WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

???? From Brazil to India, Kenya to China, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities has been transforming urban landscapes across the globe for 10 years! ?? Combining cutting-edge research with on-the-ground action, our approach has improved the lives of millions, influencing policy and practice in over 388 cities and touching every aspect of city life — from #transportation and #energy systems to green spaces and #AirQuality. As we enter the "urban century" with 2.5 billion more people projected to live in #cities by 2050, our work is more important than ever. Learn about how we're preparing for this future and the lessons we've learned from a decade of creating sustainable urban environments in our ?? 10th anniversary annual report: https://bit.ly/4gPE3iZ #SustainableCities

?? NEW BLOG: The ACWA Platform: Guiding Africa’s Cities Towards a Water-Resilient Future by Pablo Lazo, Aklilu Fikresilassie, PhD. and Kobie Brand. Water shortages affect 933M urban residents globally today, a number projected to reach 1.7B in coming years. African cities face particularly acute challenges, needing $66B annually by 2050 to meet water and sanitation targets - yet most are operating with severely limited per capita resources. In a major step forward at COP29, ICLEI Africa was named new host of the ACWA Platform Secretariat, bringing their powerful network of local leaders to strengthen water resilience initiatives across the continent. Cities like Addis Ababa, Johannesburg and Lagos are already tackling key challenges: ??? Rapid urbanization outpacing infrastructure ?? Limited per capita resources ??? Complex governance needs ??? Climate change impacts Learn how the ACWA is supporting resilient solutions: https://bit.ly/3UYtPU4 #ACWA #WaterResilience #Africa #cities #water #WasteManagement #COP29 #ClimateChange ICLEI

?? Analysis of the world’s 1,000 largest #cities reveal the severe #health & #infrastructure challenges urban areas face in a 3°C world, especially in lower-income regions. Dive into our key findings, with support from Bloomberg Philanthropies: https://bit.ly/3B9f2ig #UrbanHeat

???? Latin America and the Caribbean are global leaders in #RenewableEnergy, with over 60% of their energy generation coming from renewable sources. #Hydropower makes up around 45% of that renewable energy, with countries like Colombia and Costa Rica relying on hydropower for 64% and 65% of their energy respectively as of 2023. Hydropower is unfortunately also vulnerable to pressure from #ClimateChange, as drought and lower levels of rainfall impact water needed to generate electricity. As hydropower becomes a less stable source of #energy, countries turn to fossil fuels to fill the gap. Read the latest article from WRI Colombia and Cities4Forests to learn more about how #NatureBasedSolutions (#NBS) can help address the challenges posed by climate change and enhance the resilience of hydropower systems in Latin America and beyond: https://bit.ly/4fAdCg3

At #COP29, it was evident that the increasing number of stakeholders and decision-makers believe in the undeniable urgency of moving faster. The theory emphasizes the need to decarbonize, shift transport modes, and reduce energy consumption. However, achieving this requires addressing key challenges: 1. The Financial Gap: Current funding is insufficient to meet global and local needs. Financing mechanisms must be improved to ensure equitable access to climate finance, particularly for developing countries. 2. A Just Transition: Decarbonization and the transition to sustainable systems must align with people’s short-term needs, especially in developing countries. Governments must balance immediate priorities with global climate goals. 3. Asks for Developed Countries: Developed nations should: ? Accelerate their own decarbonization efforts. ? Increase financial contributions to support sustainable transitions globally. 4. Asks for Developing Countries: Developing nations should: ? Protect their people by ensuring transitions do not increase poverty or hinder development. ? Implement coherent and inclusive transition strategies. ? Build capacity to access and effectively utilize climate finance. 5. Avoiding Negative Outcomes: The global effort to decarbonize should not come at the expense of human welfare or development. It must prioritize equity, ensuring transitions empower people and foster progress in all nations.

??? Cities are responsible for more than 70% of global GHG emissions, yet UN-Habitat found only 27% of NDCs include robust urban content.?? Colombia is addressing this gap through regional dialogues that bring local voices to the forefront of climate planning - ensuring national climate strategies reflect local urban realities. Discover how Colombia is breaking down silos in climate action: https://bit.ly/48X4lfB #Cities #ClimateChange #Sustainability #Colombia #NDCs #UrbanDevelopment

?? We've reached the final day of #COP29! As negotiators work to finalize key decisions, we reflect on two weeks of crucial climate discussions. Today's priorities: ?? Finalizing negotiation texts ?? Reaching consensus on key decisions ?? Closing statements from parties ?? Setting the stage for COP30 in Brazil Stay tuned for our analysis of the outcomes and what they mean for climate action worldwide.

?? This month’s WRI Ross Center Monthly newsletter is out! ?? Read all about: ? Why community organizations are driving environmental justice ?? ? How India plans to electrify 800,000 buses in seven years ?? ? Why Mexico's construction sector is pushing for decarbonization ??? ? Why urban bioeconomies are key to healthy ecosystems ?? + More Join the conversation – share your thoughts in comments! ?????

Solutions needed: The City of Venice has made significant investments in sustainable mobility solutions in recent years. However, these options remain underutilised. ? To address this challenge and encourage the adoption of sustainable mobility, the City of Venice has joined the Sustainable Cities Challenge, an initiative led by the Toyota Mobility Foundation, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, and Challenge Works. I serve as a judge for this initiative, alongside Karen Vancluysen (POLIS Network) and Alexander Schmidt (BABLE Smart Cities) to identify innovative approaches that promote sustainable mobility behaviour. From 120 applications, 10 semi-finalists have been shortlisted. The finalists will be announced in the coming weeks. Thank you Roberto Di Bussolo, Gabriele Vergani, Giulia Zennaro, PhD, Andy Fuchs, Victoria Antonova, Janet Southern McCormick, Marie Plamondon, Trey Ingram, AICP for your efforts in facilitating and supporting this challenge. The Sustainable Cities Challenge is a $9 million initiative aimed at creating safer, more inclusive, and sustainable urban environments. The challenge is currently running in three cities: Detroit (transforming freight), Varanasi (innovating crowd management), and Venice. Further information: https://lnkd.in/dUgWbdJ2

The G20 nations account for 85% of the world's economy, 80% of global emissions, and are the largest contributors to multilateral development banks helping steer climate finance. At the recent G20 Leaders' Summit, the collective statement reinforced the urgency of pursuing just and equitable climate action — and of mobilizing the necessary finance to make it happen. I hope this is a boost in the arm for the negotiators at COP29, so they can come together and deliver an ambitious finance outcome by the end of this week.