Policy Order O-9

WHEREAS: The UN Global Compact Cities Programme is an urban-focused component of the UN Global Compact.  Based on the premise that any city, anywhere, contains the capacity to resolve the issues it faces, the Global Cities program offers a framework for building constructive, all-sector task forces among business, government and civil society, to produce practical responses in areas where single-sector initiatives have previously failed; and

WHEREAS: The development of new, progressive methodologies such as the Global Cities program has become increasingly critical in the twenty-first century as urban populations outnumber rural growth for the first time and new, complex challenges emerge. Combining the ideas, knowledge, experience and resources inherent within all three sectors offers a powerful, unique and unlimited capacity to effect change and address these challenges in areas such as waste management, water and sanitation, poverty alleviation, traffic safety and housing re-developments; and

WHEREAS: The Global Cities program provides new perspective to city leaders who are tackling a complexity of urban issues. Supported by the research work derived from Global Cities Research Institute at RMIT University, the Global Cities program offers cities opportunity to adopt a holistic approach that includes a self assessment which identifies a city's awareness and understanding of the issue overtime; and

WHEREAS: Participants in the Global Cities program enjoy access to a broad range of benefits, including:

WHEREAS: The cities of San Francisco, Milwaukee and Cleveland are already members, and it would greatly benefit Cambridge to also become involved; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to direct the appropriate department heads to look into the feasibility and possible benefits of Cambridge participating in the before mentioned program and report back to the City Council with a course of action.