Centre for Urban Transformation

“Our cities are going to have to be fundamentally different. As we rebuild our material economies, as we rebuild ecological infrastructures, we are going to have to think about a new human-machine economy. The human contribution is going to be about our cognitive capabilities, our capacity to care.” – Indy Johar, Founder of Dark Matter Labs and member of the Davos Baukultur Alliance   The two-day Annual Meeting of Davos Baukultur Alliance at the World Economic Forum headquarters in Geneva brought together over 100 leaders from 25 countries, across 5 continents including investment innovators, leaders in circular construction and materials, ministries of urban development, housing and culture, visionary architects, social entrepreneurs, infrastructure designers, educators, and more.   This uniquely multidisciplinary gathering was opened by Federal Councillor Elisabeth Baume-Schneider and State Councillor Antonio Hodgers. It featured debates, innovative practice sharing, and fostered knowledge sharing via 22 sessions, including plenaries, small group discussions, project presentations, and concluded with a presentation by Dr Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg on her Pollinator Pathmaker work creating ‘interspecies artwork.’ The Davos Baukultur Alliance, chaired by Bundesamt für Kultur BAK, is designed to recouple human-centered planning and development with more sustainable building practices to create more resilient, adaptable communities that strengthen culture and evoke a strong sense of place.   >> See photos of the event here: https://lnkd.in/dMvGhyE9   >> Learn more about the Alliance here: https://lnkd.in/dyP5te8Y   📷 © World Economic Forum

🌟 Meet Zauben 🌟 one of the 14 innovators selected for the Yes SF Urban #Sustainability Challenge. Zauben is on a mission to provide nature-based solutions that help #decarbonize and green future cities. By integrating living walls and green roofs with smart building technology, Zauben aims to create more #sustainable, livable and resilient urban environments that support the transition to a low-carbon future. Interested in exploring how your company can use this sustainable product? Learn more here: https://bit.ly/4bDuhgC #YesSF #SFCommunity #Sustainability #UrbanSustainabilityChallenge San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, Deloitte, Salesforce, Citi, World Economic Forum, UpLink - World Economic Forum

🌿 Embracing Nature-positive #Urban Transformation! 🌍 Key Insights from the Latest Report by World Economic Forum and Oliver Wyman. Foreword of Jeff Merritt and Emilio Asmar. As we navigate the path towards sustainable #urban development, the "Nature Positive: Guidelines for the Transition in Cities" report highlights essential steps and benefits for cities aiming to integrate nature-positive strategies. Here are the key takeaways: 1️⃣ Nature-positive commitment is crucial 🌱 🔹 44% of global GDP in cities ($31 trillion) is at risk due to biodiversity loss, ecosystem collapse, and natural resource shortages. 🔹Only 37% of the world's 500 most populous cities have developed dedicated strategies for nature or biodiversity preservation. 2️⃣ The #urban journey towards nature-positive action 🌳 🔹Commitment: City #leadership must include nature in their urban development agenda to ensure alignment and clear pathways. 🔹Strategy development: Create a nature strategy that complements #climate strategies, outlining clear objectives and actions. 🔹Implementation: Define a roadmap for actions with positive outcomes for nature and establish an impact-monitoring framework. 3️⃣ Actions to improve the enabling #Environment 💧 🔹Governance: Establish specialized governance frameworks for overseeing nature-positive initiatives. 🔹Policy and Regulations: Integrate nature-positive principles into building codes and urban planning #policies. 🔹Financing: Explore innovative funding sources like green bonds and implement payment mechanisms for ecosystem services. 🔹Data and Analytics: Develop a central data portal on nature and #biodiversity accessible to the public for informed decision-making. 🔹Stakeholder Engagement: Launch educational campaigns and engage local organizations to align on nature goals. 🔹Capabilities: Enhance training and reskilling programs for city officials on nature-related topics. 4️⃣ Benefits of an improved #environment 🏞️ 🔹Operational efficiencies: Streamlined operations lead to efficient resource allocation and improved decision-making. 🔹Risk reduction: Better risk management frameworks prepare cities for emerging risks and long-term disruptions. 🔹Increased investment: Facilitating policy environments attract ESG-aligned investors for sustainable projects. 🔹Innovation: Cities adopting nature-positive strategies foster innovation and efficiency within their boundaries. 🔹Enhanced community spirit: Engaging mechanisms and communication channels foster a greater sense of community. 🔹Talent attraction: Cities known for #climate and nature action become hubs for talent and purpose-driven organizations. Let's embrace a nature-positive future for our cities, where human beings and nature thrive together, fostering inclusive growth and shared prosperity. 🌍🌿 #NaturePositive #SustainableCities #UrbanTransformation #Biodiversity #ClimateAction #GreenCities

It's international #BiodiversityDay and the Centre for Urban Transformation has just launched the first in a series of reports about how cities and the private sector can restore ecosystems and bring nature back to cities. The rapid decline of biodiversity is threatening the survival of 1 million species and impacting the lives of billions of people. The World Economic Forum has estimated that 44% of the GDP generated by cities worldwide is susceptible to potential disruptions from the loss of nature. Led by Cristina Gómez Garcia-Reyes in collaboration with Oliver Wyman, the report is designed to help cities 1) establish a shared definition of the key attributes for nature-positive cities, 2) provide clear guidelines and actions for achieving nature-positive urban transformation. In 2022,196 countries signed the UN Environment Programme’s Global Biodiversity Framework to achieve 30 percent conservation of land, sea and inland waters and 30 percent restoration of degraded ecosystems by 2030. The report is a critical first step for cities to understand the scope of the challenge and develop an action plan for achieving these goals. FInd the report here: https://lnkd.in/eudsfPgW

Uber partnered with several cities in Australia -- as well as with behavioural scientists and other mobility and rideshare firms -- to find out what it would take for people to go "car-light." 58 everyday Australians gave up one of their cars and used other modes of transport as they went about their lives for four weeks. They were provided cash to spend on other modes of transit. What did the pilot project reveal? 🚶🚴🏾♀️🛴🚊 "Walking, cycling and rideshare were found to be the “most valued players” of the trial, with the latter two increasing 4-5 times in frequency of use. Participants’ step counts also increased, and they reported health and well-being benefits, while satisfaction with their communities increased by 10%." Read on here ... Adrienne Gibbs Anna BritoDanny Cowan Ashleigh Cormack David Zipper Peter Newman Danny Harris Aaron Naparstek Laura Fox

This week, in honor of #EarthDay, my team and I have been shining a light on tangible actions that public and private sector leaders can take to reduce the roughly 70% of global greenhouse gas emissions that come from cities. Here are a few highlights: -- Infosys, C40 Cities and members of our G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance released a new practitioners guide (https://lnkd.in/gcSB9CDW) and city playbook (https://lnkd.in/gdd4nYCK) to help cities and businesses achieve net-zero carbon through whole life cycle carbon assessments (https://lnkd.in/gA5Kq8Mp). -- As part of our Net Zero Carbon Cities initiative, the World Economic Forum and Accenture released a new report, Reducing Embodied Carbon in Cities: Nine Solutions for Greener Buildings and Communities (https://lnkd.in/gNY8MpE8). -- Here in San Francisco, Deloitte, Salesforce and members of the Yes SF coalition (https://www.yessf.org/), teamed up the World Economic Forum to host a series of workshops and events as part of SF Climate Week, and announced plans for a new community hub downtown (https://lnkd.in/geTuweiJ). -- Members of the Global New Mobility Coalition launched a new effort that brings together global stakeholders across e-commerce, deliveries and logistics, city governments and beyond to reduce the physical footprint and environmental impact of urban deliveries in cities (https://lnkd.in/gC-68cZs). If you want to get involved in any of these efforts, please don't hesitate to shoot my team an email at cities@weforum.org.

Sometimes even a small deed can have a profound impact.   Today we announced Children’s Living Places Ukraine, a unique project by SOS Børnebyerne aiming to build sustainable homes for Ukrainian children and foster families in dire need of housing. The core idea is to rebuild Ukraine to the highest standard by using the methodology and thinking laid out in the VELUX Group’s Living Places concept.   This is a small deed, but a small deed that will have a big impact on the children that will have a place to call home, a place to play, sleep, do homework and feel safe. Dream of a better future.   The new alternative care environments that SOS Children's Villages Ukraine will build in Ukraine serve as a lighthouse project for how to combine social sustainability with healthy and affordable, low-carbon homes that can help reform the childcare sector in Ukraine – and it also demonstrates that our VELUX Living Places concept can be scaled and adapted to fit different needs and local contexts.   Living Places that will serve to connect Ukraine to the world and demonstrate our solidarity with children experiencing the unjust trauma of war. Living Places that connect with a better future where families can thrive. Living Places that promise the children of Ukraine that they might have lost too much, but they have not lost our unwavering support. We hope that this project will help inspire others to act – both in terms of transforming the building industry, and also to support the rebuilding of Ukraine. Davos Baukultur Alliance Tom Selby Jeff Merritt Roland Hunziker State of Green Denmark Danish Industry None of this would have happened had it not been for the enormous generosity and support of the Villum Fonden Viessmann Foundation Grundfos Foundation | PDJF Bitten & Mads Clausen Foundation Jens Kann-Rasmussen Kim Nøhr Skibsted Lars Hansen Alix Chambris Lars Tveen and other foundations and companies funding this important project. And Morten Bødskov and various teams at the Danish Government for encouragement It speaks volumes of your values. Thank you! I’m extremely proud to work for VELUX and the VKR Holding A/S Group, alongside colleagues and a leadership that honours our commitment to being a Model Company every single day. VELUX Lars Petersson Tina Mayn Lone Feifer Christina Bruun Andersen Yuri Tkachenko Mads Kann-Rasmussen DOVISTA Lotte Kragelund Christine Boeriis Dannisøe Anders Dam Vestergaard and thousands of extremely smart and dedicated colleagues.

The G20 Global Smart Cities Alliance has released a policy model with practical steps for #cities worldwide to spark innovation through public procurement. Marketplace.city Connected Places Catapult Sam Markey https://lnkd.in/eHbvRNrS

Reporting from the UN Buildings and Climate Global Forum in Paris, we are happy to share our recent article in World Economic Forum Agenda on the use of biobased materials to reduce embodied carbon in urban buildings. Our two key recommendations are about fostering #systemic_collaboration at a global level, and building capacity in governments to play the most active role posible in shaping a low carbon future. #climateandbuiildingsglobalforum

Just wrapped up a great innovation showcase highlighting our work over the last year to build a dynamic coalition of public and private sector stakeholders who are investing in the revitalization of downtown San Francisco and diversification of the local economy. Building on this experience, I'm thrilled to share that we are doubling-down on this model and will be launching new place-based challenges in cities across the globe -- but I need your help in spreading the word and nominating cities. (1) As part of our Alliance for Urban Innovation (https://lnkd.in/gNWny7gK), we are now accepting nominations for cities who are interested in running Global Innovation Challenges, together with the World Economic Forum and our partners. Learn more and apply here --> https://lnkd.in/gKsZx7D5 (2) In collaboration with Mastercard, we are also launching a new effort to support the activation of communities after dark as a means to support local economies and more vibrant neighborhoods. Learn more and apply here --> https://lnkd.in/g9dYpTAf Submissions for these two opportunities are welcome from city governments, the business community, or nonprofit partners but the deadline to apply is 15 March 2024. #cities #urbandevelopment #urbanregeneration #downtown #localeconomy #urbantransformation #innovation #urbaninnovation