Shaping Intelligent Cities

The European Sustainable Development Report(ESDR) 2025 provides an up-to-date review on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the 2030 Agenda in Europe. This year's edition covers 41 European countries: 27 EU Member States, 9 candidate countries, 4 European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and the United Kingdom.  

Cities stand at the heart of the climate crisis, simultaneously vulnerable to its impacts and significant contributors to global emissions. From devastating floods and relentless heatwaves to rising inequality exacerbated by climate stress, urban areas face challenges that demand urgent, transformative action. 

In the pursuit of a more sustainable future, cities and communities play a pivotal role. The recently released the Sustainable Development Report 2024 provides a comprehensive assessment of global progress towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), offering valuable insights and benchmarks for sustainable development efforts worldwide.

We live in an era where the pursuit of happiness has become a global endeavor, with nations striving to enhance the well-being of their citizens. At the forefront of this movement is the World Happiness Report, a comprehensive study that delves into the factors influencing happiness across different stages of life. In the 2024 edition of the report, researchers have turned their focus to understanding the happiness of people at various points in their journey through life.

In the 2023 Report on the Quality of Life in European Cities, spanning 83 cities and over 70,000 interviews, key aspects of urban living are dissected. The findings offer a nuanced perspective on safety, job opportunities, housing affordability, and more.

Agios Dimitrios, under the guidance of PlanBe, becomes only the second Municipality in Greece to publish a VLR, marking a pioneering milestone in the country's journey towards sustainability.

The 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) heralds a crucial chapter in the global battle against climate change. COP28 places a spotlight on the urgent need for cities to play a leading role in combating climate change.

This year's IMD Smart City Index provides a unique perspective on the quality of life in cities, drawing on meticulously sourced data from the Global Data Lab's Human Development Index (HDI) at the city level, rather than relying on country-level statistics. The index evaluates key metrics such as life expectancy, expected years of schooling, mean years of education completed, and per capita income to gauge the well-being of city residents.

The Sustainable Development Report 2023 marks the eighth edition of the annual assessment of progress for all UN member states towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

As we are approaching Agenda’s 2030 Mid-Point, the United Nations SDG Action Campaign and its partners have launched a new global initiative aimed at building inspiration, connecting changemakers, and mobilizing efforts for the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals to drive definitive action.