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Climate Central analysis reveals that residents in 65 of the largest U.S. cities experience an average of 8°F of additional heat due to the built environment. The document details mitigation strategies including green space, shade structures, water features, and cool pavements/roofs, while highlighting that heat exposure is disproportionately higher in historically redlined areas and low-income neighborhoods.

The Clean Economy Fund (CEF) is a USD 75 million structured-equity fund targeting a financing gap for Indian climate tech companies seeking USD 1-10 million. It employs a two-stage investment approach using convertible notes for early commercialization and direct equity for early growth, supported by a 20% junior tranche to absorb downside risks from non-converting notes. The fund focuses on three verticals: industrial solutions, energy systems, and the built environment. It aims for a first close of USD 35-40 million by mid-to-late 2026, targeting a mitigation impact of 15 megatons of CO2e over ten years.

The document examines how the High Line's vegetation helps alleviate urban heat islands (UHIs), which are areas of elevated heat caused by population density and the built environment. It notes that while human-caused climate change warms the planet, urban infrastructure amplifies average and extreme temperatures, disproportionately affecting underserved populations. The report focuses on the role of trees and plants in urban spaces as a solution to these heat-related health and quality-of-life threats.

Climate Central's analysis of 65 major U.S. cities reveals that approximately 76% of the 6.2 million K-12 public school students in these areas attend school in 'extreme urban heat zones,' where the built environment adds at least 8°F of additional heat. The average student in these cities attends school in a neighborhood that is 8.3°F hotter due to the built environment, with the highest average additional heat found in New York City (9.6°F). The report highlights that children are particularly vulnerable to heat-related health risks, which can impair academic achievement and development, while noting that 41% of public school districts need to update or replace HVAC systems in at least half of their schools.

Climate Central analyzed the urban heat island (UHI) index across 65 major U.S. cities, finding that 68% of the 50 million residents in these cities live in areas where the built environment increases temperatures by 8°F or more. The study identifies albedo, green space, and population density as the primary drivers of this effect. It also highlights a link between historical redlining and current heat disparities, noting that in 84% of 179 analyzed cities, historically redlined areas experience hotter summers than non-redlined areas.

The document outlines the benefits and application of the Climate Bonds Initiative's certification for commercial and residential buildings in Tokyo and 16 other Japanese cities, aiming for a zero-carbon future by 2050.

WRI Europe's 2023-2027 strategy focuses on transforming the food, land, water, energy, and city systems to achieve interconnected goals for people, nature, and climate. The strategy emphasizes Europe's role as a driver, consumer, and partner for change, specifically supporting the implementation of the EU Green Deal and managing the impacts of the energy transition, such as the demand for rare minerals. WRI Europe aims to act as an enabling office for focus countries with large emerging economies while addressing Europe's own environmental footprint through data-driven solutions and partnerships like the Systems Transformation Hub in Brussels.

The report analyzes urban greenhouse gas emissions, focusing on the transportation and built environment sectors. It evaluates the annual emissions reduction potential of various efficiency-based technologies—such as electric vehicles, LED street lighting, and building retrofits—and explores carbon removal strategies, including artificial technologies and nature-based solutions. The analysis provides a baseline for both global and Swedish emissions to guide municipal policymakers in selecting high-impact decarbonization strategies.

The document details the priorities for the second week of COP26, highlighting the critical role of nature-based solutions, the need for a functional Enhanced Transparency Framework, and the funding gap for adaptation and loss and damage. It emphasizes the necessity of integrating science and gender equity into climate action, the decarbonization of the built environment and transport sectors, and the urgent need for tangible financial commitments and representation for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and Indigenous peoples.

The We Mean Business Coalition argues that integrating climate ambition into economic recovery is a strategic necessity for long-term growth and resilience. The statement highlights that green recovery measures are more effective at creating jobs and increasing GDP than traditional stimulus. It calls for specific policy actions, including the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, mandatory TCFD-aligned financial disclosures, and the requirement that companies receiving public financial assistance adopt science-based targets consistent with a 1.5°C warming limit.

The study assesses the integration of climate adaptation into energy efficiency projects in the Baltic Sea Region, finding that mitigation and adaptation are largely treated as separate policy areas. While new buildings more frequently implement adaptation measures above minimum standards, retrofitted buildings primarily focus on mitigation. The report identifies key synergies, such as green roofs and automated indoor climates, but notes that their implementation is often ad hoc rather than planned. Significant barriers include a lack of legal requirements, funding gaps, and limited awareness among developers.

The report advocates for social-ecological transformations in Asian cities to meet global climate and development goals. It focuses on three key sectors: the built environment, transport, and public participation, arguing that environmental protection must be integrated with social justice to avoid further marginalizing vulnerable populations. The authors highlight that while Asian cities are major GHG emitters, their density offers opportunities for efficiency. The report emphasizes the need for nature-based solutions, active transport, and inclusive governance, while noting that the COVID-19 pandemic has both exposed urban inequalities and provided a catalyst for rethinking unsustainable consumption and urban design.

The We Mean Business Coalition asserts that a transition to a zero-carbon economy is achievable but requires stronger government intervention to accelerate. The document highlights corporate commitments across power, transport, the built environment, heavy industry, and land use, while calling for policies such as carbon pricing, the removal of fossil fuel subsidies by 2025, and the implementation of robust Article 6 rules under the Paris Agreement to drive systemic change.

The document outlines five strategic actions for cities to address the built environment, which accounts for nearly 50 percent of GHG emissions in large cities. These actions include performing deep energy retrofits on city-owned buildings, implementing net-zero and progressive building codes, supporting citywide LED lighting upgrades, and requiring energy benchmarking and public transparency for building energy use.

The document outlines strategies for increasing the resilience of the built environment against climate stresses, such as variable snow loads and urban heat island effects. It highlights the utility of design tools like the PIEVC protocol and the Climate Change Hazards Information Portal, as well as the role of green space and architectural protocols like LEED in mitigating climate risks.

The document argues that promoting active travel—defined as walking, cycling, and public transit—creates a 'quadruple win' by reducing chronic disease, improving air quality, slowing climate change, and increasing health equity. It provides a framework for health professionals to encourage patients to integrate physical activity into their daily routines and to advocate for urban planning policies, such as the '5 Ds' of community design (density, land use diversity, design, destination accessibility, and distance to transit). A significant portion of the guide focuses on the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe in Ontario, explaining how intensification and complete community planning can facilitate a shift away from automobile dependence.

The document outlines how the built environment influences travel behavior, emphasizing that walkable neighborhood design increases the frequency of walking, cycling, and transit use. It details the '5 D's' of community design—Density, Diversity, Design, Destination, and Distance—as the primary factors impacting these choices. Key elements include population density to support services, land use diversity to place destinations in close proximity, safety-enhancing design features like bicycle lanes and traffic calming, and the accessibility of destinations and transit stops within specific distance thresholds.

The City of Menlo Park is implementing a zero carbon framework by 2025 through an updated General Plan and zoning requirements. Key measures include requiring 100 percent renewable energy for all energy uses (including natural gas) in new developments, mandating LEED certifications, and implementing transportation demand management to reduce vehicle miles traveled. The city is also addressing sea level rise by specifying minimum elevations for new buildings and promoting affordable housing to mitigate displacement in the Belle Haven community.

The document argues that current building codes often fail to account for climate change, leaving urban infrastructure vulnerable to increasing temperature variability and extreme weather. It advocates for the adoption of robust design protocols like PIEVC and CCHIP, the mitigation of the urban heat island (UHI) effect through strategic green space planning, and the use of resource-efficiency certifications such as LEED and the Living Building Challenge to create a more resilient urban fabric.

The document details the establishment and operation of GreenCape, a nonprofit sector development agency created by the Western Cape Government to bridge the public and private sectors. It outlines how GreenCape's independent structure, multidisciplinary team, and strategic alignment with government policies enabled it to facilitate significant private sector investment and job creation in renewable energy and other green sectors. The case study highlights key success factors, such as maintaining political neutrality and providing impartial market intelligence, and provides quantitative results of its impact between 2010 and 2015.