Cities Countdown 2030
Local and regional governments are on the frontlines of today’s most pressing global challenges. As we approach 2030, the Cities Countdown to 2030—an initiative led by UCLG and the United Nations, under the auspices of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed—aims to accelerate SDG localization by promoting existing, concrete, scalable, and investment-ready solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and grounded in political leadership at the local level.
Across key transitions such as energy, food systems, mobility, housing, education, and digitalization, local and regional governments are mobilizing millions of dollars to impact millions of lives. These real-world initiatives are not only advancing the SDGs but also driving the structural transformations required to deliver the 2030 Agenda from the ground up.
Guided by a mission-driven and partnership-based approach,
the Countdown is building momentum behind the SDG transitions, helping direct resources where they are most needed
to accelerate the shift toward more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient local systems. It gives concrete form to the vision of the Pact for the Future—placing sustainable communities at the heart of renewed multilateralism—and reinforces the priorities of the SDG Summit Political Declaration to localize action and fast-track delivery in the final stretch to 2030.
The Countdown showcases projects based on the following:
• They deliver real infrastructure improvements locally.
• They are backed by strong political leadership.
• They support transitions aligned with the 2030 Agenda.
• They required
policy, finance, and partnership support
to reach scale.
These are not just stories — they are
evidence
• Of where public investment is going,
• Of how lives are changing,
• And of what enabling conditions are still needed.
The Countdown has begun!
Download the Cities Countdown to 2030
Download the Cities Countdown to 2030 Missions Portfolio