How do we create cities in which people and nature thrive, both locally and globally?

C40 Cities is a global network of mayors taking urgent climate action, using a science-based and people-focused approach. C40 Cities represent 750+ million people and a quarter of the global economy. The C40 Cities team connects the 97 participating cities with each other and through initiatives.

C40’s Thriving Cities Initiative pilots new tools for holistic thinking, governance and policy to foster collaborative action towards socially just and ecologically safe cities. The C40 team works across city divisions and in partnership with local communities and businesses to open up new insights and possibilities for transformation. Thriving Cities aims to demonstrate how cities can co-create regenerative systems and powerful narratives to inspire collective behaviour change and mainstream low-carbon living.

OneEarth Living and the Hot or Cool Institute partner on the Thriving Cities initiative through the Beacon for Sustainable Living initiative. We support cities on communications and engagement for mainstreaming ecologically sustainable consumption. We bring our expertise in lifestyles and behaviour change and novel approaches to advancing sustainable living.

Thriving Cities supports the acceleration and/or increased ambition within cities through:

• Developing a holistic vision for a green and just recovery from COVID-19.
• Designing transformative, inclusive climate initiatives for Deadline 2020 Climate Action Plans.
• Embracing Inclusive Climate Action on a global scale with cities considering their role in a just transition globally.
• Extending the green and/or circular economy to a ‘doughnut economy’ that is regenerative and distributive by design and doesn’t export ecological and social impacts.
• Extending in-boundary greenhouse gas accounting to explore the global ecological impact of cities’ consumption choices.
• Integrating critical ecosystem services such as food systems, air quality, water, waste and materials management into city strategy.

Relevant links:

• Creating City Portraits: A methodological guide from the Thriving Cities Initiative
• The Future of Urban Consumption in a 1.5°C World
• Amsterdam’s City Doughnut as a tool for meeting circular ambitions following COVID-19

→ Visit the project website