ABSTRACT
Putting people first means putting basic local services first. This implies: The recognition of the vital role of basic local services in guaranteeing human rights and dignity, driving economic development, and addressing social and economic inequalities, including gender inequalities. A political commitment to increase investment in basic services in order to address existing deficits in provision, increasing demand in urban areas, and the sustainability and resilience challenges posed by climate change and other threats. The development of new forms of production and consumption for the provision of sustainable basic services in a world whose population will grow to 9 billion within the next 30 years. Infrastructure plans should be developed alongside land use plans and support city development strategies. Planning should include long-term investment strategies that take account of the full economic and social cost of service provision. Priorities should include building and maintaining capacities to reduce disaster risk and improving the resilience of basic services to natural disasters.
