UN-Habitat has conducted an international benchmarking case study of planning laws in five countries and one sub-national region (Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, Netherlands, South Korea and Catalonia Region, Spain) to assess the impact of planning laws in these contexts on sustainable urban development. This has provided a spectrum of regulatory models and schemes for the spatial planning legal reform agenda in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These case studies reveal that planning legal frameworks…

UN-Habitat, in collaboration with the Urban Development Agency under the Ministry of Construction, conducted a rapid assessment of Vietnam’s legal framework for urban development as part of the Institutional Strengthening and Capacity Building project. The legislative analysis focussed on planning, housing, land, and local governance which identified key gaps, overlaps, and areas for reform. The assessment offers actionable recommendations to support the drafting of a new Urban Development and…

WUF12 Perspectives is a new UN-Habitat analysis capturing the views of participants from the World Urban Forum 12 held in Cairo in 2024, focused on localization. It highlights three dimensions—implementation, representation, and translation—and identifies nine key elements to guide stakeholders in embedding localization into sustainable urban development and advancing global SDG localization efforts.

As the world races toward a sustainable future, intermediary cities emerge as crucial players in effective climate mitigation. This guide offers practical insights into balancing economic development, environmental stewardship and social equity within these pivotal urban hubs. It delves into strategies such as climate-sensitive budgeting, urban planning and policy incentives that foster green transitions.

Designed for urban managers, climate champions and national or regional…

Cities face tremendous challenges, demanding advanced and effective urban governance measures and tools. Digital solutions offer transformative potential through resources optimization, services enhancement, and inclusivity development. The Future Cities Advisory Outlook 2024 draws a clear technological landscape and implementation roadmap; collects 10 innovative practices from Chinese cities and enterprises; and launches Global Digital Urban Governance Initiatives. By embracing tech-driven…

Building upon a successful 2023, the 2024 Annual Report of the Policy, Legislation and Governance Section (PLGS) showcases continued progress towards achieving sustainable urban development. Through a range of impactful activities, PLGS strengthened its collaboration with donors, development partners, and beneficiary countries, advancing UN-Habitat work on policy, legislation, governance, metropolitan management, and urban-rural linkages.
This report highlights key achievements,…

As the world continues to urbanize, cities face greater challenges in responding to humanitarian crises and achieving sustainable post-conflict development that upholds everyone’s right to adequate housing. The impacts of conflict are increasingly being experienced in urban areas around the world – as seen in modern crises such as those in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Yemen and Syria – putting the housing, land and property (HLP) rights of civilians at risk. HLP issues arise in conflict contexts,…

Evictions remove people from their homes, sometimes legally if in the public interest and with no alternatives. Forced evictions violate human rights. Authorities must justify evictions, consult affected communities, provide notice, and offer compensation. Evictions must be safe, with no unnecessary force. Afghanistan’s legal protections exist but remain uncertain post-2021, making advocacy crucial to prevent forced evictions.

The Shanghai Manual 2024 Annual Report showcases globally implemented urban best practices that present urban actors with innovative solutions to help cities navigate the complex challenges that they face today. Following the theme of ‘youth leading climate and local action for cities’, the report explores the potential of young people as urban change makers with a particular regard to climate action and urban environmental sustainability.