Abstract

This report summarizes the leading ideas, case studies, and tools shared during the Urban Hemispheric Dialogue on Climate Resilience & Adaptation, organized by Cities Forward in São Paulo, Brazil on June 18, 2024. The Dialogue gathered more than 70 local and regional stakeholders from the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean, along with representatives from non-governmental organizations, the private sector, and academia, to discuss urban adaptation and resilience solutions to climate change. Focusing on replicable cases and lessons learned, the convening covered topics such as nature-based solutions, housing risks, ecosystem-based adaptation, water infrastructure, and technology across four thematic sessions.

The Hemispheric Dialogue on Climate Resilience & Adaptation is part of Cities Forward, a collaborative program that promotes peer-to-peer exchange, the strengthening of local capabilities, and project co-development in the context of urban sustainability. The initiative is the result of a partnership between the U.S. Department of State, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, Resilient Cities Catalyst, and the Institute of the Americas.

As participants in Cities Forward, twelve cities from Latin America and the Caribbean were paired with local governments from the United States, and they have been working together to address sustainability and social inequality challenges for the past year. The Dialogue represented an opportunity for paired cities to engage in-person for the second time since the launch of the Cities Forward initiative. It also immediately preceded ICLEI's World Congress, which took place in São Paulo June 19-21 and gathered more than a thousand representatives from local governments around the world to discuss central themes in sustainable urban development.

This report aims to share the leading ideas presented during the Hemispheric Dialogue by more than ten subject matter experts. It is structured around lessons learned from each session, case studies, and key takeaways. Ultimately, this report is expected to disseminate knowledge on urban sustainable development and assist in policy design and implementation.