The Road to Urban Sustainability
by youth - for the world

In a world where over 60 percent of the world’s population will live in cites by 2030 and as many as 60 percent of those urban dwellers will be under the age of 18, youth are leaders in sustainability. Almost all this growth will occur in developing world cities, where already 30 percent of the population lives below official poverty lines, and 

By investing in efforts of diverse urban youth to reduce inequalities and bringing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals closer, we ensure that no one is left behind.

Together with the UN-Habitat Youth Advisory Board, we created an overarching agenda for youth-led action to transform our cities and communities, culminating in the Global DeclarACTION on Sustainable Urbanization (Please download Summary, full DeclarACTION will be finalized December 15, 2024). 

To find out more about the journey to the new DeclarACTION, please read on! 

Join us on the Road to Urban Sustainability

Image Map Example Road to WUF Clickable Image Click to read the WUF12 Call to Action Read WUF12 Global DeclarACTION's summary Details about Future Generations Zone at WUF12 Watch WUF12 Indigenous Peoples Roundtable Watch WUF12 Children & Youth Roundtable Watch WUF12 Children & Youth Assembly Learn about WUF12 Watch WCD 2024 Read about WHD 2024 Read Queretaro DeclarACTION Read a detailed analysis of the Pact of the Future Read the Declaration on Future Generations Read Pact for the Future Read about the Summit of the Future Read about UNGA 2024 Youth Conference Read about UNGA 2024 Exhibition Read about IYD 2024 Read about Youth, Peace and Security Summit in Monpellier Read the Outcome Declaration after the YPS Summit in Monpellier Read about Shaping out Future Conference in Utrecht Read the Declaration after the Shaping out Future Conference in Utrecht Read about the Youth World Environment Day 2024 Read about the Civil Society Conference 2024 Watch the Recap video for our programme at the Civil Society Conference 2024 Read about the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2024 Key messages of the Youth Advisory Board at the ECOSOC Youth Forum 2024 Read about Youth Advisory Board at a side event at the CSW 2024 Read about UN-Habitat Assembly in 2023 Read Statement of the interim Youth Advisory Board at the UN-Habitat Assembly in 2023 Read the Global DeclarACTION on Youth and Sustainable Urbanization Read about the World Urban Forum in 2022

Building from the Summit to the Future

“The Pact for the Future places youth at its center, urging countries and cities to prepare for future generations. UN-Habitat is dedicated to promoting knowledge exchange, fostering collaboration, and achieving the goals of the Agenda 2030 and the New Urban Agenda. These commitments sustain our core mandate and ensure a brighter future for urban communities worldwide.”

Anacláudia Rossbach
Executive Director, UN-Habitat
World Cities Day Alexandria, Egypt

“Your voices have been heard. The Pact for the Future and the Declaration on Future Generations are a testament to the power of your advocacy and the urgency of your demands.” 

Michal Mlynár
Deputy Executive Director of UN-Habitat 

The Urban Youth Imperative

By 2030, over 60% of the world’s population will reside in cities, with nearly 60% of urban inhabitants under 18 years old. This demographic shift makes youth essential leaders in sustainable development, especially as most urban growth will occur in developing nations where about 30% of people live below the poverty line.

Investing in diverse urban youth to tackle inequality and drive Sustainable Development Goal progress is key to ensuring no one is left behind. In collaboration with the UN-Habitat Youth Advisory Board, we created The Urban Youth Imperative, an agenda focused on youth-led action to transform cities and communities after the Summit.

By investing in efforts of diverse urban youth to reduce inequalities and bringing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals closer, we ensure that no one is left behind.

The Urban Youth Imperative, co-written with the UN-Habitat Youth Advisory Board was created as a quick guide to better understand the need to engage Urban Youth.