The Tenth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF10) is the premier international conference on cities and the first session to be held in the Middle East. WUF10 will take place in Abu Dhabi's National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), with more than 600 events and 24,000 participants expected to attend. Urban changemakers from around the world will convene to exchange perspectives and experiences on the theme of culture, innovation, and sustainable urban development. During this week-long event, WRI will be hosting a variety of side sessions and special events, promoting WRI research and new initiatives. Below is a list of WRI-led events happening at WUF that will be open to all WUF10 participants.

Monday, February 10

Building the Climate Resilience of the Urban Poor

Time: 12:30 — 1:30 PM
Location: Hall 2, Room 10

This side event will introduce the new initiative for Building the Climate Resilience for the Urban Poor (BCRUP) and will highlight the Global Commission on Adaptation’s (GCA) recommendations for climate adaptation in cities. We will explore the importance of linking communities, planning, innovations and technologies for increasing the climate change resilience of the urban poor and putting into action the Paris Agreement. 

Towards a More Equal City: Engaging Changemakers in Transforming Cities 

Time: 2:00 — 4:00 PM
Location: Hall 2, Room 4 

This two-hour networking event will focus on how we can catalyze transformative change to move cities toward more equitable and sustainable futures. The WRI team will present findings from the World Resources Report series, Towards a More Equal City, and will pose questions about how cities can implement solutions outlined across seven sectoral papers and seven city case studies. 

Inclusive Cities for a Changing Climate: Realizing the Urban Opportunity

Time: 4:00 — 8:00 PM
Location: Andaz Capital Gate Hyatt

This event, hosted by the Coalition for Urban Transitions and WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities in partnership with the OECD and IIED, will highlight why cities should be at the heart of the response to the climate emergency, and how a coordinated, multi-level response can tackle dangerous climate change and achieve shared prosperity and a better quality of life for citizens. It will highlight successful examples of urban action that are benefitting people and the planet and examine the lessons from these success stories that could be applied elsewhere.

The first panel discussion will examine the role of national urban policies and strategies in creating thriving cities, and the importance of enabling and collaborating with city governments to drive ambition and innovation. The second panel will explore how community-led action and putting people at the heart of climate and development strategies can help to create inclusive and resilient cities.

These panel discussions and presentations will be followed by a reception from 6:00 — 8:00 PM to announce the new cycle of the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities, the premier global award celebrating and spotlighting transformative urban change. It awards $250,000 to one winner and $25,000 to four runners-up. The Prize seeks to inspire urban change-makers across the globe by elevating trailblazing initiatives and telling impactful stories of sustainable urban transformation. This Prize cycle will invite submissions for the theme “Inclusive cities for a changing climate” – initiatives and projects that show how to live and thrive in a changing climate by tackling both the climate crisis and urban inequality.

Tuesday, February 11

Urban Expansion, Urban Land Use Classification and Machine Learning: Emerging Opportunities for Research and City Planning

Time: 11:30 AM — 12:30 PM
Location: Urban Expansion Observatory booth, Booth Number H9-45 (next to the Urban Village)

Cities are expanding at a rapid pace. What do we know about urban expansion around the world and its implications for urban service provision, social and economic opportunity, livability, and environmental impact? Speakers will share insights from the Atlas of Urban Expansion, the Upward and Outward Growth thematic paper of WRI’s Towards a More Equal City series, the Urban Expansion Observatory, and new machine learning and remote sensing methods enabling more frequent, global updates about changes in urban land use. Short presentations will be followed by questions and discussion.

Wednesday, February 12 

Sustainable and Safe Urban Mobility for All - Using a New Mobility Culture to Drive Sustainable Urban Development

Time: 12:30 — 1:30 PM
Location: Hall 3, Room 14 

This side event will bring together our partners and colleagues from across the world working on recapturing a sustainable and safe street culture. Our experts will share their experience and results from developing cities around the world on using a new street culture to drive sustainable urban development.