What is an urban observatory?
An urban observatory is a network of stakeholders responsible for producing, analyzing and disseminating data in a meaningful set of indicators that reflect collectively in prioritizing issues on sustainable urban development. Data and information resources produced by the local networks are used to support decision-making and formulation of better-informed policies. An urban observatory is therefore a focal point for urban monitoring at the local, national or regional scale.
Local Urban Observatories (LUOs)
Local urban observatories are typically housed in an existing city department, non-governmental organization or university. They serve to produce, manage and analyze data on the performance of a city on key urban indicators and other thematic issues relevant to both local decision-making and global monitoring.
Success or failure of urban policy is determined mainly by its responsiveness to local priorities. The Global Urban Observatory therefore provides technical support to facilitate establishment of Local Urban Observatories (LUOs) as city-level institutions to:
- Involve local policy-makers and organizations of civil society in dialogue
- Generate information on local priorities and problems to enhance policy planning mechanism
- Encourage policy responses according to the planning gap and priorities
National Urban Observatories (NUOs)
National urban observatories coordinate and consolidate data collection at the national level using the results for evidence-based policy-making. They can either coordinate the activities of local urban observatories in the country or produce their own data and information resources at the national, regional or local level.
The Global Urban Observatory encourages establishment of NUOs to monitor national trends and conditions and inform national level policy and decision-making. The NUOs take many forms: as part of an existing national consultative structure or agency; as a national coordinating body for LUOs; as part of an academic or research institution, non-governmental organization or professional association; or as a secretariat to the National Habitat Committees which were established in most countries as part of the preparations for the Habitat II Conference in 1996. NUOs serve as consultative bodies on national policy.
Regional Urban Observatory (RUO)
Regional Urban Observatories are hosted in regional organizations or academic institutions to provide technical assistance to NUOs and LUOs through localizing monitoring tools, capacity building and also in policy guidance using evidence–based knowledge. RUO can also support local and national bodies in standardization of indicators, data and information not only to enhance the local policy planning mechanism but also regional harmony (through gap analysis). RUOs are the technical hand of the Global Urban Observatory at regional level to support the LUO and NUOs.
Global Urban Observatory
The Global Observatory is a world-wide monitoring and knowledge network, its main functions inter-alia are the following:
Assist governments, local authorities and organizations of civil society to strengthen their ability to collect, analyze manage and use information on urban development;
Enhance the use of knowledge and urban indicators for policy formulation, planning and urban management through participatory process;
Synthesize and disseminate the results of global, national and city-level monitoring activities, as well as disseminating good practices in the use of urban information world-wide.
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