We often hear that cities are at the forefront of climate action. But what does this exactly mean? At the IDB, we work to support cities in their challenges towards sustainable development, making adaptation and mitigation of the effects of climate change one of our key focus areas. To answer many questions about climate action in cities, the IDB, the Ministry of Environment … [Read more...] about 22 Ways your city can address climate change
Sustainable development
Between 1950 and 2014, Latin America and the Caribbean urbanized at an unprecedented rate, increasing its urban population from 50 to 80 percent (as a percentage of the total); a figure that is expected to reach 86 percent by 2050. On the other hand, Latin American cities are extremely vulnerable to extreme weather events, droughts and floods: three-quarters of Latin Americans live in low-lying coastal areas. How to promote sustainable urban development? Learn more by reading our blog and downloading this publication.
At the forefront of COP28: enhancing urban resilience in cities through Nature-Based Solutions
World leaders are closing their meetings today at COP28 in Dubai with the aim to increase the climate ambition and action of all countries, and to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon and resilient future. There is no doubt that COP28 has been a crucial conference for the global response to climate change. It has an opportunity to review the progress made since the … [Read more...] about At the forefront of COP28: enhancing urban resilience in cities through Nature-Based Solutions
At the forefront of COP28: climate action in the cities of Latin America and the Caribbean
Cities play a leading role in climate action. In a recent article, we explained how municipalities in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) can contribute to achieving the goals set in the Country Agreement and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of their countries. Cities are responsible for around 70% of the region's greenhouse gas emissions and bear almost 80% of … [Read more...] about At the forefront of COP28: climate action in the cities of Latin America and the Caribbean
Eight strategies to adapt our cities to climate change
Cities are critically vulnerable to climate change. In Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), one of the world's most vulnerable regions to climate change, cities are already facing the growing risks of water scarcity, sea level rise, and extreme weather events such as heat waves and floods. These climate events increase mortality and morbidity, cause asset and economic losses, … [Read more...] about Eight strategies to adapt our cities to climate change
Towards a brighter future: the IDB Group’s commitment to street lighting
Anyone who lives in a city knows the feeling of looking at the night sky and not seeing any stars. Not because they are not there, but because light pollution in many areas of our cities prevents us from perceiving them clearly. In truth, this may be one of the few disappointing consequences of having a good public lighting system, since the illumination of our cities plays a … [Read more...] about Towards a brighter future: the IDB Group’s commitment to street lighting