23 September 2014: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) launched an Integrated Program on Sustainable Cities in the context of the UN Climate Summit, which took place on 23 September 2014. The program will establish a common platform for cities to access and share solutions on climate change adaptation and mitigation, energy, transport and water.

Cities are responsible for 70% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, consume more than two-thirds of the global energy supply and are vulnerable to climate change, according to the GEF. At the same time, the GEF points out that cities offer an opportunity to fundamentally re-think urban design and enhance resilience and sustainability. Within this context, the Integrated Program on Sustainable Cities aims to provide a space for cities to experiment, reflect and establish an analysis framework.

The cities platform includes a sustainability plan and urban management tools. Through the sustainability plan, GEF will support cities and urban areas to develop a plan that assesses its challenges and opportunities. Cities will then design and implement sustainability plans through urban management tools, including metrics to quantify energy and material flows.

The GEF committed US$100 million to the Program, which will also draw upon country resources and an incentive mechanism to match country allocations. [GEF Press Release]