The Findings from Innovate4Cities 2021 and Update to the Global Research and Action Agenda are released in a report that reflects the research, policy, public discussions, recommendations, and research gaps in work on cities that were discussed at the conference. They also further built on the former Global Research and Action Agenda for Cities and Climate Change Science (GRAA) (figure below), drawing on hundreds of presentations and discussions at the Innovate4Cities 2021 Conference that have relevance across disciplinaries.

Fig. Updated Global Research and Action Agenda on Cities and Climate Change Science illustrating topical areas (middle ring) where research is needed, as well as cross-cutting (inner ring) areas for action and delivery approaches (outer ring) modified from original GRAA graphic design by Amanali Cornejo V, World Climate Research Programme (2019).

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy press release stated: “The GRAA is also a building block towards the Seventh Assessment Report Cycle (AR7) of the IPCC’s Special Report on Cities and Climate Change and Working Groups II and III reports that highlight the importance of cities in adapting to and mitigating climate change.”

The Future Earth community helped shape the Innovate4Cities conference that took place on Oct. 11–15, 2021. Convened by UN-Habitat, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, and co-sponsored by The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, World Meteorological Organization, and United Nations Environment Programme alongside a wider network of partners. It was the biggest urban-focused conference of the year (7000 participants). To read more about Future Earth’s engagement with Innovate4Cities, follow the link here.

Contributing authors from the Urban Knowledge-Action Network are co-chair Dr. Xuemei Bai, Dr. Seth Schultz and former Steering Committee member Dr. Debra Roberts, alongside Mr. Bernhard Barth, Dr. Cathy Oke (from the Advisory Group), and Dr. Giles B. Sioen (Science Officer).

Future Earth contact for the Innovate4Cities conference: Dr. Giles B. Sioen, Co-lead for Research and Innovation and Science Officer/Liaison to the Urban Knowledge-Action Network: urban@futureearth.org