Sustainable Cities
As the world increasingly urbanizes, cities must be at the forefront of global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and climate change risks. Cities not only account for 70% of global CO2 emissions from energy use, they are also at the forefront of climate change vulnerability, with a majority already experiencing harmful impacts to their citizens and infrastructure as a result of extreme weather events. To address this, trillions of dollars in finance for climate action in cities is needed – highlighting a significant investment gap in urban climate solutions.
CPI is Secretariat for the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA), the only multi- level and multi-stakeholder coalition aimed at closing the investment gap for urban subnational climate projects and infrastructure worldwide. CCFLA provides a platform to convene and exchange knowledge among all relevant actors dedicated to urban climate action. It also publishes research encompassing key topics including the state of cities climate finance, scaling finance for zero carbon buildings, and urban adaptation finance.
Featured work
Publication
The State of Cities Climate Finance
The 2021 State of Cities Climate Finance Report examines the state of urban climate investment, the barriers to reaching the needed investment levels, and the steps to overcoming these challenges.
Publication
Policy Brief: How to Increase Financing for Urban Climate Adaptation and Resilience
This policy brief presents key actions for national policymakers around the world to increase the amount of available finance for cities to respond to climate risks.
Publication
Increasing Subnational Pension Funds’ Climate Investments
This report explores the ways in which pension funds represents a key source of capital for urban climate action.
Latest work
Blog
Blog: Urban climate finance is a low-hanging fruit of MDB reform
Cities are not receiving the finance they need to adapt to the effects of climate change. Multilateral development banks, by leveraging their balance sheets and technical expertise, can be a cornerstone in attracting the financing needed for cities in low- and middle-income countries to realize their climate action plans.
Publication
Net Zero Carbon Buildings in Cities: Interdependencies between Policy and Finance
This report offers initial findings on the general challenges and mechanisms behind the transition towards a net zero carbon buildings sector, helping shed light on concrete pathways cities can implement to decarbonize the building sector.
Blog
COP28 Recap: CCFLA’s Impactful Engagement in Advancing Urban Climate Finance
As COP28 closes with a groundbreaking commitment to transition away from fossil fuels making headlines across the media landscape, the CCFLA team has taken time to reflect on the progress made during this year’s conference in driving our mission forward—to accelerate urban climate finance.
Publication
Accelerating Urban Climate Finance in Low- and Middle- Income Countries: An important strategic dimension of MDB reform
This report presents the first assessment of ten MDBs’ contributions to urban climate finance in L&MICs and explores opportunities for them to do more.
Publication
Financing Net Zero Carbon Buildings in Nigeria
This report is part of a three-part series led by CCFLA to promote an understanding of financing barriers to net zero carbon building and identifies how national, state, and local policy and regulatory frameworks can be improved to drive private and public investment in this sector.
Publication
Social Infra Ventures
Social Infra Ventures is a first-of-its-kind rental and for sale gender-responsive green affordable housing platform in Northern Africa.
Publication
The State of Global Air Quality Funding 2023
The only global analysis of funding from international development donors to tackle air pollution.
Publication
Supporting Access to Climate Finance for Small and Intermediary Cities: A Guide for Project Preparation Facilities
This guide focuses on the role of Project Preparation Facilities (PPFs) in helping municipal governments and other public sector entities in small and intermediary cities unlock greater access to finance for climate infrastructure projects.