Luke Antoniou
Senior Editor, SmartCitiesWorld
Cities play a crucial role in combating climate change, a growing global priority highlighted at UN COP meetings. Their significance in this battle has gained increasing recognition on the international stage.
COP30, hosted in Brazil in November, represents a pivotal moment for cities and local governments in strengthening climate resilience strategies that truly serve people and the planet.
Financing climate resilience in cities
Cities face rising climate risks, from extreme weather events to infrastructure stress, yet many local governments lack the financial resources needed to build resilience. According to the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA), cities have access to less than 1% of the $1.3 trillion in annual climate flows. Addressing this challenge requires innovative funding mechanisms and collaboration among local and national governments, multilateral development banks and private finance institutions.
The Cities Climate Action Summit, held during London Climate Action Week, provides an opportunity for cities to define their financial needs ahead of COP30. Effective climate finance enables investments in critical infrastructure, disaster preparedness and nature-based solutions that enhance urban resilience. As climate impacts intensify, securing the necessary funding will be essential for cities to protect residents, economies and built environments.
City leaders must identify strategies through which resilience of the built environment also incorporates social resilience, maintaining cities as places where the majority of the population wants to live, work and play.
Alongside finance,
technology plays a critical role
in strengthening urban resilience.
Technology as a driver of climate resilience
Alongside finance, technology plays a critical role in strengthening urban resilience. Smart infrastructure, artificial intelligence and digital twins are all helping cities to predict, prepare for and respond to climate risks more effectively. These technologies allow cities to monitor environmental conditions more closely and in real time, optimise their energy use and improve disaster response strategies.
These digital tools are helping cities to be more dynamic and better prepared, supporting better decision-making and allowing cities to implement adaptive strategies to help create more liveable cities. The Technology Innovation for Community-Centric Cities (TICCCITIES) initiative, launched this year by SmartCitiesWorld, has this message at its core. The initiative urges cities to consider how new tech-led projects will impact their residents, encouraging innovation that is as transparent as it is forward-thinking.
Finance and technology must come together
Cities must ensure that finance and technology come together to drive climate action in cities. Without adequate funding, the most impactful technologies will remain out of reach for many communities. Without smart, considerate technology deployment, climate finance may fail to serve those who need it most.
