economic growth.
In response to the growing gap between the rich and the poor, the OECD launched the Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth Initiative in March 2016.
The OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth Initiative, a coalition of local leaders committed to tackling inequalities and promoting equal access to opportunities to shape more inclusive economic growth in cities. It provides Mayors with a unique platform in the debate on inequality and elevates their voices in national debates and global agendas. This initiative has helped governments analyze rising inequalities, monitor material living standards and broader well-being, and design policy packages that promote equity and development. It is driven by a multidimensional approach to Inclusive Growth, going beyond income to see how people are faring in other areas, like jobs and health.
The Champion Mayors initiative counts on a range of supporting institutions to help shape this work, including the Ford Foundation, Brookings Institution, Cities Alliance, ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, C40 Cities, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, National League of Cities, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) and United Way Worldwide.
The 6th Meeting of OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth, hosted by the Mayor of Brussels (Belgium), and chaired by Dagur Eggertsson, Mayor of Reykjavik (Iceland), will take place on 13 June 2023 in Brussels as part of the Brussels Urban Summit 2023: Urban Answers to Global Challenges.
Building sustainable, inclusive, safe, innovative, and resilient cities of all sizes takes commitment and action across local, regional, and national levels of government. Yet, policies that manage urban development are often siloed within and across governments, leading to missed opportunities. Aligning objectives, resources, and actions can help strengthen the evidence base for decisions, better target the specific needs of different cities, anticipate and manage challenges and opportunities, and build resiliency to withstand sudden shocks and disruptions.
Mayors and ministers bring unique perspectives to the most potent urban issues when working together. Ministers of central governments are well-positioned to equip cities with the resources and policy frameworks necessary to anticipate shifting dynamics in cities. At the same time, mayors can alert ministers of specific challenges and promote a solution-oriented dialogue.
The OECD hosts the Roundtable of Mayors and Ministers to bring national ministers, regional leaders, and international organizations for a closed-door discussion on pressing issues, building on a long tradition of policy dialogue on urban issues at the OECD. The Roundtables focus on (i) Cities and Regions for SDGs, (ii) Smart Cities, and (iii) Circular Economy.
The OECD Principles on Urban Policy, which crystallize the lessons from the past 20 years of OECD work on urban policy into one-stop-shop guidance for policymakers in building smart, sustainable, and inclusive cities.
The National Urban Policy Programme (NUPP), a joint initiative with UN-Habitat and Cities Alliance, supports the development and implementation of national urban policies (NUPs) globally by enhancing knowledge exchange, providing direct support to countries for NUP-making, monitoring, and providing a networking platform.
