UrbanShift, the Global Environment Facility-funded partnership led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and supported by C40 Cities, World Resources Institute (WRI), and ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, launched a new digital platform to enhance knowledge and understanding around integrated, sustainable urban development.
Developing country cities are projected to triple in size in the next decade, making integrated urban development approaches essential for sustainable, equitable and healthy cities that are good for both people and planet.
As such, the UrbanShift City Academy, an online learning platform, was designed to train urban practitioners to rethink existing urban systems and develop integrated processes that contribute to building climate-resilient, nature-positive cities.
“Understanding sustainable urban design is crucial for addressing urban challenges,” said Geordie Colville, Chief of the Energy and Climate Branch at UNEP. “The UrbanShift City Academy equips learners to envision cities as socio-ecosystems, blending built and natural environments with the local economy.”
The UrbanShift academy is built around eight free online courses covering topics ranging from climate action planning to sustainable neighborhood design to circular economy strategies. The courses are available in six languages: English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian Bahasa and Mandarin.
The UrbanShift City Academy includes courses researched and curated by experts from leading institutions in the sustainability and urban development space. Covering 50-plus hours of presentations, real-world case studies, videos and interactive quizzes, each course is designed to be self-contained and self-paced to allow for flexible learning. Upon completion, participants will receive a personalized certificate reflecting their commitment to study and knowledge development.
“All challenges facing our planet are interconnected,” said Rogier van den Berg, Global Director at the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities. “These innovative courses encourage leaders to think across siloes and understand how to create transformative change that addresses social, economic and environmental goals together.”
All City Academy courses are relevant to urban practitioners and leaders across the globe. However, the case studies and resources place a special focus on stories from the Global South, recognizing that cities here are already facing some of the most severe impacts of climate change.
"Cities and regions are on the frontlines tackling the climate emergency through sustainable urban development policy and implementation,” said Maryke van Staden, Director, Carbonn Climate Center, ICLEI World Secretariat. Through the UrbanShift City Academy courses, participants will learn to combine “economic development with the preservation of natural resources and increase their capacity to develop investment-ready sustainable urban infrastructure projects,” she added.
For more information, please contact: Sharon Gil, Programme Management Officer, Cities Unit, UNEP, at sharon.gil@un.org
