From Climate Commitments to Policy Action: Lessons from the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Coalition Pilot
Association of Commonwealth Universities
Case Study Presentation | 12.30pm – 1.30pm, BST (Find Local Time)
Duration: 1 Hour
Platform: Zoom
Description: This case study explores the Commonwealth Sustainable Cities Coalition (CSCC), a pilot programme established to support implementation of the Commonwealth Declaration on Sustainable Urbanisation – a framework endorsed by all 56 Commonwealth governments in 2022 and 2024 to tackle the twin challenges of rapid urbanisation and climate change.
Funded by the UK FCDO, the pilot facilitated knowledge exchange and practical action among universities, built environment professionals, and national and sub-national governments through three transdisciplinary Action Groups focused on Housing, Urban Finance, and Integrated Planning. This was supported by a cross-cutting Skills group examining Higher Education’s role in developing the capabilities required to advance sustainable urbanisation.
In under five months, the pilot generated a substantial body of work: 32 case studies, seven sets of policy briefs and recommendations, and nine analytical reports, creating a foundation for future action while testing practical approaches to developing and applying evidence in practice.
The session will examine how climate and urban evidence can be translated into policy-relevant knowledge, the value of convening diverse stakeholders around shared challenges, and the lessons learned from bridging research, policy and practice. It will reflect on key findings from the pilot and consider how models such as the CSCC can help policymakers develop evidence-based responses to climate and urbanisation pressures.