Events

ITF Summit 2026: Funding Resilient Transport 6-8 May 2026 | Congress Center Leipzig, Germany The world's largest gathering of transport ministers returns to Leipzig under the Presidency of Azerbaijan. The 2026 theme, "Funding Resilient Transport," is the second instalment in a three-year trilogy on transport resilience, exploring how to mobilise investments and financing strategies to strengthen transport systems for better long-term connectivity, efficiency, and reliability. The Summit brings together 1,000+ participants including 35+ ministers, industry leaders, and heads of international organisations. SLOCAT will be represented at this event.

World Urban Forum 13 (WUF13) 17-22 May 2026 | Baku, Azerbaijan The UN's premier global conference on sustainable urbanization, co-organized by UN-Habitat and the Government of Azerbaijan, convenes under the theme "Housing the world: Safe and resilient cities and communities." WUF13 brings together governments, cities, civil society, the private sector, youth, and other stakeholders to respond to the global housing crisis and strengthen housing as a driver of inclusive, resilient, and sustainable urban development. The forum includes partner-led events and an Urban Expo.

Asia and the Pacific Transport Forum (APTF) 2026 18-22 May 2026 | ADB Headquarters, Manila, Philippines | Hybrid ADB's flagship transport sector event, held under the theme "From Priorities to Actions," brings together senior policymakers, transport practitioners, and development partners from across the region. The forum coincides with the early implementation phase of the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026-2035) and will focus on strengthening transport planning, investment, and delivery in developing member countries. Sessions cover financing approaches, technologies, institutional capacity, and practical lessons from transport project delivery. Participation is free; on-site participants cover their own travel costs.

ICAO Headquarters, Montréal, Canada | In person ICAO's annual global platform for advancing aviation's environmental and climate agenda returns for its second edition, under the theme "One Global Path: Advancing Net-Zero Aviation." The three-day event covers the latest on sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), the CORSIA scheme marking its 10th anniversary, non-CO2 emissions research, next-generation aircraft technology, financing for decarbonization, and climate adaptation and resilience. Sessions also address circular economy, sustainable infrastructure, and biodiversity. An on-site exhibition runs alongside the programme.

The second edition of this conference, convened by UNEP's Sustainable Mobility Unit and the Global Network for Popular Transportation (GNPT), takes place from 2 to 4 June 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. Building on the inaugural edition held in Bangkok in 2023, the event brings together policymakers, industry leaders, operators, workers, researchers, and civil society from across the Global South to accelerate the electrification of two- and three-wheelers as a cornerstone of a just, low-carbon mobility transition. With an estimated 570 million two- and three-wheelers in use across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the conference addresses a high-leverage opportunity for cleaner air, safer streets, and green jobs. The programme includes plenary sessions, deep-dive workshops, technical visits, and a project marketplace, in English and Spanish.

The UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) convene their 64th sessions from 8 to 18 June 2026 in Bonn, Germany. These intersessional meetings are a key moment in the international climate calendar, advancing technical and policy work on adaptation, mitigation, and governance ahead of COP31. Discussions at SB64 feed directly into the outcomes negotiated at the annual UN Climate Change Conference later in the year.

The annual world cycling summit takes place from 16 to 19 June 2026 in Rimini, Italy, co-organised by the European Cyclists' Federation (ECF). Velo-city brings together advocates, cities, decision-makers, academics, and industry leaders from over 60 countries to shape the future of cycling and sustainable urban development. This year's theme focuses on moving from words to action in reshaping cities for better quality of life and climate resilience, with 80+ sessions, 400+ speakers, and technical tours by bike. The exhibition showcases 100+ exhibitors presenting the latest in cycling infrastructure, policies, and innovation.

One of the world's largest independent climate change events returns in summer 2026, mobilising London's ecosystem of climate and non-climate organisations to accelerate global and local climate action. Founded in 2019 and hosted by climate think tank E3G, the week features 700+ in-person and virtual events drawing over 45,000 attendees. Dates for the 2026 edition are expected to be confirmed in spring, with registration opening shortly after. Sign up to their mailing list for updates.

The Hamburg Sustainability Conference returns on 29-30 June 2026 under the theme "Global Alliances for a Shared Future." The conference brings together leaders across sectors to advance partnerships for sustainable development. The programme includes a Youth Ambassador Program and a Future Economy Day. The event is part of a broader Hamburg Sustainability Week. Further programme details are expected in the coming months.

The Political Ecology Network (POLLEN) holds its 2026 conference from 29 June to 3 July in Barcelona, Spain, hosted across the Universitat de Barcelona and Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. The conference brings together researchers and practitioners in political ecology to explore the intersections of environment, power, and social justice. While not transport-specific, the programme engages with themes relevant to mobility justice, land use, and sustainability transitions. General registration is open until 18 May 2026.

The seventh edition of this conference takes place on 29-30 June 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, at UNESCAP. Co-convened by UN DESA and the UNFCCC Secretariat in collaboration with UNESCAP, the event focuses on practical ways to translate integrated planning into coordinated implementation across climate, environment, and sustainable development. Ministers, policymakers, practitioners, the private sector, civil society, and youth will exchange country case studies and policy solutions addressing the interconnected crises of rising energy costs, intensifying climate impacts, environmental degradation, and mounting debt burdens. The conference is organised back-to-back with the ninth session of the ESCAP Committee on Environment and Development. Registration is open.

This international conference takes place from 1 to 3 July 2026 on Skyros Island, Greece, with a virtual attendance option. Organised by the University of Thessaly in collaboration with the University of Kentucky and University of Alabama at Birmingham, CSuM serves as a platform for researchers, decision-makers, and practitioners to exchange knowledge on sustainable transportation. The 2026 edition explores how digital technologies such as AI, big data, and automation can work alongside green policies and low-emission solutions to transform mobility. The programme includes summer schools on community-scale sustainability and sustainable urban logistics planning.

The HLPF convenes from 7 to 15 July 2026 at UN Headquarters in New York, under the auspices of ECOSOC, with a three-day ministerial segment from 13 to 15 July. The theme is "Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all." The Forum will conduct in-depth reviews of SDG 6 (water and sanitation), SDG 7 (energy), SDG 9 (infrastructure and innovation), SDG 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and SDG 17 (partnerships). 36 countries will present Voluntary National Reviews. The review of SDG 11 makes this session particularly relevant to the sustainable transport community.

The first-ever Global Convening on Informal and Shared Mobility takes place from 26 to 28 October 2026 at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. GloCon brings together 400+ researchers, public officials, practitioners, workers, and operators to build interdisciplinary understanding of informal and shared mobility systems, with a particular focus on knowledge from and for the Global South. From matatus to tuk-tuks to jeepneys, these services are the main mode of travel for hundreds of millions of people and are critical to achieving the SDGs and decarbonizing transport. The convening centres the people who run and depend on these systems as active partners in shaping fair, inclusive, and people-centred mobility futures. Registration is open.