​​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,…

2024 marked a transitional year for UN-Habitat’s Global Public Space Programme. The Programme delivered impactful action in 13 countries, benefiting over 70,000 people through initiatives advancing climate resilience, social inclusion, and crisis response. From neighborhood delivery to global platforms, the year reaffirmed public space as a foundation for equitable cities and a key enabler of housing, basic services, and sustainable urban development.

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.

Clarification Note for UN-Habitat’s ‘Inclusive Communities, Thriving Cities’ Flagship Programme: frames urban regeneration as an integrated, inclusive, area-based process to reduce spatial inequality and advance the SDGs; clarifies terms (renewal, revitalisation, regeneration); maps key entry points; and showcases global practice.

Practical guide to integrating Nature-based Solutions into urban regeneration. It explains what works at basin, city and neighbourhood scales; links NbS to the SDGs; and shows how co-governance, inclusive design and financing deliver resilience, biodiversity and livelihoods, with international case studies.