Building Stronger
and Sustainable Urban
Futures Together
Generating 80% of the world’s economy and
home to half its population, cities are at the
frontline of the climate crisis, and womb to the
innovations and resources needed to spawn
solutions. How then can cities create sustainable
futures fast enough, while emerging stronger in
the process? What paradigm shifts would pave
the way for this vision, changing the way cities
are designed, built, financed and operated?
Featuring interviews and guest articles by city
leaders and experts, this World Cities Summit
special issue of Urban Solutions explores the
vision of a stronger and sustainable urban future
through various themes. I wish to highlight three
key insights that have emerged:
Sustainable financing is the missing piece.
Accelerating sustainable financing to create
and enable green solutions is critical. Minister
Indranee Rajah’s reflection on Singapore’s
progress in sustainable development and green
financing highlights this. Likewise, in his essay
Sameh N. Wahba explores how investing in
nature, people, institutions and resilience are
cost-effective and have long-term payoffs.
Multi-stakeholder ecosystems play a key role
in future urban development.
A strong ecosystem comprising the community,
institutions, and the private and public sectors
is crucial and forms the bedrock of future
urban development. In his essay, Professor Zhu
Dajian notes the importance of public-private
partnerships in urban infrastructure development,
and shares an analytical framework based on
finance, governance and policy. Lim Eng Hwee
examines how collaborations can help usher in
a new era of urban logistics.
We need a paradigm shift in the way we think
about cities.
Today’s cities need to start thinking differently.
Sarah Mineko Ichioka argues we should
reconsider cities as places we contribute to
making and caring for—rather than consume.
The New Urban Kampung Research Programme
offers us a glimpse into a future neighbourhood
built with the help of data, while the Incredible
Edible Todmorden and the Loveability Project
explore cities thriving on kindness and emotions.
Mayor Peter Manuel Feldmann also shares how
diversity has been key to the success of Frankfurt
so far, and will likely stay so in the future.
Also featured is Vienna, the Lee Kuan Yew
World City Prize 2020 Laureate. Austria’s capital
is a leader in adapting to climate change. Its
groundbreaking initiatives include managing
flood risks and an eco-friendly mobility that
slashes carbon emissions while improving
residents’ quality of life. The Special Mentions
of the Prize also offer inspiration and insights
into a stronger and sustainable urban future.
This special issue of Urban Solutions for the
8th World Cities Summit (2022) expresses
hope for the future of our cities. I hope it
leaves you optimistic too, so we can—and
will—emerge stronger.
Hugh Lim
Executive Director
Centre for Liveable Cities