Vienna represents Austria in the Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).  While the UNECE region is home to less than one fifth of the world population, it is characterised by high levels of urbanisation: Over 73 percent of its inhabitants are city dwellers, as compared to 50 percent on global average.

Vienna represents Austria in the UNECE Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management. Established in 1947, it is the only intergovernmental body addressing related challenges in the UNECE region and is the supreme political body of UNECE in the field of housing construction and land management. At the moment, UNECE comprises 56 Member States of Europe, North America and Asia. Moreover, around 70 specialised international organisations work on behalf of the Commission.

The Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Land Management unites representatives of government institutions, ministries or agencies concerned with housing construction, economic development, urban planning and development as well as housing and land management. It facilitates intergovernmental dialogue and supports knowledge transfer on innovative practices. It advises and discusses political guidelines to tackle shared problems in such areas as housing construction, urban development and land management.

Its objectives include:

• the harmonisation of policies for housing, urban development and the administration and management of land between government authorities in the UNECE Member States,
• the addressing of major challenges in the fields of housing construction, urban development and land management in the region,
• the provision of guidelines for the creation of a more efficient legal and institutional framework for housing, urban development and the administration and management of land, and
• the strengthening of national and local capacities for adequate and affordable housing, smart and sustainable urban development and efficient land management.

For further information
https://www.unece.org/housing.html