Background: SDG11 in Focus
The United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) is the central UN platform for the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since 2015, when the nations of the world adopted the SDG framework, ICLEI has had an active role in contributing the local voice to these annual, SDG “check ups,” in coordination with our partners in the Global Task Force.
In 2026, cities and regions are in focus, because SDG 11 – aiming to make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable – is under review, alongside key events addressing progress on the New Urban Agenda.
While the SDGS are international level, their implementation largely depends on local initiatives, as our friends at UCLG have shown over the years in their excellent monitoring reports. Indeed, about 65% of SDG targets are linked to responsibilities falling within local mandates, and today, local and regional governments account for nearly 40% of global public investment. This year’s HLPF will see the release of Towards the Localization of the SDGs 10th edition, the Global Taskforce’s review specifically of the SDG11 progress.
To mark this occasion, more than a dozen ICLEI leaders will participate in HLPF. Our network’s engagement is outlined below. This page will be updated regularly in the leadup to the events.
ICLEI Network Delegation to HLPF
Germany
- Dr. Eckart Würzner, Mayor of Heidelberg and Chair of UN Forum of Mayors
- Deputy Mayor Dirk Wurm, City of Augsburg, Germany
- Ms. Barbara Meyer, Deputy Mayor, Saabrücken
- Mr. Andreas Humbert, Mayor, Lamspringe
- Mr. Michael Mass, Pirmasens
- Dîlan Yazicioglu, Member of the City Council, City of Cologne
- Gabi Kasten, Mayor, City of Geestland
- Bastian Rosenau, Commissioner, County of Enz
- Ines Oldenburg, Mayor, County of Oldenburg
- Elis Schmeer, Mayor’s Office, Ulm
Turkiye
- Vahap SEÇER, Mayor of Mersin Metropolitan Municipality and President of TBB
Brazil
- Vinicius Batista, Secretary of Environment, City of Sarzedo, Brazil
ICLEI Staff
- Matthew Bach, Regional Director Europe
- Kale Roberts, Director of Local Diplomacy, ICLEI USA
- Karishma Asarpota, Senior Officer Climate Action, ICLEI World Secretariat
- Juliana Rossi, Support Consultant, ICLEI South America Secretariat – Minas Gerais Office
Partners
- Anne Bolling, German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
- Niels Albers, Head of Department, SKEW / Engagement Global
- Rainer Kern, Director, Global Parliament of Mayors and on behalf of the City of Heidelberg
Key Announcements
- GTF Annual Report Towards the Localization of the SDGs 10th edition
- Mersin Metropolitan Municipality launch of its Voluntary Local Review
- Release of City of Sarzedo, Brazil, Voluntary Local Review
Agenda
The times listed are in EST.
Monday, 13 July, 2026
- 9:00 – 10:00 – Special Meeting: ICLEI Delegation Meeting with New York City Mayor’s Office of International Affairs
- 13:15 – 14:30 – Side event “Renewing Multilateralism through Territorial Leadership: Local and Regional Governments in the Post-2030 Agenda”
- Host: Organized by UCLG and the Global Taskforce, in partnership with the Government of Spain
Tuesday, 14 July, 2026
- 8:30 – 12:30 – 2026 Annual Meeting of the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs
- Hosts: UCLG, Global Taskforce, OECD, UN DESA, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- Description: The Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs also collaborates with relevant implementing partners to develop knowledge, deliver support and facilitate continuous learning on localization, multilevel governance and policy coherence for sustainable development.
- 15:00 – 18:00 – Local and Regional Governments Forum for the SDGs
- Hosts: Organized by UCLG, the Global Taskforce, UN-DESA, EOSG, UNDP, UN-Habitat, and Local2030 Coalition
- Description: The 2026 Local and Regional Governments Forum (LRGF) stands as a key political space of the self-organized constituency of LRGs within the multilateral system. With the 2030 horizon fast approaching and discussions on how Member States will advance sustainable development by 2030 and beyond gaining traction, the LRGF provides a platform to move decisively from recognition to implementation, by translating commitments into concrete mechanisms, partnerships, and financing solutions that enable local action at scale. In this context, the Forum will also contribute to advancing and informing the UN Local2030 Coalition High Impact Initiative on SDG Localization, including by feeding local and regional perspectives, practices, and evidence into its reporting and follow-up processes – which will be discussed at the Local2030 Coalition Special Event.
Wednesday, 15 July, 2026
- 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM – 2026 Annual Meeting of the Partnership Platform on Localizing the SDGs
- Register Here
- Location: In-person: Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza
- Host: UCLG, Global Taskforce, OECD, UN DESA, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
- 11:00 – 14:00 – Local and Regional Governments Day
- Location: Millennium One Hotel UN Plaza
- Host: GTF
- Details: This space will provide an opportunity to present the Towards the Localization of the SDGs GTF report, together with the stand-alone papers that form part of it. It will also serve to take stock of ten years of SDG localization movement, and to showcase initiatives by our networks and members to advance local action for sustainable development.
- 12:00 or 13:00 – UN Side Event on SDG11
- Host: GTF co-hosted with Government of Spain
- 13:15-14:45 – VNR Lab on Localization and VLRs
- Hosts: UCLG, DESA-DPIDG, DSDG, APRM, UN-Habitat
- 15:00 – 18:00 – 15:00 – 18:00 – Local and Regional Governments Forum for the SDGs
- Location: UN HQ, Conference Room 2
- Hosts: Organized by UCLG, the Global Taskforce, UN-DESA, EOSG, UNDP, UN-Habitat, and Local2030 Coalition
- 19:00 – 21:00 Local Governments Reception
- Location: ONE UN Millennium Hotel, Landmark Room
- Host: UCLG
Thursday, 16 July, 2026
- 10:00 – 18:00 – High-Level Meeting on the New Urban Agenda
- Host: UN Secretary General’s Office
- 15:00–17:00 – “Transformation from the ground up: Acting at the local level”
- Host: ECOSOC