August 2025 Newsletter
Reflecting on the final City Academy, and sharing exciting progress from cities across the UrbanShift network.
Dear friends and colleagues,
Just last month, UrbanShift gathered in Chengdu, China for our final City Academy training of the program. There is something undeniably bittersweet about closing this chapter of capacity-building that’s been so core to the UrbanShift program. But our time in Chengdu reminded us that while UrbanShift might be coming to an end, its work is not. The over 120 participants from China, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, and the Philippines that joined us for the City Academy left energized by the lessons around Urban Biodiversity and designing Green & Thriving Neighborhoods that both the trainings and the city of Chengdu offered. The whole point of capacity building, as the World Resources Institute UrbanShift team reflected earlier this year, is to lay a strong foundation of knowledge and skills, so cities can carry forward the essential and long-term work of urban transformation. Watching the insights being shared and new connections being formed in Chengdu underscored the importance of this work.
As we move towards the end of the program, we’re both reflecting on the milestones reached across our network, and planning for what’s still to come. From Teresina to Marrakech to Chennai, cities within the UrbanShift network have made enormous strides to accelerate green and resilient projects, from rain gardens to a comprehensive lake restoration. You can read more about these inspiring shifts in our new series on shiftcities.org. We also have, over the last several months, facilitated several national-local dialogues for our countries across the network. These dialogues offer a compelling platform for local, regional, and national governments to come together and align on key development and resilience priorities.
This work has proven especially essential in the leadup to COP30, which will unfold this November in Belém, Brazil—a city that is part of the UrbanShift network. At COP, global leaders will come together to raise ambition for climate action. The role of cities in accelerating the green transition is undeniable, and UrbanShift’s work to highlight the value of urban transformation mirrors the growing global recognition of the need to equip cities with the finance and support they need to carry out this work.
Looking ahead to a busy and impactful remainder of the year, we’re grateful for your support and participation in this collective effort to shift our cities and our world toward resilience. We look forward to sharing more updates and insights with you in the months to come.
John-Rob Pool / Senior Manager for UrbanShift at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities
A New Resource for Understanding and Mitigating Climate Risks
Around the world, cities are increasingly facing the impact of climate change. That much is obvious. What’s often less clear to cities, though, is what to do about it. Who and where are most at risk? What is the severity of these risks, and what can be done to mitigate them? A new resource from WRI India, UrbanShift, and Cities4Forests aims to help cities answer these questions. Building Capacity to Assess Urban Climate Hazards and Tackle Heat and Flooding in Cities, a three-part, self-study course, will guide city officials and practitioners through conducting a climate hazard vulnerability assessment, and applying nature-based solutions and data-driven approaches to mitigate both flood and heat risk. Read more at shiftcities.org.
Blogs & Research
How Teresina is Accelerating its Transition to a Green and Resilient City
From UrbanShift's capacity-building activities, this scorching city in northeastern Brazil is drawing inspiration and technical knowledge to build sustainability from the ground up.
Empowering Cities to Shape Climate Goals: Lessons from the UrbanShift China City Academy
On 1-3 July 2025, the Academy brought together over 120 participants from cities in China, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, and the Philippines, alongside national government representatives.
How Chennai is restoring Kadapakkam Lake with nature-based solutions
An UrbanShift spotlight on integrated water management, climate adaptation, and local innovation
UrbanShift Looks Back: Reflecting on Uniting Stakeholders for Climate Action
C40’s Viola Follini, Matheus Ortega, Emily White, Anelise Rosa, and Amaia Leonet discuss the value of bringing a wide range of sectors—from mayors to the private sector—to the table to accelerate urban transformation.
Building an Equitable, Climate-Resilient Future in Freetown
From an inspiring study tour on urban cable cars to insight-filled trainings on climate action planning and finance, UrbanShift has supported Freetown—and all of Sierra Leone—to accelerate its climate goals.
Local action to drive sustainable tourism for the communities and nature
How can we ensure tourism not only thrives but also helps protect our planet?
UPCOMING EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES
Second Indonesia National-Local Dialogue
The second Indonesia National-Local Dialogue will build on the outcome of the first dialogue and will focus on climate finance opportunities, mechanisms, and frameworks based on each GEF-7 city’s priority areas. September 2025. More information coming soon.
Teresina CiBiX Workshop
This workshop will focus on how urban heat impacts vulnerable populations and communities and how that can be alleviated. Local businesses will be invited to present and discuss the implementation of solutions with the city of Teresina. September 2025. More information coming soon.
Second India National-Local Dialogue
Building upon the outcomes from the 1st NLD and the Government of India’s plans to promote Transit Oriented Development (TOD) in 14 cities, including GEF-7 cities of Chennai, Surat and Pune, the dialogue will focus on the current effort and future plans to promote TOD. October 2025. More information coming soon.
UNEA-7 Cities & Regions Summit
The UNEA-7 Cities and Regions Summit is a key associated event of the Seventh United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-7). Held recurrently since UNEA-4, the Summit convenes mayors, regional leaders, and urban sustainability experts from around the world to collaborate on the most pressing environmental issues, including climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. This year’s theme, “Global Ambition, Local Action”, emphasizes the critical role of local and regional governments in delivering integrated solutions and driving transformative environmental change from the ground up. In the lead-up to UNEA-7, the Summit provides a unique platform for cities and regions to share experiences, showcase best practices, and contribute to multilateral environmental governance. Discussions will highlight how local and regional governments can help implement the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and national climate targets, while exploring opportunities to overcome key financing and capacity challenges.
Attendees can expect rich thematic sessions, dynamic panel discussions, networking opportunities, and the presentation of a formal outcome document to UNEA-7 Member States, amplifying local voices at the global level. December 5, 2025. Registration information coming soon.
Apply to the AIPH World Green Cities Awards
The Awards – an ongoing competition that opens every 2 years – recognize the role of city authorities in promoting and supporting greater inclusion of plants and nature in urban environments. The Awards are designed to champion ambitious nature-orientated approaches to city design and operation. Specifically, they seek to recognize public initiatives relying on a greater use of plants and nature to create better city environments – helping to fulfil local aspirations for improved economic, social and environmental resilience. The deadline for applications has been extended. Submit online by 19 October 2025.
PAST EVENTS
Urbanshift Second National-Local Dialogue In Argentina
The dialogue took place alongside the sixth Steering Committee meeting, bringing together around thirty national and local stakeholders.
Sustainable Finance Action and Advocacy: A Roadmap for Global South Cities
Commissioned by C40 Cities, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), and UrbanShift, this Roadmap provides evidence-backed insights, policy recommendations, and tools for Global South city mayors.
UrbanShift China City Academy
City officials engaged with regional and global experts to strengthen their knowledge and capacity to implement sustainable urban practices.
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.
First National-Local Dialogue for Morocco
To accelerate the circular economy transition in Morocco, UrbanShift and ICLEI will gather representatives from all of the country's regions to collaborate and discuss shared goals.
Second Brazil National-Local Dialogue
The dialogue will focus on further strengthening metropolitan and interfederative governance across three Brazilian regions.
Nature-Positive Tourism: How local leadership can balance conservation and economic growth
In this ICLEI-hosted webinar, learn how cities can protect natural ecosystems while generating revenue from sustainable tourism.
