Published on: 2026-07-16
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
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16 July 2026 Sustainable Development Goals
Today, 58 percent of the world’s population lives in cities. At the same time, more than 1.13 billion people reside in slums and informal settlements—130 million more than ten years ago, when the UN adopted the New Urban Agenda.
Problems and challenges of urbanization are at the center of the discussion during the two-day high-level meeting for the midterm review of the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, which opened at the UN General Assembly on Thursday. The main goal is to accelerate the fulfillment of global commitments on sustainable urbanization by 2036.
The new urban agenda was adopted in 2016 as a roadmap for the development of inclusive and climate-resilient cities. However, as noted in the Secretary-General’s report for 2026, progress remains uneven: urbanization is advancing faster than expected, increasing pressure on land, infrastructure, and the environment.
Although about 160 countries have developed or continuously update national urban strategies, the global housing crisis is deepening: at least three billion people on Earth live in unacceptable housing conditions. Access to basic services also remains unequal: in the least developed countries, public transport covers only 37 percent of the population, while in wealthy countries it exceeds 80 percent.
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Special attention at the meeting in New York will be given to climate risks. Cities produce more than 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and increasingly suffer from extreme heat, floods, and rising sea levels. Lack of funding and weak coordination of efforts between branches of government hinder adaptation and the development of resilient infrastructure.
The meeting at the UN General Assembly includes plenary sessions and four thematic panels: on affordable housing and inclusion, financing urbanization, climate resilience, and digital transformation of cities. Forum participants will discuss cooperation options and financing mechanisms necessary to accelerate the implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
Following the meeting on Thursday, the General Assembly adopted a Political Declaration reaffirming commitment to and accelerating the implementation of the New Urban Agenda, which will set the course of work for the next decade.
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