WHY ARE SUSTAINABLE CITIES SO IMPORTANT TO OUR FUTURE?

By 2050, the world’s urban population will have more than doubled in size, at which point seven out of 10 people will live in cities. An estimated 2.5 billion more people will have moved to urban areas, with 90 per cent of this increase taking place in Asia and Africa.  

Yet already, cities represent two-thirds of global energy consumption and account for more than 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions.  

With more than 80 per cent of global GDP generated in cities, urban environments will need to be built – or adapted to work – much more sustainably, given the global backdrop of burgeoning urban populations and ever-more complex city ecosystems.

A purpose-built sustainable city on the journey to net zero, Expo City Dubai is an innovation ecosystem and a test bed for sustainable solutions that are innovative, scalable and transferable. It is at the forefront of building resilience for communities in urban contexts: so that we might learn not just to recover, but to withstand and thrive.

It is within this context that Sustainable Cities in Action Forum 2024 was conceived. In a spirit of practical optimism, our purpose is to explore, discover and provide a platform for sharing sustainable urban solutions that have application for cities of the MEASA region and beyond. 

In March 2024 we brought together leaders and changemakers who are already driving positive change in urban contexts.  

Building cities that “work” – cities that are green, resilient and inclusive – requires robust policy coordination and investment choices. It requires empowered local leadership, meaningful cross-border connections and engagements with influential stakeholders. It requires innovation and collaboration. Sustainable Cities in Action Forum is designed to deliver this transformative change.