Pour des proximités urbaines durables
conférence internationale

Paris Hosts Global Conference on Sustainable Urban Proximities
Ahead of 10th Paris Agreement Anniversary,
Sept 4–5, 2025

Co-organised by the City of Paris, UN-Habitat, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), and Chaire ETI at IAE Paris Sorbonne, and within the broader framework of the Global Observatory of Sustainable Proximities, Paris successfully hosted the “Towards Sustainable Urban Proximities” Conference on September 4–5 at the iconic venues of the Académie du Climat, Paris City Hall, and Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne University. The event marked a key milestone in the run-up to the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

The conference was hosted by the Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo and brought together local and regional governments from around the world, and features the participation of notable figures, including the Mayor of The Hague and President of UCLG Jan van Zanen, as well as Mayors and local representatives from over 20 cities. The Executive Director of UN-Habitat Anacláudia Rossbach, Scientific director of Chaire ETI Pr. Carlos Moreno, and representatives from the European Union including Vice-President Teresa Ribera and from the French Government Minister Delegate Thani Mohamed Soilihi, contributed to an insightful dialogue on strengthening governance of proximity from the bottom up, and advancing a renewed multilateral framework for sustainable urban futures.

The event convened partners and representatives from academia, international organisations, civil society, and the private sector, who collectively explored the concept of sustainable proximities and the partnerships necessary for enabling caring and inclusive cities. The conference served as a platform to present best practices, foster collaboration, exchange knowledge, and catalyse collective action. It launched a shared agenda for sustainable urban proximities, producing concrete outcomes and takeaways in the form of actionable key messages.
Over two days, local and regional leaders shared innovative experiences and discussed the challenges and lessons learned in promoting proximity-based urban models. The agenda featured ongoing and past efforts on the role of proximity in enabling adequate housing, sustainable mobility, access to essential services, climate adaptation, and greening strategies.

The urban proximity model, based on ensuring residents can meet essential needs — such as work, care, food, and recreation — within a short walk or bike ride from their home, was presented as a pathway toward spatial justice, sustainability, and community well-being. Rooted in the principle of proximity-based development, it calls for integrated planning that redistributes opportunities and reinforces care-based, climate-resilient communities. In the face of climate change, economic inequality, social exclusion, and a global housing crisis, the conference reaffirmed proximity as a powerful model for building resilient, connected, and inclusive urban environments that improve quality of life.

The outcome of the conference includes a set of key messages that will inform the development of a methodological guidance framework. Building on the exchanges held in Paris, this serves as a shared call to action outlining concrete steps for scaling up sustainable urban proximities through joint implementation, knowledge co-creation, and inclusive multilevel and multistakeholder governance.