The dynamic international conference which brings together cities, climate change, innovation, and science – the Innovate4Cities (I4C) Conference – is now open for registration.
The global virtual I4C Conference covering Science and Innovation partnerships driving inclusive, resilient, and climate-neutral cities, runs from 11 to 15 October 2021 and is expected to attract over 1,000 city leaders, scientists, researchers, innovators, academics, youth and business leaders and is open to everyone.
Seth Schultz, CEO of Resilience Shift and Co-Chair of the I4C Conference Science and Innovation Steering Committee, said: “At the IPCC Cities conference in Edmonton in 2018, we brought academics and practitioners together and considerably strengthened the scientific discourse on urban climate action. In 2021, we will do the same again, this time also engaging crucial actors in the engineering field, private businesses and institutional investors. Bring your ideas and innovations to this dynamic conference, by registering to attend today!”
Co-hosted by UN-Habitat and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), I4C brings together research and science to help cities reduce their carbon footprint and increase climate resilience. It aims to catalyze engagement, new partnerships and initiatives between scientists and practitioners and will focus on regional priorities for climate action in cities, and innovative solutions and approaches.
The ground-breaking conference comes on the heels of the recent alarming report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which warned that human-induced climate change is already causing weather and climate extremes across the globe.
Sheela Patel, Chair of the Board of Slum Dwellers International and Co-chair of the I4C Conference Science and Innovation Steering Committee, commented: “Low-income communities are among the worst hit by climate change impacts, but they are also knowledge generators and disseminators with vast amounts of local expertise. By bringing their experiences together with scientists and practitioners, the I4C conference can help to bridge divides and stimulate action to deliver climate justice for the urban poor. But to achieve this goal we need your participation.”
Deliberations from the virtual I4C Conference will also feed into the 26th UN Climate Change Conference (COP 26) which will be held in Glasgow, Scotland, from 31 October and World Cities Day on the same date.
The first Cities and Science climate conference, attended by over 800 participants in Edmonton, Canada, in 2018 led to the Global Research and Action Agenda on Cities and Climate Change Science, the GCoM’s Innovate4Cities initiative to drive climate action in cities and the Edmonton Declaration on climate change signed by over 3400 North American cities.
UN-Habitat
UN-Habitat works in over 90 countries supporting people in cities and human settlements for a better urban future. A significant part of its work relates to responding to natural and man-made crises and on building back in a greener, safer and in a more resilient and inclusive way. Working with governments and local partners, its high impact projects combine world-class expertise and local knowledge to deliver timely and targeted solutions. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on cities, SDG 11, to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy has a specific focus on enhancing the
development of climate change science relevant to urban areas. GCoM is the largest global alliance
for city climate leadership, built upon the commitment of over 10,000 cities and local governments.
These cities are located in 6 continents and 138 countries and represent more than 800 million
people.
