Five Cities Win 2026 Shanghai Award for Sustainable Urban Development

Fuzhou, China. Five cities on three continents have received the 2026 Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities, known as the Shanghai Award, in recognition of their work to make urban life greener, fairer and more resilient. The awards were presented on 31 October 2026 during the opening ceremony of the global observance of World Cities Day in Fuzhou, China.

The winning cities are Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Santiago de Cali in Colombia, Istanbul in Türkiye, Jingdezhen in China and Katowice in Poland. The award recognises cities that take an integrated approach to sustainable urban development and bring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into local practice.

Five winning cities, five approaches to sustainable living

Each winning city was honoured for a different route to the same goal: a city where people can live well within environmental limits.

• Addis Ababa, Ethiopia — an integrated approach to urban transformation, combining adequate housing, green infrastructure, river restoration, safe and accessible mobility, and participatory governance to strengthen resilience and improve quality of life.
• Santiago de Cali, Colombia — a comprehensive habitat upgrading policy bringing together housing, land tenure regularisation, public services, ecological restoration, risk reduction and community participation.
• Istanbul, Türkiye — a people-centred approach to urban regeneration, integrating earthquake resilience, safe and affordable housing, energy efficiency and heritage preservation while minimising displacement and protecting local communities.
• Jingdezhen, China — heritage-led urban regeneration, building on its porcelain-making legacy to foster cultural innovation and economic growth alongside affordable housing, environmental sustainability and inclusive development.
• Katowice, Poland — transformation from a coal and steel centre into a green, smart and resilient city, combining urban regeneration, affordable housing, sustainable mobility, heritage preservation and inclusive governance.

A fourth cycle, judged on impact and innovation

The 2026 round was the award’s fourth cycle. It attracted 92 applications from 34 countries, and the five winners were selected by an independent international jury against four criteria: impact, innovation, sustainability and adaptability.

The awards were presented by UN-Habitat Executive Director Anacláudia Rossbach, alongside Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. The award was established by UN-Habitat and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government to encourage local action on the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda, particularly SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities.

Why this matters for everyday sustainable living

The theme of the 2026 World Cities Day observance, held in Fuzhou from 31 October to 2 November, is “Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All”. The message from UN-Habitat is that renewing a city must improve the lives of the people who already live there, rather than pushing vulnerable residents out.

According to UN-Habitat, more than 1.1 billion people worldwide live in informal settlements and slums, while up to 3.4 billion experience some form of housing inadequacy. The winning cities show practical ways to close that gap: upgrading homes in place, restoring rivers and green space, making streets safe for walking and cycling, and cutting energy use in buildings.

For readers following Watan News International’s climate coverage, the award is a reminder that sustainable living is decided as much in neighbourhoods and city halls as in global negotiations. More climate stories can be found in our Climate section.

Shanghai Manual 2026 and index report also launched

The ceremony also marked the launch of the Shanghai Manual 2026, a global knowledge resource featuring case studies from the five winning cities, intended to help cities worldwide adapt and scale up proven solutions. The Shanghai Adapted Index Application Report 2026 was also launched, covering five themes: climate resilience, urban regeneration, urban governance, healthy cities and innovation-driven cities.

FAKTA

• Five cities won the 2026 Shanghai Award: Addis Ababa, Santiago de Cali, Istanbul, Jingdezhen and Katowice.
• The awards were presented on 31 October 2026 at the global observance of World Cities Day in Fuzhou, China.
• The 2026 cycle drew 92 applications from 34 countries; winners were chosen on impact, innovation, sustainability and adaptability.
• The award is run by UN-Habitat and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government and supports SDG 11 and the New Urban Agenda.
• World Cities Day 2026 runs from 31 October to 2 November under the theme “Regenerating the City: Adequate Housing for All”.
• According to UN-Habitat, more than 1.1 billion people live in informal settlements and slums, and up to 3.4 billion face some form of housing inadequacy.

Frequently asked questions

What is the Shanghai Award?

The Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities, known as the Shanghai Award, recognises cities that demonstrate integrated approaches to sustainable urban development and localise the Sustainable Development Goals. It was established by UN-Habitat and the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government.

Which cities won in 2026?

Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, Santiago de Cali in Colombia, Istanbul in Türkiye, Jingdezhen in China and Katowice in Poland won the fourth cycle of the award, presented on 31 October 2026 in Fuzhou, China.

How were the winners chosen?

An independent international jury selected the five winners from 92 applications from 34 countries, judging them on four criteria: impact, innovation, sustainability and adaptability.

What is World Cities Day?

World Cities Day is observed every year on 31 October. The United Nations General Assembly designated the day in 2013, and it has been marked regularly since 2014. The 2026 global observance in Fuzhou runs from 31 October to 2 November.

Why does adequate housing matter for sustainable living?

According to UN-Habitat, more than 1.1 billion people live in informal settlements and slums and up to 3.4 billion experience some form of housing inadequacy. Adequate, affordable and energy-efficient housing is a foundation of sustainable urban life, alongside green space, clean mobility and resilient infrastructure.

Sources: UN-Habitat press release, 31 October 2026; Xinhua reporting on the 2026 World Cities Day observance in Fuzhou.