Enhancing city’s capacity in effective implementation of SDGs and NUA through Shanghai Award and Shanghai Index

Sara Wang

Moderator

June 27, 2022 | 17:00 - 18:30

Multifunction Hall Room 8

Shanghai Coordination Center of World Cities Day (China) and United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat)

China

English

Transforming Cities through Innovative Solutions and Technologies

Reference:

NE 28

Networking Events

Summary

After seven years since entering the 2030 Agenda, the world is faced with unprecedented challenges which threaten decades of development gains and throw progress on the SDGs off track. Home to 55 per cent of the world’s population, cities are a transformative force to deliver the SDGs and accelerate the realization of the 2030 Agenda. Yet, challenges remain when it comes to further enable cities to deploy global data tools on the ground, capitalise data their data assets, make evidence-based policies and decisions, and finally, recognise cities’ progress and achievements in its sustainable urban development in connection with the realisation of the SDGs at the local level.

Standing at the early phase of the Decade of Action, UN-Habitat, in cooperation with its partner Shanghai Coordination Centre of the World Cities Day, highlights the urge to enhance cities’ capacity in their effective implementation of SDGs and the New Urban Agenda (NUA) and introduces two new instruments that serve this cause, namely, the UMF -Shanghai Adapted Index (SAI), and the Shanghai Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities (Shanghai Award).

The event will introduce the UMF-Shanghai Adapted Index (SAI) and the Shanghai Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities (Shanghai Award), and how they are related to other UN-Habitat initiatives and global agenda. It aims to attract more cities and partner organisations to participate in these two initiatives and provide an opportunity for experts, cities and other agencies to discuss the importance of enhancing cities’ capacity in monitoring and implementing the 2030 Agenda, as well as incentivising and accelerating their delivery of the SDGs.

The event will include remarks by the organisers, keynote speeches, and a panel discussion, which is followed by a Q&A and networking session at the end to allow the participants to explore more about the initiatives or connect with other people/organisations.

All registered WUF participants are welcome at the event, including city representatives, city networks, academia, international organisations, other public and private organisations and institutions working in the area of urban development, urban practitioners or partners of cities, media, etc.

No invitation or reservation is needed. Drinks and snacks will be provided.

Objectives

This event will provide opportunities for the participants to exchange knowledge, including ideas and experience regarding data collection, application and monitoring of cities, evidence-based decision making, as well as how to bring SAI and Shanghai Award to cities, how to better incentivize and support cities in enhancing their capacity in effective implementation of the SDGs and NUA and etc.

Thus, the concrete targets are to

1) raise awareness on the importance of building cities’ capacity in the implementation SDGs through data instruments, and discuss the related challenges and opportunities;

2) share the idea and progress of the SAI, and increase the interest of cities and other relevant institutions in applying SAI;

3) encourage more cities to apply to the Shanghai Award and eligible third-party organisations to recommend/nominate cities for the Award;

4) give attendees a space to voice their feedback on SAI and Shanghai Award and inspire other cities to implement similar evidence-based strategies;

5) trigger discussions on how to build better connections among SAI, Shanghai Award and other global initiatives in the area of sustainable urban development and collectively contribute to the global goals.