Bridging the Gap for SDGs in Action Pairing Cities to Accelerate Local Climate Solutions

UCLG ASPAC and partners in this event have strong commitment in accelerating the SDGs action at local level. Cities play a critical role in achieving the SDGs, particularly in advancing climate action and sustainable urban development. Local governments in Asia Pacific and other region face gaps in technical capacity, institutional coordination, financing, and access to proven solutions. These challenges are especially visible in addressing interconnected urban issues such as waste management, nature-based solutions (NbS), and urban mobility where siloed approaches often limit impact. This session highlights city pairing approach as a practical mechanism to close the SDGs implementation gaps. The city pairing model connects cities with complementary strengths and needs to jointly design, adapt, and implement climate-responsive urban solutions aligned with SDG 11 and SDG 13. The session will demonstrate how cities from Asia Pacific region with other region operationalises SDGs in Action through structured pairing activities, including joint problem diagnosis, peer-to-peer technical exchange, co-creation of action plans, and pilot implementation. Paired cities collaborate on integrated thematic areas such as climate-responsive waste management, NbS for flood mitigation and public space, low-carbon and inclusive urban mobility, and housing solutions that align climate resilience with affordability and social inclusion. Through examples from ongoing city pairings by Urban-act project, the event will show how activities such as study visits, technical workshops, hands-on design sessions, and continuous learning enable cities to translate policy commitments into tangible local results. The session emphasises mutual learning rather than one-way transfer, ensuring solutions are adapted to local contexts while strengthening institutional capacity and cross-sector coordination. Designed as an interactive dialogue, the session will bring together city leaders, practitioners, development partners, and city networks to reflect on how city-to-city pairing can overcome fragmentation, accelerate implementation, and scale up integrated climate solutions. By focusing on practical experience and real delivery mechanisms, the session positions city pairing as a powerful tool to turn global goals into concrete, locally driven action for SDGs in Action. It also explores pathways for replication, long-term partnerships, and sustained impact.