We need to accelerate the implementation of the New Urban Agenda!

Last week in New York, the Global Cities Hub took part in the UN High-Level Meeting on the New Urban Agenda (NUA), held on 16–17 July 2026. Acknowledging urbanization as one of the most transformative trends of our century, the NUA represents a shared vision for a more sustainable future. When well-planned and well-managed, urbanization can be a powerful driver of sustainable development for countries worldwide.

Convened by the President of the UN General Assembly and informed by the 2026 Report of the Secretary-General on progress in the implementation of the NUA, the UN High-Level Meeting provided an opportunity to identify good practices, gaps and challenges, while accelerating action towards the full implementation of the NUA by 2036. Numerous ministers addressed the pathways towards sustainable urbanization in their respective countries. Discussions focused particularly on urban housing; the need for a balanced and integrated approach to the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable urban development; and the growing challenges posed by climate change and extreme weather events.

At this meeting, States adopted an important document for local and regional governments (LRGs): a Political Declaration renewing their commitment to, and calling for accelerated action on, the implementation of the NUA. Although the Declaration is a not legally binding, its main value lies in the recognition of the role of LRGs in the implementation of the NUA and the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It also contains several provisions of direct relevance to LRGs. It acknowledges, for example, the importance of empowering LRGs with adequate mandates, resources and capacities to implement sustainable urban development (§17), and places particular emphasis on ensuring that financial resources reach the subnational level (§34–35 and §40). It also formally acknowledges the importance of mayors and of multilevel governance systems in the localization of the SDGs in several paragraphs (§36–37, §39, §41 and §54).

More broadly, the Political Declaration merits close attention from LRGs. It represents a renewed commitment by national governments to advancing the NUA and provides an important basis for LRGs to engage with their central governments on urbanization-related matters. The national commitments therein can therefore serve as a useful reference point for advocating stronger multilevel cooperation, adequate resources and effective local implementation.

The NUA discussions also connected with the outcomes of the UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Just one day before the adoption of the Political Declaration, UN Member States adopted a Ministerial Declaration concluding the High-Level Political Forum. Of particular relevance is the section on Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable) which highlights housing affordability as a major global challenge. Up to 3 billion people worldwide struggle to afford a place to live, while 1.12 billion live in informal settlements without access to basic services. Against this backdrop, Ministers underscored the crucial role of local governments in addressing these challenges and recognized them as essential drivers of implementation, innovation and resilience in efforts to achieve the goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda.