Habitat for Humanity’s highlights from the World Economic Forum
Leading experts, international organizations, over 100 governments and more gathered in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum’s 2024 annual meeting this January. Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford attended to give affordable housing a seat at the table.
Photo credit — Copyright: World Economic Forum/Sikarin Fon Thanachaiary
The World Economic Forum partners with global leaders to catalyze significant positive change — unleashing initiatives, pioneering industry advancements, furthering economic innovations, and fostering projects and collaborations, all working toward improving the state of the world.
Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford joined other leading experts during the annual meeting to give affordable housing a seat at the table.
Housing and climate change
As the climate crisis picks up pace, those without access to adequate, safe and sustainable housing are most at risk.
In an article for WEF, Reckford suggests three key strategies to help nations progress toward their climate goals and ensure those most vulnerable are put first:
- Recognize adequate housing as a priority in climate change action.
- Prioritize the most vulnerable by incrementally adapting climate-resilient homes.
- Invest in upgrading and greening informal settlements.
From solar home systems to green roofs and rainwater harvesting, sustainable, nature-based solutions can help conserve natural resources and strengthen climate adaptation efforts. When replicated at scale, these green initiatives reduce climate risks and protect the livelihoods of millions of households worldwide.
Optimism for housing solutions in 2024
Alongside other members of WEF’s Network of Global Future Councils, Reckford shared his enthusiasm for the opportunities in the affordable housing sector in 2024.
“Government leaders understand the critical relationship between housing and health, education and economic stability — not just for individuals but for strong communities,” Reckford writes. “And all levels of government are partnering with the private sector to help supply catch up with demand, especially for low- and moderate-income homebuyers and renters, which the market struggles the most to serve.”
Yes In My Backyard
Reckford also hosted and moderated a panel of multi-sector experts to talk about efforts to counteract Not In My Backyard, or NIMBY, which describes the actions that have halted development of projects from energy to housing to high speed rail across the globe.
Reckford says that many Americans agree that affordable housing is a good thing “as long as it’s not anywhere near where I live.”
“As a result, there is a massive shortage — both quantitatively and qualitatively — of housing that’s affordable, and we really have a crisis,” Reckford says.
Yes In My backyard, or YIMBY, is the counter-movement looking to support and scale place-based innovation.
“We’re going to talk about infrastructure across energy and across the built environment and what it takes to bring together the forces to make projects happen and make them happen faster,” Reckford says.
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Habitat for Humanity’s highlights from the World Economic Forum
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Habitat’s CEO Jonathan Reckford shares his outlook alongside other experts from the World Economic Forum’s Network of Global Future Councils: “I take heart in knowing that new solutions are taking hold every day.”
Habitat CEO highlights housing and climate change at World Economic Forum
“Housing is the frontline in the fight against climate change,” writes Habitat CEO Jonathan Reckford, who joined leading experts, governments and more at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in January.
The Habitat Store
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Deck the halls
Each year since 2007, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree on display in New York City is milled and donated to Habitat for Humanity to use in construction projects. Lumber from the 2022 tree was used to build a deck and planter boxes at Sarah’s Habitat home in Corinth, New York.
Sarah and two of her three daughters, 7-year-old Adeline and 10-year-old Abigail, decorate their front porch for Christmas, ushering in the first holiday season in their Habitat home in Corinth, New York.
But even after the holiday passes and the lights and ornaments are placed into storage, Christmas will remain a permanent fixture for the family of four. That’s because their deck was made using lumber from the 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Sarah and two of her daughters plant vegetable seeds in a planter box built from the lumber of the 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Each year since 2007, Tishman Speyer, the owner and operator of the Rockefeller Center, has donated the iconic Christmas tree to a Habitat affiliate for use in construction. Lumber from the 2022 tree — an 82-foot, 14-ton Northern Spruce from Queensbury, New York — was sent to Habitat Northern Saratoga, Warren and Washington Counties following the holidays. Sarah and Habitat volunteers used the lumber to build a detached side deck and two planter boxes.
Sarah says the deck will be a hangout spot for the family to grill and spend quality time. The family has already used the planter boxes, spreading out soil and planting sweet pepper and carrot seeds. Waiting for the vegetables to sprout will require time and patience, a lesson Sarah hopes her kids learned while watching her journey toward homeownership.
Lumber from the 2022 Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was used to build a deck and planter boxes.
“I worked on getting my credit up and improving my savings for almost eight years to be able to purchase a home,” Sarah says. “My kids can see that if you put effort into something, something will come out of it. I hope my kids gain patience and understanding that things don’t happen right away, that it does take time.”
Sarah and her daughters rented an apartment before moving into the four-bedroom home she rehabbed with Habitat’s help. Sarah felt her children didn’t have a safe space to play freely and express themselves. Now, she has peace of mind knowing Adeline, Abigail and 9-year-old Allison can enjoy the playset in their backyard and paint the walls in their bedrooms without asking a landlord for permission.
More than anything, Sarah is happy her family has their own place to grow.
“Just to be here, to have my kids grow up here. We’re continuing to make it our home instead of just a house.”— Sarah, Habitat homeowner
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Deck the halls
