Editor's Note

With over half the world's population now living in cities, urban sustainability has become a critical issue for our shared future. Confronted with extreme weather, resource scarcity, uneven public services, and technological barriers, cities are increasingly shifting from isolated efforts to collaborative governance -- seeking a dynamic balance between development efficiency and problem-solving.

Urban collaborative governance entails not only regional coordination but also the creation of a holistic ecosystem that engages diverse stakeholders. This approach emphasizes breaking down administrative and sectoral boundaries, fostering cross-regional cooperation, mobilizing global resources, and encouraging public participation—thereby strengthening urban resilience and collective capacity to address complex challenges.

This edition of In Focus features selected outstanding cases of "Collaborative Governance" from past Guangzhou Award winners. These practices depart from traditional urban governance models by integrating cross-city cooperation, global partnerships, and community empowerment. They not only address local development challenges but also harness the value and potential of diverse stakeholders, offering replicable solutions for global urban sustainability.

Xianning, China

Child-Friendly Co-creation for Safer School Zones

(2023 Guangzhou Award Winning Initiative)

In Xianning City, Hubei Province, areas around schools faced safety hazards such as missing traffic lights, mixed pedestrian and vehicle traffic, and muddy conditions during rain. To improve the commute for minors, the municipal government proposed a "Government + Business + Community" collaborative approach, involving seven municipal departments, design institutes, schools, communities, and businesses to break down departmental silos and form a comprehensive governance mechanism.

The project introduced franchise policies, adjusted land use, promoted traffic separation, and set up walking school buses and designated waiting zones, transforming streets near schools into safe, high-quality shared public spaces and "co-created gardens." Students were also invited to participate in environmental improvement activities, helping to shape their ideal campus and safe routes to school.

After implementation, the rate of students walking to school rose from 30% to 95%, with 100 parent volunteers operating 4 walking routes. Traffic accidents dropped from over 50 annually to just 1. This innovative model has been scaled up to 20 schools, gaining recognition both domestically and internationally, and has been promoted by UN-Habitat and UNICEF.

Saint-Louis, Senegal

Inter-municipal Mangrove Conservation Project by Local Governments

(2020 Guangzhou Award Winning Initiative)

Saint-Louis, located at the northernmost point of West Africa, has a 1,000-hectare mangrove belt. Due to climate change and human activities, it was degrading at a rate of 9 hectares per year, facing extinction. To restore the mangroves, the regional council proposed an innovative environmental governance method: the Inter-municipal Mangrove Conservation Project by Local Governments.

Through collaboration among local authorities, technical services, local private businesses, civil society organizations (CSOs), and community groups, people actively participated in mangrove restoration and protection. Adolescents and women received project funding support, gaining employment and income. A regional training system was established, and an environmental education program was launched in 19 schools to raise awareness. After nine years of implementation, the initiative successfully promoted ecosystem and biodiversity sustainability, consistency, and effective management planning. Forestry services estimate that over 50 hectares of mangroves have been regenerated, with a carbon sequestration rate of 350 tons per year.

Cape Town, South Africa

GreenCape's Western Cape Industrial Symbiosis Programme (WISP)

(2020 Guangzhou Award Deserving Initiative)

Initiated in April 2013 by the Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism and now funded by the Cape Town Mayor's Office via the Mayoral Sustainable City Initiatives, WISP is implemented by the non-profit GreenCape. It aims to advance a zero-waste-to-landfill strategy while addressing unemployment and resource waste.

Centering on businesses and involving government, academia, and industry through a steering committee, WISP establishes a multi-stakeholder governance framework. Through research, site visits, and policy advice, it helps companies identify resource exchange opportunities, reduce waste disposal costs, and measure emission reductions using a carbon calculator. A secure database ensures confidentiality to encourage participation. The program also emphasizes including SMEs and informal communities to promote resource sharing and mutual benefit.

To date, over 1,000 companies have joined, with over 70% of them reusing waste and transforming it into new resources, thereby enhancing productivity and competitiveness. The network extends beyond Cape Town to the provincial and national levels. This partnership model strengthens manufacturing sustainability and resilience, creates new jobs, and serves as a model for promoting the circular economy and green industrial transition.

Milan, Italy

Milan Food Policy: An Innovative Framework for a Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Food System (2018 Guangzhou Award Winning Initiative)

Launched in 2015, the Milan Food Policy aims to create a sustainable, fair, and resilient urban food system. It relies on multi-stakeholder collaboration: the city government provides institutional support, the Cariplo Foundation offers funding, the independent research center EStà gives technical guidance, and partnerships with universities, businesses, and social organizations are formed through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and specific agreements to drive food system transformation.

In terms of governance, Milan established an Urban Food Policy Council and a monitoring framework for cross-departmental and cross-societal integration, linking local practices with international networks. Milan also led the development of the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact (MUFPP), uniting 175 cities in joint action, and chairs the Eurocities Working Group on Food.

By the time of the award, the policy had achieved notable achievements, including direct procurement from local farmers for school canteens, establishing 19 agricultural supply chains, and implementing tax incentives for food donation to reduce waste and support vulnerable groups. Approximately 40 specific actions were underway. Through multi-stakeholder partnerships and city networks, the project not only innovated local food governance in Milan but also provided a model for international urban food sustainability.

Qalyubia, Egypt

Community-Based Integrated Solid Waste Management Project

(2016 Guangzhou Award Winning Initiative)

Egypt generates over 21 million tons of municipal solid waste annually, increasing by 2% each year. Historically, lacking sufficient resources and capacity, waste management heavily relied on informal recyclers known as the "Zabaleen," who worked in extreme poverty and unhealthy conditions, with high rates of child labor.

In this context, the cities of Khosoos and El Khanka in Qalyubia Governorate jointly launched the Community-Based Integrated Solid Waste Management Project. It aimed to improve waste management while enhancing the living and working conditions of approximately 20,000 informal waste workers.

The project partnered with NGOs and private companies to formalize waste collection, providing motorized tricycles for workers and establishing community transfer stations. It collaborated with schools to form "Environmental Guard" teams promoting environmental protection. Workshops and artistic activities raised community awareness and highlighted youth creativity.