The Cities in Climate Change Initiative

Hundreds of millions of people in urban areas across the world will be affected by climate change. The vulnerability of human settlements in this new urban era will increase through rising sea levels, inland floods, frequent and stronger tropical cyclones, periods of increased heat and the spread of diseases. Climate change may negatively impact on the infrastructure and worsen the access to basic urban services and the quality of life in cities. Most affected are the urban poor – the slum dwellers in developing countries.

On the global, regional, national and local levels, UN-HABITAT strives to build awareness on the paramount role cities and local governments have in addressing climate change. Cities have the potential to influence the causes of climate change and they have the solutions to advance climate protection. The success of adaptation critically depends on the availability of necessary resources, not only financial and natural resources, but also knowledge, technical capability, institutional resources and targeted tools.

As an initial component of SUD-Net, the Cities in Climate Change Initiative seeks to enhance climate change mitigation and climate change preparedness of cities in developing and least developed countries. Building on UN-HABITAT’s long experience in sustainable urban development, the Cities in Climate Change Initiative seeks to provide support towards the development and implementation of pro-poor and innovative climate change policies and strategies; and to develop tools for enhancing capacities of local governments. Given the tremendous task ahead, UN-HABITAT will work closely with a diverse range of partners within the UN system, governments at all levels, NGOs, communities, institutions of research and higher learning; capacity building and training agencies; land and property organizations, the private sector, among others.