In September 2025, Gothenburg became a UN Hub for Sustainability. The announcement was made in connection with the UN General Assembly in New York. The work with sustainability hubs is part of a strategy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030

The United Nations aims to highlight local solutions to global challenges, and Gothenburg received the distinction for its long-term, strategic efforts. We now want to use 2026 and 2027 to inspire locally, nationally and internationally, while creating collaborations that strengthen all dimensions of sustainable development. The focus is on tourism, meetings, events and destination development as tools for transformation.

Gothenburg is currently the only active UN Hub in the world

Conference on sustainable events

Gothenburg’s status as a UN Hub for Sustainability is activated for the first time through the Gothenburg Sustainable Events Conference, organised together with Göteborgsvarvet and the Centre for Tourism at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, over two half-days on 21–22 May 2026.

Leading voices in sustainability, destination development, and the global events industry come together to explore the central question: How can local action accelerate solutions to global challenges?

The programme features representatives from the United Nations Office for Partnerships, Jukka Punamäki from Helsinki Tourism and Destination Management, Rikke Holm Petersen from Wonderful Copenhagen, Elin Bondemark from Göteborgsvarvet, Fredrik Andersson from Gothia Cup and Partille World Cup, Lindita Xhaferi-Salihu from UN Climate Change, and Daniel Calarco from the Rio Carnival.

Gothenburg selected as new global UN hub for Sustainable Lifestyles

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”…what stayed with me the most was the openness and humility in Gothenburg’s approach. You didn’t claim to have all the answers or to get it right every time; instead, you leaned into collaboration, transparency, and learning in real time. That honesty is rare. ​ Many destinations hesitate to act unless they’re sure of success, but your example shows that progress often comes from iteration – from trying, testing, and tweaking.​ That mindset gives others permission to start somewhere, even if it’s not perfect.”​

Deborah Park, PRSA Travel and Tourism Section, about the Gothenburg presentation in SDG Lounge, New York, september 2025