UN-Habitat has recently launched a series of Training of Trainers (ToT) webinars to equip national and local project personnel, municipal government officials, and technical staff with the skills and tools needed to build climate resilience in urban poor communities. So far, over 60 participants from countries including Bolivia, Colombia, Ethiopia, Jordan, Tunisia, Lao PDR, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, and South Africa have taken part. These sessions support participants in implementing climate resilience initiatives in at-risk urban communities while promoting collaboration and interregional learning.

These hybrid sessions are a key part of the Resilient Settlements for the Urban Poor (RISE UP) flagship programme, which focuses on accelerating adaptation projects in cities facing significant climate-related challenges through mobilizing substantial investment. This flagship programme aims to transform these communities into climate-resilient, sustainable, and equitable urban areas. Since its inception in 2019, the RISE UP flagship programme has 40 projects across 28 countries, demonstrating UN-Habitat's commitment to creating resilient and equitable urban futures amidst climate challenges. 

Through sessions conducted in May and June 2024, national and local governments, alongside key stakeholders, gained the resources, knowledge, and institutional capacities needed to accelerate local climate projects and become role-models for locally-led adaptation. So far, the ToT webinars have included three modules across five sessions, making use of the RISE UP Multilayered Vulnerability Assessment (MVA) methodology. This comprehensive approach maps, spatially overlays, and assesses interconnected and cascading vulnerabilities related to climate change, urbanization, and biodiversity loss in urban areas. This knowledge helps identify hotspots of local vulnerabilities and allows cities to design holistic resilience solutions for the most at-risk communities while achieving global climate goals.

Participants gained important skills in conducting multidimensional vulnerability assessments, gathering and analyzing data, and using GIS in complex urban settings. With these new capabilities they are now better equipped to implement systemic climate resilience actions and train others in their communities, creating a ripple effect of enhanced capacity across different levels of government and sectors. 

By empowering local leaders and technical staff with practical skills and innovative tools, these webinars represent a significant advancement in building climate resilience, driving impactful change and sustainable development.  Upcoming sessions, aligned with the RISE UP flagship programme work plan, will support local stakeholders on topics such as integrating gender, equity, and social inclusion in urban climate resilience projects, designing local adaptation and urban resilience strategies, and preparing bankable climate resilience projects for cities.