China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City Becomes First Chinese City to Clinch Global Top Honor for Human Settlement Environment – The Manila Times

Report on China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City’s Global Recognition for Advancing Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: A Milestone in Achieving SDG 11

On November 5, 2025, the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City received a significant international accolade at the 20th Annual Session of the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS) in Geneva, Switzerland. This report details the city’s achievement and its direct contributions to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

• Event: New Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements Awards Ceremony 2025.
• Award: Global Green and Smart City.
• Significance: The first Chinese city to be honored in this category, marking a major achievement in the implementation of SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Alignment with Global Sustainability Frameworks

The award, established in 2005 by GFHS in partnership with key international bodies such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), serves as a global benchmark for sustainable urban development. The evaluation framework is deeply rooted in the principles of the SDGs.

Core Evaluation Dimensions and SDG Linkages

1. Spatial Planning & Development: Directly supports SDG 11 by promoting inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban planning.
2. Basic Services: Addresses SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) by ensuring access to essential services for all inhabitants.
3. Environment: Contributes to SDG 13 (Climate Action), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), and SDG 15 (Life on Land) through green and low-carbon initiatives.
4. Economy: Fosters SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) by nurturing a green technology economy.
5. Society: Promotes SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and social inclusivity within the urban fabric, a key target of SDG 11.
6. Culture: Aligns with efforts to safeguard cultural heritage as outlined in SDG 11.4.

The “Eco-City Solution”: A Replicable Model for SDG Implementation

During the GFHS session, attended by over 300 global stakeholders, the “Eco-City Solution” was presented as a model for sustainable urbanism. The strategy demonstrates a comprehensive approach to localizing the SDGs.

• Forward-looking Top-Level Design: Establishes a long-term vision for sustainable urban living in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
• Innovation and Leadership: Drives progress in SDG 9 by investing in smart technologies and resilient infrastructure.
• Green, Smart, and Resilient Ecosystem: Creates an urban environment that actively contributes to climate resilience (SDG 13) and resource efficiency (SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production).
• Green Technology Economy: Builds a sustainable economic base that provides green jobs and promotes clean industrialization, supporting SDG 8 and SDG 9.

A Case Study in SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City exemplifies the principles of SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals.

• It is the world’s first eco-city developed through a flagship bilateral governmental collaboration between China and Singapore.
• Its participation and recognition at the GFHS, a multi-stakeholder platform, underscores the importance of global cooperation in sharing best practices for sustainable development.

The city’s steadfast mission to advance green, low-carbon, and sustainable urban living serves as an actionable and replicable framework for cities worldwide striving to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The entire article focuses on the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City, which won an award for being a “global green and smart city.” This directly relates to making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. The award itself is for “Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements.”
2. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
   • The article highlights the city’s “resilient infrastructure,” “initiatives to drive innovation,” and strategies for nurturing a “green tech economy.” This aligns with the goal of building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation.
3. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The eco-city’s mission is to advance “green, low-carbon, and sustainable urban living.” This commitment to reducing the carbon footprint and promoting environmentally friendly practices is a direct contribution to climate action.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article explicitly states that the China-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City is a “flagship intergovernmental cooperation project between China and Singapore.” Furthermore, the award is a partnership between the Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS) and UN bodies like the United Nations Environment Programme. This demonstrates multi-stakeholder and intergovernmental partnerships to achieve sustainable development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities):
   • Target 11.3: Enhance inclusive and sustainable urbanization and capacity for participatory, integrated and sustainable human settlement planning and management. The article mentions the award’s evaluation framework includes “spatial planning & development” and that the city is recognized for its “visionary strategy” and “replicable development models.”
   • Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities. The city’s focus on being a “green” and “low-carbon” urban center with “tangible progress in green urbanization” directly addresses this target.
   • Target 11.b: Substantially increase the number of cities and human settlements adopting and implementing integrated policies and plans towards inclusion, resource efficiency, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, and resilience to disasters. The article describes the city’s efforts to build a “greener, smarter, and more resilient urban ecosystem.”
2. Under SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure):
   • Target 9.1: Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure. The city is explicitly praised for its “resilient infrastructure.”
   • Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies. The city’s strategy to nurture a “green tech economy” aligns with this target.
3. Under SDG 13 (Climate Action):
   • Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The eco-city’s entire existence as a project with a “forward-looking top-level design” for “green, low-carbon, and sustainable urban living” is an example of integrating climate measures into urban planning.
4. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals):
   • Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships. The article highlights the GFHS annual session bringing together “representatives from governments, businesses, academia, and international organizations” and the award itself being a partnership with UN bodies.
   • Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The project is a “flagship intergovernmental cooperation project” (public-public) and involves an “investment and development company” (public-private).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Explicitly Mentioned Indicators:
  • The article explicitly states that the award’s “rigorous evaluation framework spans 6 core dimensions – spatial planning & development, basic services, environment, economy, society, and culture – encompassing 18 categories and 95 key indicators.” While the specific 95 indicators are not listed, their existence and use as a measurement tool are clearly stated.
• Implied Indicators:
  • Progress in Green Urbanization: The article mentions the city’s “tangible progress in green urbanization,” implying that metrics are used to track this progress, such as the percentage of green space, energy efficiency of buildings, or waste recycling rates.
  • Economic Indicators: The strategy to “nurture a green tech economy” implies the use of indicators like the number of green technology companies, investment in green innovation, or jobs created in the green sector.
  • Replicability of Models: The mention of “replicable development models” suggests that the success and effectiveness of these models are being measured in a way that allows them to be adopted by other cities.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: manilatimes.net