Leveraging Climate Finance to Strengthen Urban Resilience: Cities Leading the Change

From November 14 to 17, Rio de Janeiro will host the U20 Rio Summit at Armazém da Utopia in the city’s port area, bringing together mayors and delegations from around the world. As leaders of the Urban 20 (U20) in 2024, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo play a pivotal role in representing cities within the G20, highlighting their importance in the global climate agenda.

On November 14, the Wilson Center Brazil Institute, the Brazilian Center for International Relations (CEBRI), and Columbia Global Center Rio will host the event “Leveraging Climate Finance to Strengthen Urban Resilience: Cities Leading the Change.” The focus will be on cities, which bear the brunt of climate change impacts while simultaneously striving to design innovative solutions that can strengthen urban resilience.

Although cities stand on the front lines of climate impacts, much of the debate on climate finance and policy instruments for climate change remains centralized among stakeholders like federal governments, international organizations, and a few highly visible cities, generally leaving aside relevant issues like the challenge of implementation. According to the UN, seven out of ten people now live in urban areas, yet a recent report by UN-Habitat, UNDP, and the UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience reveals that only 27% of national climate plans (NDCs) focus on cities. With countries expected to update these plans by 2025, there is a critical opportunity to expand urban-focused strategies, ensuring that cities of all scales can participate effectively in achieving climate goals.