World Resources Report Synthesis Launch: Seven Transformations for More Equitable and Sustainable Cities

Join us for the launch of the capstone report in our flagship World Resources Report series, Towards a More Equal City.

Synthesizing six years of research from 160 authors and reviewers, Seven Transformations for More Equitable and Sustainable Cities presents a new vision for urban planning and development that can lead to better quality of life for under-served urban residents, and citywide economic and environmental benefits. Seven crucial transformations and detailed recommended actions for key actors show how to reimagine urban service provision, how to include the excluded, and how to create the enabling conditions for real, lasting change.

As the world looks to recover from COVID-19 and accommodate the more than 2.5 billion people that will be added to cities by 2050, the stakes—for vulnerable communities, our economy, our planet, and our common future—could not be higher. Lack of access to core urban services not only holds back individual livelihoods but also keeps everyone from contributing fully to the city; it lowers productivity, causes poor health outcomes, has enormous environmental consequences and locks people into poverty for generations.

Decisions made today can widen the “urban services divide” in ways that grow harder to reverse and worsen the risks of climate change. But cities can also lead transformative change for people and the environment.

Hear from global and local leaders and WRI experts on how to spur action and create more equal, prosperous, and sustainable cities for all.

Speakers

• Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO at World Resources Institute

• Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director, United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)

• Bijal Brahmbatt, Director, Mahila Housing SEWA Trust 

• Parks Tau, Member of the Executive Council (MEC), Gauteng Department of Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development, South Africa

• Frannie Léautier, Senior Partner, SouthBridge Group; CEO, SouthBridge Investments

• Anjali Mahendra, Director of Global Research at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

• Robin King, Director of Knowledge Capture and Collaboration at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

• Rogier van den Berg, Director for Urban Development and Acting Global Director at WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

• Kathleen Koch, Former CNN correspondent, Author, Journalist, and Founder, LeadersLink (moderator of fireside chat)