ABSTRACT
In Chapter 1the global trends that are presenting challenges to urban sustainability were set out. They include the growing disparities in many parts of the world between those with adequate incomes and shelter and those on the margins of society. They include the pressures faced by many cities on account of massive influxes of residents from rural areas or from other countries. They include the huge demands for urban infrastructure faced by cities without sufficient financial, human or technical resources. They include the spectre of increasing environmental degradation. These trends require action by urban governments in the North and in the South. This section outlines specific actions that local authorities believe are necessary to confront the issues of urban sustainability.
