Urban Regeneration for Localizing the Sustainable Development Goals

As cities expand and inequalities rise, localizing the SDGs becomes increasingly urgent. Challenges such as insufficient affordable housing, basic services provision, job opportunities, and climate impacts confront governments daily. Economic shifts exacerbate issues, leaving inner-city areas with unemployment, poor services, and crumbling infrastructure amid ongoing crises, profoundly affecting socio-economic development. Local and regional governments, tasked with promoting resilience and sustainable development, often lack necessary legal and financial resources to address these challenges effectively, and face limited data and technical capacities. In addition, an overall lack of awareness about the potential of connecting local development to the principles of the 2030 Agenda hampers SDG progress.

These complex challenges require integrated solutions. Connecting the localization of the SDGs to urban regeneration processes has the potential to tackle at the same time many drivers (e.g., data, capacities, financing) as well as many dimensions (e.g., social, environmental, economic) of sustainable development through integrated approaches to urbanization connecting resilience and development. With the potential to advance at least 15 of the 17 SDGs and over 45 SDG Targets, urban regeneration serves as a multifaceted solution addressing challenges such as social equity, human health, carbon emissions, infrastructure improvement, liveability, and housing.

This event aims at bringing forward this connection, discussing how and why it is important to connect urban regeneration and localization approaches. The event will serve as a dynamic platform for stakeholders from various countries and contexts with a shared mission to drive inclusive and sustainable urban regeneration forward. Starting with a keynote presentation exploring the intersections of climate resilience, affordable housing, inclusive mobility, human rights, and SDG localization, participants will gain deeper insights into the tangible ways urban regeneration can contribute to advancing the SDGs.

Through a roundtable discussion, national and local government representatives, international funding institutions and researchers will share their experiences, innovative practices, and exchange insights towards partnerships. Cities’ representatives will share their cities’ challenges and envisaged strategies to advance urban regeneration and localize the SDGs. Government funding institutions from different regions will share the successful experiences supporting local authorities
to finance such comprehensive and long-term urban regeneration processes, exploring how they have promoted inclusion and resilience.

Together, the event will explore innovative strategies, amplify the urban voice, and chart a path toward a sustainable, resilient, and equitable future to leave no one behind.