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Seoul is home to about 10 million citizens and is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The rapidly growing population has also been critical to the city’s success in becoming one of the world’s most sustainable cities. Host of the upcoming 2019 Seoul Mayors Forum on Climate Change, Seoul Metropolitan Government 

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Most of the messages reaching us about environmental degradation and climate change have a looming, threatening rhetoric. Rising greenhouse gas emissions are melting glaciers, the world is experiencing mass extinctions, and extreme meteorological events linked to climate change are hitting communities throughout the world.

Sometimes seeing something is the best way to learn. That’s what representatives from 23 cities in Bangladesh, Brazil, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Rwanda, South Africa and Europe had the opportunity to do on a recent European study trip on sustainable urban development and climate resilience.

For this year’s Climate Action Summit in New York, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on leaders to bring concrete, realistic plans to enhance their nationally determined contributions by 2020, plans that would bring nations in line to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 45 per cent over the next decade and to net zero emissions by 

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This week in New York, heads of state and government have come together at the UN headquarters for two dedicated Summits on climate action and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As they gather at the highest political level to support and guide the sustainability agenda through the SDGs, political leaders are recognizing that real implementation 

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New report shows low-carbon measures in cities could reduce urban emissions by nearly 90 percent and support 87 million jobs annually by 2030 A new report from the Coalition for Urban Transitions finds that investment in low-carbon measures in cities would be worth almost US $24 trillion by 2050 – proof that thriving cities create 

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The city of Turku and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability have launched a partnership to design a regional Resource Wisdom Roadmap with the support of the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. The rationale behind resource wisdom Resource wisdom is an operating model developed by Sitra to support cities and municipalities in making their activities carbon 

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Delivering ambitious, collaborative climate action is crucial to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. This September in New York, Heads of State and Government will come together at the UN headquarters for two dedicated Summits on climate action and the SDGs. These Summits will be the key events among a week full of activity – all 

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Freight transport is at the core of today’s global economy; in emerging regions such as Asia, the logistics industry accounts for 15 to 25 percent of GDP. However, urban freight also causes adverse impacts to cities, including traffic congestion, poor air quality, noise pollution and intensity of road accidents. Emissions from road freight transport alone 

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Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods while 1.6 billion people, including 70 million indigenous people, depend on forests for their livelihood. Nature underpins our very existence and livelihoods and is integral to the effective functioning and well-being of urban communities. The decline of the natural world, due to 

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In the central-eastern region of Mexico, it is expected that by 2020 eighty-six percent of the population will live in cities. As the capital of the fifth largest Metropolitan Zone in Mexico, Toluca is working to improve livability in the face of this rapid urbanization, and nature is a key part of their approach. The 

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By: Dr Sebastiaan van Herk and Sophie Rasbash of Bax & Company The cost of climate adaptation for developing countries is rising rapidly. Global public finance commitments to address climate change are also growing. According to the IHE Delft Institute, funding jumped from $4 billion in 2010 to $25 billion in 2013, but this is 

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The Sustainable Development Goals are 17 goals to transform our world. These goals are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which countries adopted in 2015. They are a call to action by all countries to encourage economic prosperity while protecting the earth and its resources. The goals demonstrate that economic growth is interconnected 

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A record thirty-seven mayors of African capital cities committed to collective responsibility to build sustainable African capital cities at the fifth African Capital Cities Sustainability Forum (ACCSF) last month. Through the adoption of the Tshwane Declaration of 2019, the mayors committed to increasing the role of cities in the realisation and localisation of Agenda 2063 

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These past three days of the Resilient Cities Congress was overflowing with inspiring messages and innovative ideas that give hope for the future of our cities. More than that, it was three days of cultural and societal exchange. To keep the spirit of the Congress alive, here are some of the best tweets from the 

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by Sophia Rettberg, Resilient Cities 2019 Guest Blogger Food waste is a global issue. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, more than one third of all food worldwide is wasted. When it comes to food waste, the US ranks second worst in the world, wasting around 40 percent of the food produced 

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by Sophia Rettberg, Resilient Cities 2019 Guest Blogger Environmental hazards such as flooding, heat waves and droughts are increasingly common challenges for cities around the globe. As these issues demand on-going adaptation and innovation, local governments have turned to design thinking – a people-centered approach for building products and services – for solutions. Landscape architecture and 

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Never underestimate the power of the 280-character tweet, where we get to see throughout the Congress the ideas and people who are inspiring the most conversation and exchange. In this year’s 10th anniversary of the Resilient Cities Congress, Twitter gives us the greater panorama on resilience, climate change, and global warming. Here’s what people are 

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Authors: André Confiado, Cities Unit, UN Environment; Joke Dufourmont, Programme Lead, Jobs & Skills Programme, Circle Economy; Marion Guénard, Circular Development Officer, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability   Cities around the world are recognizing that the circular economy not only addresses resource scarcity and climate change but also can strengthen local economies and create 

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Lykke Leonardsen is constantly thinking about rainy days… even when it’s sunny outside. But you really can’t blame her. Ever since Copenhagen’s 100-year storm on July 2 of 2011,  which caused major flooding and extensive infrastructure damage, city officials such as Leonardsen, who heads Copenhagen’s program for Resilient and Sustainable City Solutions, have been preoccupied 

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Motorcycle taxis, known as boda-bodas, are a common sight in East Africa. While they serve as an accessible transport option for many urban residents, they also pose serious safety concerns and management challenges. However, new ideas and technologies have the potential to make boda-bodas a part of sustainable mobility systems in African cities. Boda-bodas operate 

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With the release of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) global assessment, it is increasingly clear that biodiversity and natural ecosystems play a crucial role in maintaining the health of the planet, particularly in the face of climate change. The natural environment provides many valuable and free services that contribute directly 

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By Rebecca Wessinghage, Transition Concepts Officer, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability. This article also appears on the Urban Transitions Alliance website. Industrial legacy cities often have a history of quick population growth, urban sprawl and single-purpose urban planning. These factors have led to development trajectories that separated industrial districts from residential districts, creating car-centric 

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