The climate crisis is the most crucial development challenge of our time, and cities have a key role in driving the shift to low-carbon, inclusive economies and thriving communities

More than half the world’s population lives in cities; cities are our global economic engines, centres of innovation and leaders in technology and policy development. The catastrophic risks of climate change coupled with rising inequalities, lack of affordable housing and transport options, and food and energy insecurity pose real threats to cities. Further, cities are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Climate Smart Cities Challenge is an opportunity for cities to participate as implementation partners in a city-based open innovation competition that will invite a global pool of technologists, businesses and investors to develop, test and scale cutting-edge solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and create a better future for all.

We are looking for cities to partner with us to run a challenge, host a real-world testbed, and invite problem-solvers to compete to develop and scale potential solutions to their greenhouse gas challenges and create other social benefits.

These could include a wide range of interventions across multiple sectors or a combination, such as urban form and physical design, transport, waste management, food production, energy systems, housing, ecosystems, use of public space and others. Challenges that are carbon-negative are suitable as well (e.g. green space development).

We are interested in hearing about challenges that, if solved, would not only reduce or offset emissions but would also promote other sustainability and livability goals for your city.

For cities in the Global North, the opportunity is to create liveable and productive urban economies that deliver ambitious reductions in high per capita emissions footprints. For cities in the Global South, the opportunity is to deliver social and economic development for citizens in a way that is clean, green and avoids significant increases in emissions going forward. We want to partner with you wherever you are!

The Climate Smart Cities Challenge, including the three city-based challenges, will be launched at the World Expo in Dubai in October 2021. These three cities will be selected from the pool of open call applicants.