This report is underpinned by a three-year research effort by a coalition of 50 of the world’s foremost research institutes, networks of national and city governments, investors, infrastructure providers, strategic advisory companies, non-governmental organisations and social movements.

Together, they call for national governments to prioritise compact, connected and clean cities in order to secure economic prosperity and tackle the climate crisis. What happens in cities in the next decade will be critically important to countries worldwide. It is vital that national governments recognise the enormous potential of cities to boost living standards and respond to the climate emergency, as mayors and city governments have already done. With proactive national leadership and meaningful partnerships between national and city governments, cities can become beacons of opportunity, prosperity and resilience. The Urban Opportunity Report offers a vital resource to mayors and city governments seeking to take bold climate action and secure a prosperous, healthy future for their cities. The robust evidence base in the report can be used to make a compelling political case for national-local collaboration, and to support policymaking at all levels to deliver zero-carbon, climate-resilient cities.