As one of the essential public services that supports our society in the 21st century, waste management is a basic human need and a critical infrastructure, especially in urban areas. Waste management is a cross-cutting issue that affects many aspects of society and the economy, closely linked to many other global challenges, including health, climate change, poverty reduction, food and resource security, and sustainable production and consumption. Waste management is a key component of the…

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the cornerstone of the Paris Agreement and are the main policy instruments used to indicate national contributions toward global efforts for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This report, jointly prepared by UNDP, UN-Habitat, and the University of Southern Denmark, with support from C40 Cities, analyzes urban content in the 194 NDCs as of June 2023.

The paper ‘Urban Regeneration for Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals’ focuses on demonstrating how urban regeneration can drive progress across at least 15 SDGs and advance 45 targets. It includes four case studies from different regions to illustrate the impacts and lessons learnt.

In a world grappling with crises, cities emerge as pivotal agents of change. UN-Habitat’s 2023 report underscores the urgent need for urban transformation to tackle issues ranging from climate change to inequality, while emphasizing the pivotal role of cities in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

The Annual Report 2023 of the Policy, Legislation and Governance Section of UN-Habitat showcases the work done in the past year to work towards and support the achievement of the main goal of sustainable urban development.

Much has been achieved by PLGS: more than 44 activities in over 37 countries globally, that consolidated collaboration with donors, development partners and beneficiary countries along the themes of policy, legislation and governance, metropolitan management,…

As countries prepare to revise their NDCs ahead of COP30, the analysis summarized in this technical brief shows: which countries have the biggest potential to work towards stronger integration of urban content in their NDCs; how they can reap co-benefits of sustainable urban development, effective local adaptation measures, and reducing emissions by stronger collaboration with local governments.

The Jordan National Urban Policy follows a proactive approach, viewing urbanization not as a burden but as a chance to enhance the economy, address climate change, and improve the overall quality of life. Prioritizing principles of participation, efficiency, human rights, and resilience, it envisions inclusive, sustainable communities through strategically planned growth in diverse locations.

This report summarizes the Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change held at COP28 on 6 December 2023. This key event, co-hosted by UN-Habitat, the High-Level Climate Champions, and the COP28 Presidency, brought together over 1,000 people including around 60 ministerial representatives and reflects a collective commitment to tackling climate change's complexities within urban contexts.

Water is the basis for life, and meeting water supply demand is a global challenge, particularly in developing countries. In 2020, it was estimated that two billion people lived in water-stressed regions with no access to a safely managed drinking water service on premises, available when needed and free of contamination. This condition is expected to worsen in some regions due to climate change and rapid population growth. The United Nations World Water Development Report 2020 estimates that…