'Adequate Housing for All' the Theme as Shanghai Hosts SDG Cities Global Conference

The 2026 SDG Cities Global Conference will be held in Shanghai on November 2-3 under the theme "Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All."

The event, held to mark World Cities Day, is co-hosted by UN-Habitat and the Shanghai government. It will take place at the Grand Halls on the North Bund, with five themed sessions, seven specialized sessions, six side events and activities showcasing project outcomes, aiming to explore ways to improve housing conditions and enhance urban functions through urban renewal.

Nearly 100 international guests from more than 30 countries and regions have been invited to attend the conference.

Shanghai will present its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for key areas of sustainable urban development, outlining its plans for urban renewal and housing development, waterfront enhancement, transportation, water systems and ecological environmental protection. The initiative aims to foster broader integration of global consensus with China's practical experience.

This year marks the beginning of UN-Habitat's Strategic Plan 2026-2029, which places "adequate housing, land and basic services for all" at its core, while advancing the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strengthening multilevel governance.

Five thematic conferences will explore how financial innovation can support housing improvements; how green transitions can improve the living environment; how digital technologies can enhance housing quality; how young people can participate in community renewal; and how collaborative governance can strengthen urban resilience. These discussions will provide practical references for cities around the world.

The conference will release the 2026 Shanghai Manual, which will include 23 case studies from 19 countries and regions. The manual, first published in 2011, shares global practices in urban innovation and governance. The Shanghai Manual has compiled more than 260 case studies from over 150 cities across nearly 60 countries and regions since 2011.

The 2026 Shanghai Index Application Report, which tracks cities' progress toward the United Nations SDGs, will also be released at the event. This year, it's designed for different scenarios and solutions for global cities and examines practical applications in areas such as climate resilience, urban renewal, urban governance, healthy cities and innovation-driven cities.

It also helps translate the SDGs from broad global objectives into concrete actions at the local level, allowing local experience to inform international agendas.

Activities across different locations will be more closely coordinated this year.

The Global Observance of World Cities Day 2026 and the 4th Cycle of the Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities (Shanghai Award) will be held from October 31 to November 2 in Fuzhou, Fujian Province.

The Shanghai Award is an international initiative through which the city supports the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda. English versions of the 2026 Shanghai Manual and the Shanghai Index Report will also be released there.