Shanghai Maps Out Greener Urban Future Under 15th Five-Year Plan

Shanghai aims to become a "park city" by 2030 by expanding its park network to 1,600 sites, adding 500 kilometers of greenways, and creating dozens of multi-functional community green spaces through a five-year ecological development plan.

The city's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) for ecological space construction and urban optimization, released on Wednesday, outlines green space upgrades, wetland protection, waste management reforms, and improved governance from 2026 to 2030.

"By 2030, Shanghai aims to take initial shape as a mega‑style 'park city' featuring harmonious human‑nature coexistence, integrated urban‑park landscapes and widely accessible green amenities, alongside a 'clean city' marked by tidy, warm‑toned and brightly lit public environments," said Gao Hongjian, director of the Shanghai Greenery and Public Sanitation Bureau.

The focus will be on upgrading park infrastructure to be age-inclusive and promoting multi-functional compound parks.

These parks will incorporate fitness facilities, cultural leisure activities, popular science education, pet-friendly services, and daily recreation options, along with convenient amenities such as dining and leisure services.

By 2030, the city plans to establish 15 new pet-friendly parks.

Construction is ongoing for the Shanghai Magnolia Cultural Park at West Bund in Xuhui District, while the Shanghai Binjiang Forest Park in the Pudong New Area will be transformed into a landmark children's park.

More than 90 percent of urban parks will operate 24 hours a day, and over 80 percent will offer accessible lawns, with an addition of 200 hectares of new open lawns.

Twenty signature sports-oriented green sites will be developed, including the second phase of the West Bund Nature and Art Park and Minhang Qianwan Park.