WUF13 and the urbanism of a new era Review by Khazar Akhundov

Yesterday, Baku hosted the official closing ceremony of the 13th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13). From May 17 to 22, representatives of specialised UN agencies and international organisations, experts in urban planning and urbanism, and over 57,000 participants from 176 countries — including 27 heads of state and government — discussed the most pressing issues related to the harmonious development of urban environments.

A central theme in many of the forum’s discussions was the most acute challenges facing modern megacities: environmental degradation, severe air pollution, waste management problems, and the low energy efficiency of urban development. Azerbaijan also presented its vision for addressing these challenges at WUF13, drawing on the considerable experience it has gained in rebuilding cities and villages destroyed in the Karabakh region.

Urban development is one of the priority areas in Azerbaijan’s national development strategy, and the modern approaches to urbanisation adopted by the country reflect its commitment to inclusive principles of urban growth. These include the creation of climate-resilient infrastructure, the rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems and the integration of natural landscapes into architectural space, as well as the promotion of energy-efficient construction and the introduction of green energy components.

All of this is critically important, as according to UN estimates, humanity today faces the urgent task of optimising urbanisation processes, given that by 2050, 68% of the world’s population — around 6.4 billion people — will be living in overcrowded and environmentally challenged cities struggling with shortages of clean water, transport difficulties, and other pressing problems.

In line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, Azerbaijan has achieved notable progress in steering its urban planning and development processes towards environmentally sustainable practices. “By declaring 2026 the ‘Year of Urban Planning and Architecture’, Azerbaijan has elevated urbanism to a global level by developing progressive approaches that respond to new challenges, as well as respecting centuries-old traditions,” said UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed while summarising the outcomes of WUF13. “Simultaneously, we see an example of renewal and sustainability in Baku, one of the oldest and most continuously inhabited cities in the world.”

This is especially important at a time when climate change and the pressures of urbanisation are generating increasingly rapid and severe consequences across the globe, Amina Mohammed stressed, noting that Baku had become the ideal platform for the discussions held throughout the week.

Overall, Azerbaijan’s modern urban development policy is based on a combination of technological progress and cultural continuity, with particular emphasis placed on preserving the historical character of cities, architectural heritage, and natural landscapes.

“The consequences of climate change are being felt in cities across the world, which is why urban development and construction must now be planned not only from the standpoint of economic indicators, but also with due regard for environmental protection, social well-being, and climate resilience,” noted WUF13 participant Rashad Ismayilov. “To meet the needs of present and future generations, it is necessary to introduce green technologies, use energy efficiently, and transition towards a circular economy and digital governance.”

Particularly valuable in this regard is the experience accumulated in Karabakh and East Zangezur, which are gradually becoming the foundation for implementing similar approaches throughout the country, shaping a unified urban development vision — the concept of the “New Azerbaijani City.” The new construction solutions applied in Karabakh have demonstrated the effectiveness of modern insulation materials, as well as cost-efficient residential heating systems aimed at improving urban energy efficiency.

A “green city” model is being implemented there, including the planned use of various renewable energy technologies — such as solar water collectors and heat pumps — for heating, cooling, and supplying homes with hot water. The region also envisages the introduction of intelligent energy management systems and energy-oriented waste management solutions. In addition, rooftop solar panels are being installed extensively, while solar-powered LED lamps are being used for street and road lighting.

Not long ago, based on the experience of European countries, the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan introduced energy efficiency categories A, B, C, D, and E. In particular, the operation of buildings below category C has already been prohibited in Azerbaijan, and in the Karabakh region, the construction of low-category buildings will also not be permitted.

“Every building constructed today will still stand in 2080: therefore, every road, every energy network, every transit system will shape emission levels for the next 50 years,” noted Huseyn Hasanov at the forum. He emphasised that cities occupy only 2% of the Earth’s surface, yet account for 70% of global carbon emissions: “We already have several existing solutions, and we can adapt them to address our challenges: one of these solutions is solar energy.”

Within the framework of developing the green urbanism concept in Azerbaijan, active efforts are also being made to address environmental challenges in Baku, Ganja, Sumgayit, and other cities.

“Baku is a rapidly growing metropolis, and today urban planning must respond not only to infrastructure requirements, but also to social and environmental needs,” said Shahnaz Badalova during the forum.

In this direction, international cooperation is expanding, and on the sidelines of WUF13, a cooperation agreement was signed between the “Baku White City” project and the international engineering and design company AtkinsRéalis. The document provides for joint efforts to develop road, transport, and engineering-communication infrastructure in the Eastern district of Baku White City, based on the principles of a green and sustainable city.

In turn, efforts to address the capital’s solid household waste management challenges are supported by the commissioning of the Baku Solid Waste Incineration Plant in 2012. Located within the Balakhani Industrial Park, the facility processes more than 500,000 tons of solid waste annually using environmentally safe methods, generating enough electricity to power an average of 100,000 households per year. In addition, 25 residents are registered within the industrial park, where waste and secondary raw materials are also processed into useful products. 

As noted by Shahnaz Badalova, the master plan of the city of Ganja also reflects the principles of sustainable development and includes the rehabilitation of the urban energy system, industrial and environmentally affected areas, as well as the improvement of public spaces.

Several years ago, with credit support from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a project was launched in Ganja to introduce energy-saving lighting systems, automated control and monitoring systems, and to replace poles and power cables. This has ensured significant energy savings, reduced electricity network maintenance costs, and improved road safety.

These initiatives are being implemented within the framework of the European Union’s Green Cities Action Plan (GCAP). According to Lin O’Grady, the GCAP model could, over time, be replicated in other cities of Azerbaijan, including the liberated territories.

An equally important step in promoting environmental trends in urbanism and city planning is the addressing of air pollution in major metropolitan areas. In this regard, during WUF13, at the initiative of the Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and head of the Public Union IDEA, Leyla Aliyeva, and in partnership with the Clean Air Fund, a high-level forum was organised on the topic “Breathing Life into the New Urban Agenda: Integrating Air Quality and Green Infrastructure for Resilient Cities.”

In her address to the participants, Leyla Aliyeva stressed that air quality is of crucial importance for the health and well-being of urban residents, as well as for ensuring a safe living environment for future generations. The participants were informed about the importance of international efforts to reduce air pollution from industrial enterprises, the need to expand electric public transport, increase tree planting, and create greener, more sustainable, and people-oriented cities.

At the conclusion of the event, a communiqué titled the “Baku Call for Action for Breathing Cities” was adopted, emphasising that the issue of clean air must become one of the core principles of the modern urban development agenda. It was also decided to include this topic as a permanent item on the agenda of future World Urban Forums.

The concluded WUF13 left a significant legacy in the field of international discussion on urban development prospects and solutions to the most pressing challenges of urbanisation. Importantly, during the forum, the “Baku Urban Award” was established at the initiative of Azerbaijan in cooperation with UN-Habitat. This award is set to become the only international prize presented within the framework of the World Urban Forum.