Nairobi played host to more than 250 leaders from African cities on Monday, as they gathered for the Green & Resilient UrbanShift Africa Forum. This high-profile event, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and hosted by C40 Cities, focused on the urgent need for sustainable urban development across the continent.
Governor Johnson Sakaja of Nairobi opened the forum at the UN Headquarters in Nairobi, highlighting the immense potential for transformation in Africa’s cities. He emphasized the continent’s young population, which he believes presents a unique opportunity to reshape urban realities for many residents. “Africa’s young population presents a significant opportunity to reshape the reality for many cities and residents,” Sakaja said in his address.
The forum brought together a diverse range of stakeholders, including mayors, policymakers, investors, and business leaders, all aiming to tackle the pressing issue of climate change in African cities. With increasing vulnerability to extreme weather events like floods and droughts, the focus was placed on the urgent need for climate financing in urban areas. Sakaja stressed that while African city leaders have shown remarkable leadership in adopting climate solutions, they require substantial financial backing to meet their ambitious goals.
According to Martin Krause, Director of UNEP’s Climate Change Division, “National climate action plans, co-developed with sub-national governments, can empower cities to mobilize resources and funding for more effective implementation, protection of urban residents, and low-carbon, resilient development.” This sentiment echoed throughout the forum, with many calling for stronger collaboration between city leaders, national governments, and global investors to address climate-related challenges.
A key highlight of the forum was the presentation of recent research by the World Resources Institute (WRI), which revealed that African cities have made significant progress in adopting climate solutions. In the past decade alone, nearly 300 nature-based projects for climate resilience have been initiated across sub-Saharan Africa, securing over $21 billion in funding. However, over 80% of these projects have been financed primarily through grants, underscoring the need for new and innovative funding mechanisms.
The forum also saw the launch of the Roadmap on Sustainable Finance Action and Advocacy for Global South Cities. This new initiative aims to assist mayors in accessing funding and advocating for fiscal decentralization, a crucial step in ensuring long-term climate resilience in African urban areas.
As the Green & Resilient UrbanShift Africa Forum draws to a close, it has set the stage for a new era of sustainable urban development across Africa, with stronger partnerships and renewed commitments to financing climate action in the region’s cities.
