Five international cities get Shanghai Award in Alexandria, Egypt

Agadir in Morocco, Thiruvananthapuram in India, Doha in Qatar, Iztapalapa in Mexico, and Melbourne in Australia won the second Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities on World Cities Day in Alexandria, Egypt, on Thursday.

The honor, also known as the Shanghai Award, was given to five cities that have made strides in their implementation of the goals set by the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda, according to the UN Human Settlements Programme, or UN-Habitat. The program and the Shanghai government jointly presented the award.

Youth leading vibrant communities, innovative development for urban prosperity, quality and secure housing for diversified needs, and low-carbon and climate-resilient urban development were among the main criteria for this year's award, which was themed "Building a Sustainable Urban Future for All".

Fifty-five cities with different levels of development, income levels and demographics from 28 countries applied for consideration.

Agadir was named a winner as the city, in response to land and water resource shortages, has made tremendous improvements in sustainable urban development after implementing its Communal Action Plan. It has actively promoted sustainable water management, constructed green infrastructure and encouraged citizen participation in urban governance.

Specific actions detailed in the plan included the adoption of Morocco's first extensive initiative for smart public lighting encompassing over 6,000 light points, sustainable water resource management and its Bus Rapid Transit system.

The city's first BRT line is 90 percent complete, stretching 15.5 kilometers with 35 stops, including six transfer stations, and an average distance of 450 meters between stops. Bicycle lanes and sidewalks are being built alongside the BRT line to further promote low-carbon travel.

Such initiatives align with global sustainable development goals and are replicable, providing a valuable example for other cities, according to UN-Habitat.

What's noticeable in Doha's sustainable strategy is that in addition to its well-planned commercial activities and availability of residences and offices, young entrepreneurs were also considered in the city's planning process.

Part of the city's strategy is to provide entrepreneurial urban spaces to allow for their businesses to be developed in vibrant, livable, integrated and resilient areas. The government's temporary use of some urban spaces provides such spaces for young people and emerging artists to establish their startups.

To boost green transportation, Doha has built the world's longest continuous cycling path, which is more than 32 km long and 7 meters wide. Between 2013 and 2022, walking and cycling trails totaling 2,131 km were developed in the city.

Chen Yujian, vice-mayor of Shanghai, said the Chinese metropolis has made great efforts to fulfill its commitment to build a smart, resilient and residential friendly city over the past five years.

"For example, more than 30 million square meters of old residential apartments have been renovated, benefiting more than 1.3 million residents," he said. "Construction of 15-minute community life circles has been extended to more neighborhoods, allowing residents to access a variety of goods and services within a 15-minute walk."

zhouwenting@chinadaily.com.cn