This publication, prepared by UN-Habitat in collaboration with Fordham University Urban Law Center, US, supports Costa Rica in developing an adaptation construction code while offering insights for policymakers, legislators, urban planners, practitioners, researchers, and development partners working to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks for climate-resilient urban development. Drawing on comparative case studies from twelve countries across Latin America, Europe, Africa, and Asia,…

This brief examines how legal and governance frameworks can reduce food loss and waste in cities. Drawing on case studies from Milan, Singapore, Vienna, South Korea, France, Rwanda, Brazil, and India, it offers practical legal pathways for policymakers, urban planners, and legal practitioners.

Public spaces to play are important to children's health and development and are a core right. Yet with increasing urbanization, access to public spaces to play is shrinking, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This guide, developed by UN-Habitat, WHO and UNICEF, highlights the importance of public spaces for optimizing children's health and well-being, and realizing their comprehensive rights. It provides support for practitioners in developing and improving public…

​​Originally established in 2011 following the 2010 Shanghai World Expo, the Shanghai Manual serves as a practical guide for mayors and urban practitioners advancing sustainable urban development. The Manual has been shaped by the principles of both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda, positioning it as a key resource in the global ambition of achieving sustainable cities. 

​As digitalisation rapidly reshapes urban life across health, education,…

How urban regeneration can catalyse slum transformation. This UN-Habitat paper links physical, economic, social, environmental and governance actions to upgrade housing and services, secure tenure, grow livelihoods and embed climate resilience—reducing displacement and spatial injustice—with lessons from Jamaica, Kenya, Brazil and Colombia.