The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has released the Forum Report from the Leadership for the Future Dialogues – UNDP Asian Mayors Forum, convened as part of the Beijing CBD Forum, developed on 11 June 2025. The event brought together 21 mayors and urban experts from across Asia and the Pacific to explore the theme: “Collaborative innovation: shaping low-carbon and sustainable cities of the future.”
The report captures the dynamic exchanges between local leaders on innovative low-carbon urban solutions. It highlights the central role of anticipatory and adaptive urban governance in advancing a green and sustainable urban transformation.
Several key messages emerged from the Forum.
- Urban transformation: as Asia and the Pacific expect to add 1.2 billion urban residents by 2050, cities must urgently navigate related challenges such as climate change, social inequity, and demographic shifts.
- Governing cities of the future: leaders must adopt visionary leadership, anticipatory thinking, and agile action, and encourage multi-level governance instead of fragmented approaches.
- Participation and collaboration: sustainable urban development depends on people-centred, bottom-up planning with co-creation with local communities, regional players, and stakeholders. Development should also be inclusive and promote equity, fairness, ecological care, and the active participation of women and youth.
- Green investment and technology: building resilient cities requires investment in green infrastructure and encouragement of low-carbon technologies, especially among SMEs. Technology must also be leveraged to drive low-carbon, efficient, and inclusive urban systems.
- Knowledge sharing: continued knowledge exchange across Asia and the Pacific will be key to unlocking solutions in public transport, energy transition, and sustainable urban planning.
UNDP representatives emphasized that the Leadership for the Future Dialogues provide a unique platform for mayors to share practical insights, foster collaboration, and shape pathways toward resilient, low-carbon cities across the region.
The Forum Report serves as a resource for urban leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders committed to accelerating the transition toward sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready cities.
Read the Forum Report here.