Implementing the New Urban Agenda through a global sustainable cities platform: the GPSC

The Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC), which was launched in March 2016, is an ambitious attempt to promote urban sustainability, recognizing the unique window of opportunity that comes with rapid urbanization. As mayors in developing countries seek to transform cities as inclusive and resilient hubs of growth, there is a growing demand for innovative tools and knowledge to help them make informed decisions.

The GPSC project is implemented through a partnership in which GEF is the core funding partner, a series of implementing agencies that manage investment projects in 11 countries, and the Resource Team, composed by World Resources Institute, C40 and ICLEI, provides technical knowledge and supports the platform by connecting GPSC cities to other cities through their networks. The Resource Team which is sponsoring this networking event, is a key technical partner for the project, in charge of organizing peer exchanges, and proving learning opportunities and capacity building to participating cities through different kinds of events.

The networking event proposed for WUF would present the GPSC project as a model of partnership which combines technical support and funding for sustainable urban projects. The event will have a panel format in which the various actors involved in the project [GEF, Work Bank, WRI, ICLEI, C40 and a recipient country] will present different aspects of the project [see speakers section for details].

The GPSC project is well aligned with the spirit and goals of the New Urban Agenda (NUA) which underscores three operational enablers for implementation --financing, urban planning, and provision of basic services and infrastructure -- by providing technical knowledge and learning on integrated planning and sectoral topics (transport, energy, waste management, transit-oriented development), and financing for sustainable infrastructure projects. This two-pronged approach serves as a practical example of how the NUA can be implemented.