Rogier van den Berg
Advocacy
World Urban Forum 11
At UrbanShift's session during the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Katowice, Poland, we heard from global partners and country stakeholders about the need to accelerate the shift toward nature-positive, climate-proof development.
Rogier van den Berg, Acting Global Director of the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, presenting at UrbanShift's session
The World Urban Forum (WUF) is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanization, convened every two years by the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). This year, WUF11 took place in Katowice, Poland from June 26 - 30.
UrbanShift's session at WUF11, Accelerating the Shift to Nature-Positive and Climate-Proof Urban Futures, showcased the program's ongoing efforts to promote climate adaptive urban development in participating cities and highlighted examples of local leadership in building an equitable, nature-positive urban future. We heard from UrbanShift's funder, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and our partners at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), World Resources Institute (WRI), ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability and Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA). We also heard from UrbanShift stakeholders in India, Costa Rica and Morocco about their progress toward the SDGs and initiatives to deliver sustainable, resilient urban action at both the local and national levels.
Speakers
- Sharon Gil, Programme Officer, UNEP (moderator)
- Rogier van den Berg, Acting Global Director, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
- Aloke Barnwal, Senior Climate Change Specialist, GEF
- Modesto Alpízar, Mayor, City of Alajuelita, Costa Rica
- Umamaheshwaran Rajasekar, Chair, Urban Resilience, Global Resilience Cities Network, National Institute of Urban Affairs, India
- Nourdine Brine, Regional Director of the Environment, Region of Marrakech Safi
- Priscilla Negreiros, Project Manager, CCFLA
- Sharon Dijksma, Mayor, City of Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Yunus Arikan, Director of Global Advocacy, ICLEI
- Sonja Leighton-Kone, Acting Deputy Executive Director, UNEP
UrbanShift Speakers
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Event
GREEN & RESILIENT URBANSHIFT AFRICA FORUM 2025
UrbanShift's forum for Africa will gather leaders from cities and national governments from across the continent to collectively discuss the role of urban planning amidst rapid urbanisation and climate breakdown.
Analysis
How Costa Rica is Pioneering a Green Future Through Sustainable Development
The first National Dialogue for Costa Rica addressed challenges from waste management to urban flooding as part of the UrbanShift program.
Toolkit
Clean Air Zone Toolbox
This toolbox is for all C40 and non-C40 cities planning, developing and implementing Clean Air Zone policies.
Peer Exchange
PEER-TO-PEER EXCHANGE ON CLEAN AIR ZONES
This 3-day P2P exchange will bring together Madrid, Johannesburg, Marrakech, and national government representatives from Morocco to discuss the planning, implementation, and monitoring of Clean Air Zones.
