Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), I would like to congratulate the City of Shanghai and UN-Habitat for commemorating World Cities Day 2022.
This global observance is happening at a time when the world’s population is projected to reach and surpass 8 billion people on 15 November 2022 and when progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is being derailed by the COVID-19 crisis, climate change, conflicts, and a growing cost-of-living crisis.
Already more than half of the global population lives in cities, and more rapid urbanization is yet to come. By 2050, more than two-thirds of people will live in cities.
It is therefore fitting that in celebrating World Cities Day we recognize the important role that sustainable cities will play in achieving the 2030 Agenda.
The battle of global sustainability will be won in our cities.
We must “Act Local to Go Global”, if we are to achieve the SDGs.
Working closely with UN-Habitat and other partners, UN DESA has been on supporting and promoting the active engagement of local and regional governments in implementing the 2030 Agenda.
Just this summer, UN DESA successfully organized two special events dedicated to local and regional governments at the Ocean Conference in Portugal, and the High-level Political Forum in New York.
We are also actively supporting local and regional governments to develop their Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), highlighting their contributions to localizing and accelerating SDG implementation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The United Nations Secretary-General has issued an SOS for the SDGs.
We must reverse the trend and get on track to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
We must take action within and across all levels of society - from local to regional to national to global- and we must act now.
Let us renew our commitments to multilateralism and strengthen partnerships to shape cities today, that will mean a better tomorrow for all people, everywhere.
Happy World Cities Day!