The SURE F&SR team was attending the UN Habitat World Urban Forum #13 in May 2026, following the SDG in action with a focus on urban sustainability, resilient cities, ecosystems, risk-management and resource efficiency.
The conversations around affordable, safe and climate-responsive housing opened a broader view on what it takes to create places where people can live safely and sustainably. These themes are closely linked to the SURE funding initiative topics of resilience, climate adaptation and the long-term liveability of cities and urban regions.
The voices from the cities underlined how housing is connected to the way we use land, materials and resources and how this depends on infrastructure, mobility, water systems, public space and access to services. Leading back to many core themes of sustainable urban development and the SURE focus topics: nature-based solutions, integrated planning and resilient urban systems.
Many personal exchanges on and off the floor emphasised to what extend locally grounded implementation pathways are essential for shaping urban environments. Many conversations evolved around the question of how global agendas can be translated into local action. Discussions on SDG localization, monitoring and post-2030 processes highlighted the need to better understand what works locally, how progress can be observed, and how learning across cities and regions can be supported.
Aligning with the considerations and reflections within the SURE project, which has entered its implementation phase, these reflections underline the importance of connecting global sustainability goals with local action, scalable solutions and transformative pathways for inclusive, resilient and liveable urban regions.
