With people increasing living in urban spaces, cities and towns have a disproportionate role to play in advancing climate action, the 2030 Agenda, effective disaster risk reduction, and other pillars of sustainable development.

Meeting at the intersection of interconnected crises—the COVID-19 pandemic; climate change; wars, including in Ukraine—many delegates raised the resulting challenges faced by local and regional governments while also pointing to innovative solutions they carry, including how to implement the Sustainable Development Goals.

The “triple C crises” of COVID-19 pandemic, climate disasters, and emerging conflicts are converging on cities, pushing already marginalized populations further into poverty. Against this backdrop, many participants agreed that the world’s race towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be decided in cities, and it will be decided soon.

Participants from around the world gathered for the Summit to exchange experiences, which showcase the multiple benefits of nature for cities for tackling the triple planetary crisis. They also focused on key levers to accelerate implementation, ranging from local to global actions, and from policy to finance measures.