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

?? 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 to 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.

?? LIVESTREAM TOMORROW: One year after COP28's historic agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, #transport stands at crossroads. Join us tomorrow, November 22, for a discussion with leading experts on how we turn transport commitments into concrete action. Speakers: ???? Juan Carlos Mu?oz, Transport Minister, Gobierno de Chile ?? David Waskow, Director, International Climate Initiative, World Resources Institute ?? Rana Adib, Executive Director, REN21 Together, we'll explore policy pathways to sustainable #mobility and transport's evolving role in the global climate agenda. ?? November 22, 9:30AM GMT+4 ?? #COP29 NDC Partnership Pavilion ??? Watch the LIVESTREAM: https://bit.ly/4hYiUUe

The next round of #NDCs will outline countries' #climate actions through 2035 and should reflect both stronger targets for 2030 and new targets for 2035. Explore the new NDC tracker from #ClimateWatch to gauge if new commitments meet these benchmarks?? https://bit.ly/3CCQ0sC

??? As income levels & consumerism continue to rise, so will global waste generation. If these trends continue, global solid-waste-related emissions will increase from 1.6 billion tonnes of CO2e in 2016 to 3.4 billion tons of CO2e by 2050: https://bit.ly/3zisX4G #SystemsChangeLab

I have wound up my time at #COP29 in #Baku Azerbaijan ????. Grateful for many things that non-state actors are trailblazing in! ?? Urban water resilience: read the collaborative call to action report that we released with the High-Level Climate Champions Team, Arup , Deltares and Resilient Cities Network: https://lnkd.in/eGixMDGU. Thank you to the #Water4Climate Pavilion and the SAA Urban Water Resilience Working Group community! ??? Cities & NDCs: WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities released a guide on how to build stronger NDCs with cities, states and regions. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/dkmBqxZu ?? Financing Climate Action: Funding from the Mitigation Action Facility (MAF) for many projects, including 25 million euros for e-mobility in Kenya was announced: https://lnkd.in/dNw8s7PW. ?? Inclusion: Sustainable transformation can only happen if we leave no one behind. Listen to strong community voices including Kimani Joseph in this WRI Africa video here: https://lnkd.in/dg_J9yAc. Grateful to have interacted with an amazing ecosystem of people working tirelessly to raise the ambition and scale of climate action including Rosa-Stella Mbulu, Maggie White, Martin Shouler, Pan Ei Ei Phyoe, Maren Pott, Kobie Brand, Dominique Habimana. Naomi Hoogervorst, @Dania Folayinka, Rebecca Ochong, Margaret Mengo and so many others ! ?? Thank you!!