Challenge for cities to harness nature’s power for cooling; launched by UNDP at COP27

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNDP) announced a new initiative- the Nature for Cool Cities Challenge, at the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 27). The new initiative incentivizes cities to use the cooling power of nature.

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), Mission Innovation, RMI, World Resources Institute (WRI), World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the University of Oxford, Durham University, and other Cool Coalition members have joined hands to set up this challenge under the framework of the UNEP-led Cool Coalition.

Manuel Pulgar- Vidal, WWF Global Lead for Climate and Energy said, “We have come to COP27 at a time of global crisis, but these crises are a reason to increase our climate ambition, not reduce it. The Challenge’s goal – scaling up nature-based solutions to tackle climate change impacts in cities – is an important one.”

The challenge will showcase urban nature-based solutions’ ability to reduce the urban heat island effect, lower emissions and energy demand.

Convening the challenge, the Cool Coalition partners will provide incubation support in low and lower-middle-income countries for a cohort of cities requiring assistance to harness nature’s power for cooling.

The world would warm by four degree Celsius on average by 2100 which will result in damaging the quality of life, human health, and productivity. The cities therefore will be dealing with the impacts of climate change. For nature-based solutions, cities can benefit from green belts and parks in and around cities, which will deliver cooling services and will reduce local temperatures.  The implementation of this initiative will benefit the cities and bring change at the global level.