On September 10, 2025, the "Green International City Construction" advisory meeting was held in Yunfu City, Guangdong Province. After several rounds of rigorous international review, Yunfu was officially selected at the end of August as a comprehensive pilot city under the "SUC International Demonstration Cities and Communities" program.
The UN Guidelines for Sustainable Cities and Communities (abbreviated as "SUC Guidelines") is currently the highest international benchmark for the sustainable development of cities and communities worldwide. Since the release and implementation of the SUC Guidelines, Yunfu is the first city to undertake integrated demonstration projects at the levels of city, community, and industry.
At this advisory meeting, Yunfu showcased its achievements and outlined key goals and tasks for future construction. In-depth discussions took place with United Nations experts regarding urban development.
Arab Hoballah, Chairman of the SUC Programme Management Committee, stated that Yunfu, with its rich cultural and industrial resources, places great emphasis on integrating cultural and natural landscapes. The city also has significant potential for improvement in areas such as reducing energy consumption per unit of GDP, developing digital infrastructure, increasing non-fossil energy consumption, fostering a green economy, and promoting resource reuse and recycling. In the future, the Committee will assist Yunfu in building a higher-level "green international city."
Laurie Baiz, President of the International Expert Committee of the International Institute on Ageing, United Nations, suggested that Yunfu should place greater emphasis on integrating economic growth with cultural development and pay more attention to the opportunities and challenges posed by an aging population.
In late November, Yunfu will participate in a series of events, including the International Forum on Cultural Innovation and Urban Sustainable Development, and UN thematic training sessions. For the first time, Yunfu will present its pilot indicator system, implementation plan, and strategic planning to the global audience.
Editor | Zheng Yiling (intern), Zhang Xuanzhen (intern), Liu Lingzhi, Huang Qini, Liu Yue, James, Shen He
