CityLinks projects provide assistance to municipal and national governments that face challenges related to climate change, water and sanitation, and food security. A key feature of CityLinks is partnerships between cities that seek to address these challenges and cities that can share their own successful approaches.
Chiang Rai - Cambridge Climate Change Partnership
The Chiang Rai - Cambridge Climate Change Partnership was a knowledge sharing opportunity for the cities of Chiang Rai, Thailand and Cambridge, Massachusetts. Their similarity in topography, climate, and infrastructure risk allowed them to work together to address the impacts of climate change and devise strategies for adaptation. The partnership was established in collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Dar es Salaam - Durban Climate Change Partnership
To support global implementation of the Durban Adaptation Charter, CityLinks fostered a partnership between Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Durban, South Africa. Experts from Durban worked with officials from Dar es Salaam to identify and address key vulnerabilities in the city in light of climate change, with specific emphasis on sea level rise and coastal management. In conjunction with the CityLinks team, officials from Durban provided capacity building opportunities related to climate change for local government officials in Dar es Salaam.
Durban - Southeast Florida Climate Change Partnership
The Durban - Southeast Florida Climate Change Partnership connected Broward County and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, with Durban, South Africa, to address the impacts of climate change and strategies for adaptation. CityLinks facilitated exchange visits that allowed the partners to explore the benefits and challenges of collaborating with nearby jurisdictions to implement regional climate adaptation strategies.
Georgia Waste Management Project
Under a four-year cooperative agreement, ICMA is assisting the government of Georgia in designing adequate waste management and recycling systems in the Kakheti and Adjara regions. The Waste Management Technology in Regions project includes pilots in selected municipalities to support a cleaner and healthier environment, minimize adverse impacts from waste on human health and natural resources such as air, water, soil, and biodiversity, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from landfills.
Honduras Pilot Partnership to Strengthen Violence Prevention Through Environmental Design
In a CityLinks pilot, the cities of La Ceiba and Choloma in Honduras participated in a city-to-city partnership with Los Angeles, California. The pilot applied the CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) methodology, which improves the conditions that enhance citizen security while simultaneously addressing risks associated with the effects of climate change.
La Ceiba – Somerville Climate Change Partnership
The La Ceiba – Somerville Climate Change Partnership seeks to support the municipality’s Sustainable Land Use Plan. Through the help of UCCRN experts, La Ceiba will be provided with local climate data that will project temperature, precipitation, and sea level rise. These projections will help inform flood plains, potential storm surge scenarios, heat island effect, and public health implications.
Legazpi City - Fort Lauderdale Climate Change Partnership
The Legazpi City - Fort Lauderdale Climate Change Partnership created a peer-to-peer learning opportunity between the cities through interactive training, knowledge sharing conferences, exchange trips, and virtual advice from climate specialists about developing climate-resilient approaches. Legazpi City, Philippines collaborated with Fort Lauderdale, Florida to produce climate change adaptation strategies designed to strengthen urban resiliency. The partnership was established in collaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Portmore - Townsville Climate Change Partnership
The Portmore - Townsville Climate Change Partnership combines a science-based approach with practical application in order to support Portmore in its preparation for future climate change impacts. Exchange trips and other knowledge sharing events will give municipal officials the opportunity to create and hone disaster preparedness and management and sustainable development plans.
Semarang - Gold Coast Climate Change Partnership
The Semarang - Gold Coast Climate Change Partnership aims to marry data-driven solutions and municipal coastal planning through technology, modelling, and software training. The city of Gold Coast, along with experts from the Urban Climate Change Research Network will provide technical assistance to Semarang through a series of exchange trips and virtual knowledge sharing events.
Shimla - Boulder Climate Change Partnership
The Shimla - Boulder Climate Change Partnership brings together two cities similar in topography and climate risks to focus on water supply and distribution challenges that are compounded by rapid urbanization, unregulated infrastructure, and changing rainfall patterns. The city of Boulder, along with experts from the Urban Climate Change Research Network will provide technical assistance to Shimla through a series of exchange trips and virtual knowledge sharing events.
