Future-proofing urban transformation. The Ipcc Special Report on Climate Change and Cities as a catalyst for action

The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SR Cities), scheduled for release in 2027, represents a pivotal moment for global climate governance. It will be the first IPCC report dedicated entirely to urban systems, consolidating evidence on how cities can drive climate mitigation, build resilience, and advance equitable climate solutions. However, the report's potential impact depends on whether governments, donors, international organizations and the private sector are prepared to translate its findings into actionable policies, financing mechanisms, and implementation pathways. In this event, we will present a forthcoming policy paper on the SR Cities and explore the strategic opportunities it creates for urban and multilevel climate action. It centers on three key dimensions of readiness for effectively leveraging the SR Cities' findings. 1) Policy preparedness requires examining how national and subnational governments can integrate SR Cities findings into NDC and NAP implementation, national climate strategies, and urban investment plans. What policy reforms are needed now to ensure cities have the mandates and recognition required to act? 2) Effective governance mechanisms must be explored, including models of vertical integration and multilevel cooperation that can strengthen coordination between national and subnational governments. How can cities move from being treated as delivery mechanisms to becoming recognized decision-makers in climate governance? 3) Financing pathways demand attention. What reforms to the global climate finance architecture are necessary to provide cities with predictable, direct access to resources? How can development partners align funding cycles and programs to support urban climate implementation at scale? By positioning the SR Cities as a catalyst rather than just a reference document, we will explore how to build the political momentum, institutional readiness, and financial infrastructure needed to ensure the report drives transformative change. Best practices will be examined, systemic barriers identified, and actionable pathways charted forward. The goal is to strengthen the pathway from science to action by ensuring robust evidence is embedded into urban and multilevel policy systems well before 2027. Participants will gain concrete recommendations on how to prepare institutions, align funding mechanisms, and build coalitions that can respond decisively once the SR Cities is released.