Dubai Sets New Sustainability Record with UN Gold Honor
Dubai has reached new levels of excellence by becoming the first Middle Eastern city to earn the prestigious Gold Certification from the UN-Habitat SDG Cities Program. The city announced this landmark achievement at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum 2025, hosted at Expo Dubai. The recognition came after a thorough evaluation of more than 70 indicators that covered governance, state-of-the-art solutions, infrastructure, quality of life, and sustainability.
The Gold Certification showcases Dubai’s detailed commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The city implements result-oriented policies that balance economic, social, and environmental aspects. This achievement places Dubai among the world’s leading cities in sustainability performance. The city has also launched its Voluntary Local Review (VLR), marking the first such initiative in the region. This milestone shows how the emirate advances its sustainability projects through shared city planning and serves as a model for urban centers worldwide.
Dubai earns UN Gold Certification at Asia Pacific Cities Summit
Image Source: Government of Dubai Media Office
“Sustainability is a fundamental pillar in Digital Dubai’s mission and its forward-looking strategy which is reflected in the use of digital technologies and data to advance sustainable development goals establishing Dubai as a global model for future cities.” — Younus Al Nasser, Chief Executive, Dubai Data & Statistics Establishment – Digital Dubai
Dubai made history at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit and Mayors’ Forum 2025 by becoming the Middle East’s first city to earn UN-Habitat’s Gold Certification. This prestigious recognition came after a full picture of over 70 indicators in areas like governance, innovation, infrastructure, quality of life, and eco-friendly practices.
UN-Habitat awards Gold Certification to cities that show clear evidence of working toward UN Sustainable Development Goals. Cities must integrate economic, social, and environmental policies effectively. The certification requires “evidence of a public plan outlining how SDG targets will be achieved.”
Abdulla Mohammed Al Basti, Secretary General of The Executive Council of Dubai, credited this achievement to “the far-sighted vision of His Highness Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.” He highlighted Dubai’s adoption of a “sustainable, human-centered development model.”
The city’s success reflects strong teamwork across government departments. Hamad Obaid Al Mansoori, Director General of Digital Dubai, noted: “Our sustainability accomplishments stem from the close collaboration of 13 government entities working in unison to translate global aspirations into tangible local impact.”
Cities must develop an SDG City Development Strategy to receive gold status. Dubai can now update its SDG Cities logo from Silver to Gold on official websites, showing its progress in the UN sustainability framework.
Dubai launches Voluntary Local Review to track sustainability goals
Dubai revealed its groundbreaking Voluntary Local Review (VLR) alongside the Gold Certification announcement. The city became the first in the region to use this detailed self-assessment framework. The VLR marks a key step forward in Dubai’s sustainability efforts through a complete, evidence-based evaluation of the emirate’s progress toward UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Dubai’s VLR stands apart from regular reporting systems. It uses a well-laid-out five-track workflow that covers data collection, gap analysis, strategy review, participation, and implementation. The city’s VLR merged with UN-Habitat’s Urban Monitoring Framework to work effectively. This created a unified data structure with 76 indicators spanning social, economic, environmental, cultural, and governance areas.
The results proved remarkable. Dubai scored 93.09 out of 100 and secured its place in the ‘very strong’ sustainability tier. The evaluation brought together 13 government entities in a collaborative effort. This showed Dubai’s government-wide dedication to turning global goals into measurable local results.
The VLR system creates a feedback loop. Strategic plans shape project portfolios, which UMF indicators track constantly. The data flows back to refine strategies. This approach makes sustainability improvement part of the system. A dedicated dashboard monitors bi-annual indicator updates and tracks needed fixes.
The VLR has become essential for bringing sustainability goals to the local level, even though it’s not officially part of national SDG reporting like Voluntary National Reviews. This is especially true as cities worldwide bounce back from pandemic effects. Dubai uses its VLR both as a transparency tool and for strategic planning. The system strengthens Dubai’s sustainability plan through evidence-based governance and data-driven choices.
Dubai sets sights on Platinum as next sustainability milestone
“These certificates will reflect Dubai’s commitment to excellence in the areas of environmental, economic, social, cultural and governance sustainability, further enhancing its position as an inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable city.” — ZAWYA Editorial (attributed to official Dubai government statement), Official press release platform for government news
Dubai’s leadership isn’t resting after securing the Gold Certification. They now aim to become the world’s first city to achieve the prestigious Platinum Certification from the UN SDG Cities Program.
The path to Platinum status requires a complete SDG assessment of local institutions. The city needs to build capacity where needed. Dubai must also set ambitious sustainability goals that work on both local and global levels. These goals span five key areas: Society, Economy, Environment, Culture, and Governance.
Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) are the life-blood of this trip. The Federal Decree-Law No. 12 of 2023, which is now a year old, created a resilient legal framework. This framework lets private sector join development projects and reduces the government’s financial risks. These partnerships have drawn AED 40 billion in investments for Dubai sustainability projects of all sizes.
Digital transformation shapes Dubai’s sustainability initiatives. The Dubai Data and AI Platform launched recently as a unified gateway for official data and statistics. Government and private entities can now exchange information securely. This platform helps make informed decisions that track progress toward sustainability targets.
Dubai has already showed it can earn top sustainability credentials. The emirate became the first city in the Arab world and MENA region to receive the Platinum Rating in LEED for Cities certification.
Dubai shines as a model of sustainability excellence in the Middle East with its latest UN Gold Certification. The city went through a thorough evaluation that looked at over 70 indicators in different areas. This process helped verify Dubai’s detailed approach to sustainable development. The launch of the Voluntary Local Review shows Dubai’s dedication to data-based governance and open progress tracking.
Thirteen government entities worked together to strengthen Dubai’s place among global sustainability leaders. Their teamwork shows the results of careful planning and putting UN Sustainable Development Goals into action. Other cities in the region now have a proven model to follow as they start their own sustainability efforts.
Dubai aims even higher with its next goal – the prestigious Platinum Certification that would make it a pioneer in global sustainability. The city has built a reliable public-private partnership system and modern digital infrastructure. The Dubai Data and AI Platform will play a vital role to track progress and shape future plans.
The city keeps setting new standards for urban sustainability in the 21st century. Dubai turned ambitious global goals into real local changes through careful planning, state-of-the-art technology, and teamwork in governance. This gold certification marks a big step in Dubai’s ongoing sustainability efforts. The achievement will inspire cities worldwide and cement Dubai’s place as a leader in sustainable urban growth.
