Webinar
UrbanShift Annual Report Launch Webinar: Reflecting on 5 Years of Impact
This webinar will highlight voices from around the UrbanShift network and spotlight stories of sustainable urban transformation.
Gabriel Rodrigues/Unsplash
This webinar marks UrbanShift’s final year and spotlights five years of impact around cities shaping a new era of urban sustainability through finance, inclusion, and innovation. As part of the Global Environment Facility’s Sustainable Cities Impact Program under the GEF-7 cycle, UrbanShift has supported 23 cities across 9 countries to implement integrated urban solutions that address climate, biodiversity, pollution, and social challenges. While UrbanShift itself directly engages with this core group of cities, it also contributes to a broader global effort. Across the full Sustainable Cities portfolio—including GEF-6, GEF-7, and GEF-8 cycles—over 90 cities in 33 countries have received GEF support. Collectively, these efforts have mobilized $161 million in GEF funding and $1.93 billion in co-financing.
From restoring wetlands in Kigali to implementing green corridors in Buenos Aires, UrbanShift cities have delivered tangible results. This public webinar will celebrate the program’s achievements over the past five years and explore best practices around how to scale up its legacy to shape up urban sustainability. The session will also mark the launch of the UrbanShift Annual Report 2024–2025, highlighting key milestones and on-the-ground impact stories from across the network.
A special spotlight will be placed on Brazil, featuring voices from Teresina and Florianópolis, and insights from the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation.
This webinar will reflect on how UrbanShift has:
- Expanded access to urban climate finance
- Strengthened multi-level collaboration
- Empowered vulnerable communities
- Equipped city stakeholders with tools for accelerated action
Date & Time Zones: Mon 15 Dec, 09:00 - 10:00 CST / 10:00 - 11:00 EST / 16:00 - 17:00 CET / 18:00 - 19:00 EAT / 20:30 - 21:30 IST
Link: Zoom registration
Interpretation: English with translation into Spanish and Portuguese
Speakers
- Ruth Zugman Do Coutto, Deputy Director, Climate Change Division, UNEP
- Rogier van den Berg, Global Director, WRI Ross Center
- Andrea Fernández, Managing Director of Climate Finance, Knowledge and Partnerships, C40
- Maryke van Staden, Director of Business Development & carbonn Climate Center, ICLEI
- Pablo Lazo, Urban Development Director, WRI Ross Center
- Sharon Gil, Cities & Regions Lead, UNEP
- Caterina Ferrero, Gerente de Projeto CITInova II
- Cibele Assmann, Florianópolis City Council
- Xueman Wang, Senior Urban Specialist, World Bank
- Aloke Barnwal, Thematic Lead, GEF
UrbanShift Annual Report 2024-2025
UrbanShift's final Annual Report spans an impactful year of over 30 events and major progress across our network of 23 cities.
UrbanShift 4th Steering Committee Meeting
The final UrbanShift Steering Committee Meeting will reflect on progress across the network and offer opportunities for collaboration across partners.
What's Next for the UrbanShift Network?
As the UrbanShift Global Platform concludes, the next phase of the GEF Sustainable Cities Impact Program will build on the momentum and progress for sustainable and resilient cities.
UrbanShift Labs
Summarizing insights and lessons from eight of UrbanShift's Labs, this report offers a template for furthering geospatial analysis in cities.
