GPSC Regional City Academy in Asia

When

May 12, 2025

Time

09:00 AM

Where

Guangzhou, China (by invitation only)

BACKGROUND 

GPSC and its Regional City Academy 

The Global Platform for Sustainable Cities (GPSC), led by the World Bank and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), serves as a global knowledge platform that connects cities and partners across disciplines. It provides technical expertise, innovative tools, and a convening space for cities to tackle complex challenges arising from rapid urbanization and climate change. The Regional City Academy is a core initiative of the GPSC, conducted on a regular basis, to strengthen the operational capacity of city leaders and urban practitioners. This learning program offers practical training modules to equip participants with tools for managing sustainable urban development. It fosters the exchange of best practices, enables interactions with global experts, and supports participants in creating diagnostic reports and actionable plans to enhance urban performance. 

GPSC First Regional City Academy – Asia 

The upcoming Regional City Academy will focus on the unique needs of Asian cities, where rapid urbanization has presented opportunities and challenges. Cities across Asia face significant climate risks, urban flooding, and resource constraints, while also striving to transition toward low-carbon and resilient growth. This Academy will provide a platform for city leaders to share experiences and co-develop strategies for achieving resilient, low-carbon, and inclusive urban development. 
Guangzhou, one of China’s leading megacities, exemplifies innovative urban practices, such as building green and blue infrastructure to enhance urban resilience and sponge city initiatives for flood management, making it an ideal venue to showcase real-world solutions for sustainable urban growth. The Academy will be held in partnership with the Guangzhou Bureau of Planning and Natural Resources and will take place in Guangzhou, China, from May 12–14, 2025, in conjunction with the Infra4Dev Conference. 

Expectation and Commitment 

The City Academy is designed to provide an interactive forum to learn and exchange ideas on the selected topic. Each participating city should come prepared to actively share their work and experiences with peer cities throughout the deep-dive learning.

OVERVIEW OF KEY THEMES AND TOPICS 

Theme 1: Blueprint for Tomorrow – Planning for Urban Resilience 

Cities in Asia are facing increasing climate risks, resource constraints, and rapid urban growth. Urban planning plays a pivotal role in integrating resilience and sustainability into land use planning and city development strategies. This session explores key frameworks, policy tools, and planning approaches that help cities align urban expansion with climate adaptation and decarbonization goals. The key topics are: 
  • Strategic land use planning – embedding urban growth, economic development, low carbon, and resilience into master plan and long-term city growth strategy 
  • Tools for climate-smart urban development – scenario planning, risk assessment, and policy instruments 
  • Institutional coordination – fostering cross-sector collaboration for climate action  

Theme 2: Nature in the City – Building Green and blue Infrastructure to enhance urban resilience  

Nature-based solutions offer cost-effective ways to enhance urban resilience, reduce climate risks, and improve livability. This theme focuses on how cities can integrate green and blue infrastructure, such as sponge city initiatives for flood management, passive solutions for managing urban heat, and green corridors for enhancing urban biodiversity. Participants will explore practical tools, financing mechanisms, and governance structures that enable cities to harness nature for sustainable urban growth. The key topics are: 
  • Sponge city principles – designing cities that absorb, store, and reuse water 
  • Green-blue infrastructure for managing urban heat – case studies on urban cooling, including neighborhood regeneration  
  • Green corridors for urban biodiversity 
  • Policy and financial enablers – integrating nature-based solutions into urban investments 
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