The Present Issue Paper 17 on Cities and Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management for the United
Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) is part of the focus area 5
Urban Ecology and Environment. The Issue Paper focuses on the climate change and disaster risk
dimension in the urban contexts, and is complimentary to the broader discussion on urban resilience (#15)
and resource efficiency (#16). The purpose of this paper is to explain how the improved understanding and
progress in urban climate action and disaster risk management are influencing urbanization patterns. The
paper aims to demonstrate how the principles of New Urban Agenda: compactness, connectedness,
inclusiveness and integration, improve disaster risk management, contribute to climate change mitigation
and adaptation, as well as unlock opportunities for sustainable development