18 November 2011: The UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), along with the Bureau International Des Expositions and the mayor of Shanghai, China, has released “The Shanghai Manual: A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development in the 21st Century,” which guides leaders of the world’s cities in using integrated urban planning, management, financing and technology to green their economies and build climate and economic resilience.

The manual, based on 47 case studies from a range of cities, begins with a foreword from Sha Zukang, head of DESA and Secretary-General for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The publication highlights successful integrated long-term urban planning, economic development, program and project implementation and multi-stakeholder participation. It proposes an integrated sustainability approach including participatory budgeting and in situ slum revitalization, as well as the role of non-motorized transport, transit-oriented development and dedicated cycling tracks. Management strategies include coordination of the formal and informal sectors, city-scale rainwater harvesting and zero-waste applications.

The manual also discusses social-cultural issues, such as the use of social networks, micro-finance and mobile communications, and bridging the digital divide with e-governance and e-learning. Some of the technological innovations highlighted include distributed renewable energy, smart city applications including remote sensing and smart grids, as well as analytical tools such as carbon-footprinting, eco-mapping and city sustainability dashboards. [Publication: Shanghai Manual: A Guide for Sustainable Urban Development in the 21st Century]