Third Cycle of Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities (Shanghai Award)

The Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities (Shanghai Award) aims to accelerate the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA).

It focuses on advancing Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG 11), promoting the localization of SDGs, echoing on the Global Development Initiative (GDI), and incentivizing cities to find systematic solutions for sustainable urban development. The award also serves as a platform for advancing UN-Habitat’s Strategic Plan, flagship programmes and the Global Urban Monitoring Framework.

Scope and Theme

• Area 1: Adequate housing for diverse needs
• Area 2: Building people-centered smart cities together
• Area 3: Green & resilient development responding to climate change
• Area 4: Effective governance for vibrant cities

Prize and Award 

• The third cycle of the award will be given to no more than five cities. An award ceremony is planned to be held during the observance of World Cities Day 2025 and winners of the third cycle will be presented with a plaque and a trophy. The outstanding practices and achievements in sustainable urban development from the winning cities will be added to the best practices database of the NUA platform and the Shanghai Manual 2025 annual report, which will further showcase and enhance the visibility of the cities’ efforts on sustainable urban and human settlement development. The winning cities will also be invited to attend important international events, gaining potential opportunities, such as engaging in city networks, exchanging best practices with other cities, boosting potential investment, and creating new opportunities for local economic development.

Eligibility Criteria

• Cities and municipalities around the world are eligible to be applicants for the award. Cities demonstrating the following are especially welcome to apply:
  • Outstanding performance in social, economic and environmental aspects of sustainable urban development since 2016.
  • Remarkable progress and innovation in sustainable urban development since 2016, with significant potential for further growth and development.
  • A commitment to further realizing and advancing the ambitious goal of sustainable urban development.
  • Best practices in sustainable urban development that can be promoted around the world to inspire and motivate other cities to jointly implement sustainable development actions.

For more information, visit UN-HABITAT.