The Best Practices and Local Leadership Programme (BLP) was established in 1997 in response to the call of the Habitat Agenda to make use of information and networking in support of its implementation. It is a global network of government agencies, local authorities and their associations, professional and academic institutions and grassroots organisations dedicated to the identification and exchange of best practices for sustainable development. Best Practices are actions that have made a lasting contribution to improving the quality of life and the sustainability of cities and communities.  The Programme’s partners are specialised in such areas as housing and urban development, urban governance, environmental planning and management, architecture and urban design, economic development, social inclusion, crime prevention, poverty reduction, women, youth, cultural heritage, municipal finance and management, infrastructure and social services.  

Objectives: The objective of the Programme is to raise awareness of decision-makers on critical social, economic and environmental issues and to better inform them of the practical means and policy options for improving the living environment. It does so by identifying, disseminating and applying lessons learned from Best Practices to ongoing training, leadership and policy development activities.

BLP Products: The key products of the Programme include documented and peer-reviewed best practices, examples of good policies and enabling legislation, case studies and briefs, and transfer methodologies. These products are available for use globally through an online Best Practices Database, which to date contains over 4,000 proven solutions to common social, economic and environmental problems from 140 countries.

Key Clients served: The main clients of the Programme include decision-makers, practising professionals at all levels of government and the private sector, civil society as well as the general public.