March 2025 Newsletter

Dear friends and colleagues, 

It’s my honor to introduce the first newsletter of the final year of the current phase of UrbanShift. With this incredible program concluding in October of this year, it’s tempting to look back on what we’ve accomplished over the past four years. And we are doing some reflecting – you can read insights from my colleagues Mariana Orloff and John-Rob Pool at WRI on the impact of our capacity-building work through UrbanShift below. But there is so much happening right now with UrbanShift, and still so much to look forward to. 

We just concluded our Green & Resilient UrbanShift Africa Forum, held last month in Nairobi, Kenya and hosted by our C40 Cities team. This Forum captured the energy and enthusiasm around sustainable urban development unfolding across Africa and issued a powerful call to action for more funding to transform this energy into action. Through inspiring remarks from leaders like Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, and Nairobi City County Governor Sakaja Arthur Johnson, numerous sessions on sustainable urban development planning, policy and finance, four site visits, and three knowledge-filled City Academy courses, participants came away from the Forum with tangible tools and new connections and ideas to strengthen their cities’ resilience. “The current gap we face in infrastructure investment amid rapid urban expansion is holding us back, limiting our economic productivity, limiting the potential to access the job market, raising cost of living, and deepening inequalities. The right investments at the scale needed can unlock our potential, create good green jobs, reduce poverty, and enhance the quality of life and wellbeing of billions” said Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr. You can explore highlights from the Forum in more depth below. 

As the year progresses, UrbanShift will focus on ensuring close collaboration between cities and national governments in our network. More than ever, it’s clear that cities are a powerful force in our collective effort for climate action, and we will continue supporting their efforts to access the resources they need to match their levels of ambition on transformative change. We look forward to sharing inspiring stories from across our network as this final year unfolds—and we appreciate your partnership in this journey. 

Andrea Fernández / Managing Director of Climate Finance, Knowledge and Partnerships, C40 Cities 

THE GREEN & RESILIENT URBANSHIFT AFRICA FORUM 

By 2030, many African cities are projected to double in size; by 2050, one in every four people on the planet will be African. The moment is now to plan for a sustainable, resilient future for African cities. From February 17 through 21st in Nairobi, Kenya, UrbanShift catalyzed this vital conversation during the Green & Resilient UrbanShift Africa Forum. Gathering over 350 local leaders and representatives from integral sectors, the Forum offered inspiration, best practices, and galvanizing calls to action to strengthen planning efforts and expand the financial resources to make urban transformation possible.  Below, explore the news, resources, and guides released during the Forum:

African city leaders unite in Nairobi to drive green and resilient urban future (including a link to an advocacy letter from African mayors and governors to their Ministries of Finance) 

UN Environment Programme technical highlight 

The power of Africa’s cities and youth in climate crisis 

Growing Resilience: Unlocking the Potential of Nature-Based Solutions for Climate Resilience in Sub-Saharan Africa 

And explore photos from the week here!  

NEWS & UPDATES

Inside Costa Rica’s Efforts to Create a Green Economy for All 

In Costa Rica, the UrbanShift project, Transition to a Green Urban Economy (TEVU), is making a positive impact the country’s capital region. The objective of the project is clear: to promote fair and sustainable access to public spaces in order to improve people's quality of life and contribute to environmental sustainability. This video shows how progress is unfolding: Watch here →

Learn how the Climate Hazard Vulnerability Assessment Framework Can Help Your City Build Resilience

The first of our three-part webinar series co-hosted by UrbanShift, Cities4Forest, and WRI India offered in-depth guidance on how—and why—to conduct a climate hazard vulnerability assessment: a valuable framework for understanding the extent of urban climate vulnerability through three lenses: exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity. If you missed the webinar, the recording is available, and make sure you sign up for the next session on March 5: Watch here →

UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES

3-part webinar series: Building Capacity to Assess Urban Climate Hazards and Tackle Heat and Flooding in Cities 

Co-organized by WRI India, UrbanShift, and Cities4Forests, this three-part capacity building training webinar series is designed to build capacity for city-led vulnerability assessments and nature-based approaches to enhance climate resilience in cities. The first webinar introduced the CHVA framework; the following two will focus, respectively, on urban heat and urban flooding. City government officials from global South cities, national government officials with urban development mandates and other urban practitioners are encouraged to attend and advised to participate in all three webinars for a comprehensive learning experience. The webinars will be conducted in English and simultaneous interpretation will be offered in French and Bahasa Indonesia. Learn more and watch the recording of Part 1. Register for the second webinar on “Nature-based Solutions to Tackle Urban Heat in Cities” on March 5 here. The third webinar will be held on March 26. 

Rwanda Second Multilevel Governance Dialogue 

The second multilevel governance dialogue in Rwanda will bring together key stakeholders to advance Rwanda’s climate action agenda as the country strives for climate neutrality by 2050. Organized in collaboration with the Rwanda Association of Local Government Authorities (RALGA) in collaboration with the Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA), this workshop aims to strengthen local government involvement in the formulation and implementation of Rwanda’s third-generation Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC 3.0) for the 2025-2030 period. With 78 participants expected, including mayors, district environmental officers, and representatives from ministries, development partners, the workshop will feature interactive presentations, group work, and plenary discussions. More information forthcoming. March 2025. 

Second National-Local Dialogue for Costa Rica 

Building on the outcomes of the first National-Local Dialogue, this second National Dialogue will focus on the pressing issue of urban flooding in Costa Rica. This in-person event will bring together local authorities, national agencies, and international experts to exchange knowledge and best practices for managing urban floods. Experts from Ecuador and Mexico will join the dialogue to share innovative adaptation strategies and successful case studies, offering valuable insights for Costa Rican municipalities. Participants will engage in interactive sessions, including hands-on workshops, field visits showcasing nature-based solutions, and a collaborative review of a proposed law for rainwater management and urban blue-green infrastructure. The dialogue aims to strengthen multilevel governance and encourage cross-sectoral collaboration to develop actionable solutions for urban flood resilience. Learn more. March 18-19, 2025.   

UrbanShift Geospatial Analysis Lab in Puducherry, India: Prioritizing Urban Flooding Risks and Exploring the Role of Nature-based Solutions to Build Resilience 

UrbanShift Labs are two- to three-day in-person and invite-only workshops organized by UrbanShift partners for one city in each participating UrbanShift country. In March, UrbanShift will deliver the seventh out of nine UrbanShift Labs, in the city of Puducherry, India. The Lab in Puducherry will take the form of a geospatial analysis workshop, and aim to identify potential solutions that the city can implement to mitigate the risks and impact from coastal and stormwater flooding, a perennial issue that the city of Puducherry grapples with, especially during the annual monsoon season. The Lab will held the city to develop relevant maps based on local and global data, and identify risk areas, vulnerable populations and exposed infrastructure. Through collaborative exercises it will identify and workshop potential solutions, including nature-postive options and other interventions to mitigate and manage flood risks. More information forthcoming. March 2025.  

UrbanShift Lab in Bitung, Indonesia: Sustainable and Integrated Development of Tourism Areas to Promote Conservation and Local Economy in Bitung City 

This 3-day invite-only workshop will be held in Bitung, the smallest of UrbanShift’s five cities, located in North Sulawesi, Indonesia. The Lab will focus on supporting the city of Bitung to sustainably develop its tourism areas, focusing on environmental preservation and local economic development. The Lab will analyze spatial and population growth trends, accessibility to parks and other tourism areas, and the spatial distribution of amenities and tourism-related services. The Lab will review case studies and best practices on sustainable park management, including governance models, visitor management and revenue-collection strategies, and land-use planning. By combining these analyses with practical discussions, the Lab aims to proactively identify conflicting land uses, identify potential sustainable tourism strategies, and strengthen conservation efforts of natural areas in Bitung city. More information forthcoming. May 2025.  

WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities: Open for Applications 

The WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities is now accepting applications for the 2025-2026 cycle!  For projects and initiatives that demonstrate meaningful urban transformation, this is a chance to win $250,000 and contribute to learning that inspires change in cities around the world. With the theme of "Catalyzing Healthy Cities," the Prize is seeking ideas that address rapid urbanization and the growing pressure placed on infrastructure, food systems and urban services with a focus on improving urban livability, strengthening nature and enhancing well-being for people and the planet. Submissions are welcome from projects with demonstrated urban impact across a range of sectors and topics, including mobility, air quality, housing, public health, zero-carbon buildings and more. Eligible applicants include businesses, NGOs, community organizations, local governments and individuals. Learn more and apply. Deadline: May 28, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET. 

About UrbanShift

UrbanShift's mission is to transform cities for people and planet through integrated urban development. We engage with more than 23 cities across nine countries (China, India, Indonesia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Morocco, Costa Rica, Brazil and Argentina), bringing together local and global stakeholders to build a resilient, inclusive, zero-carbon urban future.