The World Economic Forum (WEF) has partnered with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll), the Basel Agency for Sustainable Energy (Base), and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) to launch a toolbox to help cities increase urban decarbonisation and resilience.
The Toolbox of Solutions contains more than 300 case studies involving more than 150 cities around the world. It gives users access to solutions through a search tailored to each city’s strategic planning priorities, including specific issues such as electricity grid health, population density, and income level. It aims to provide knowledge and proven examples which have resulted in lower emissions, while also advancing economic development, job creation and improved human health through better air and water quality.
“For urban ecosystems, the solutions and innovations needed to reduce emissions already exist. We know that to shift the climate change trajectory, urban ecosystems and the economy must become far more efficient, electric and circular,” said Kristen Panerali, head of energy, materials and infrastructure program, clean power, electrification and net-zero carbon cities, at the WEF. “The toolbox contains inspiration from around the world to reduce emissions while also boosting economic development, creating jobs and improving air quality.”
The toolbox has been designed to work hand-in-hand with the City Sprint process, WEF’s workshop series which brings together local business and city leaders to identify new projects and partnerships. City Sprint’s objective is to foster public-private collaboration by creating a coalition of local stakeholders that can implement projects in each city after the City Sprint workshops have ended.
“Climate change and its impacts are not bound by jurisdictions and require a collaborative approach,” said Hitesh Vaidya, director, National Institute of Urban Affairs. “Sharing of responsibilities by players across the spectrum – at various scales of planning and implementation is a key to the path of net zero. NIUA – through their collaboration with the Forum is sharing knowledge via the Toolbox of Solutions and leading their own series of City Sprints in India with a focus on mainstreaming climate actions in the local development agenda to enable Indian cities towards a sustainable and resilient future as part of the Sustainable Cities India Programme.”