INSTITUTE OF THE AMERICAS 2023 ANNUAL REPORT

ANNUAL REPORT 2023

Cities Forward

During the first Cities Summit of the Americas held in Denver, Colorado in April 2023, the U.S. Department of State announced a partnership with ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Resilient Cities Catalyst and the Institute of the Americas to create a flagship urban sustainability initiative titled Cities Forward. This program is dedicated to assisting Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and U.S. cities in creating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient futures through project consultation, co-design, and knowledge-sharing. In September, IOA and our partner institutions co-convened the Cities Forward kickoff summit in Mexico City, where U.S. and LAC city pairs began exploring ways to share knowledge and collaborate in addressing key sustainability priorities, including responses to climate stresses (e.g. extreme weather events, sea level rise, biodiversity loss) and adaptation challenges, including urban and green infrastructure and food systems; neighborhood redevelopment plans; and adaptation strategies for coastal areas and river corridors. Looking to 2024, IOA will organize a Hemispheric Urban Dialogue on Climate Adaptation to be held in June in São Paulo, Brazil for Cities Forward participants, where we will showcase what can and is being done to build climate resiliency and effectively manage climate risks at the city level around the world.

11