5th Urban Economy Forum + 59th ISOCARP World Planning Congress

The Urban Economy Forum (UEF) and the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) jointly organise the 5th Urban Economy Forum and 59th ISOCARP World Planning Congress as the integrated conference For Climate Action, Urban Finance. Climate Responsive Planning for Equitable Places and Communities.

The event will take place in Toronto, Canada, from 11 to 13 October 2023, with Cities Alliance as an endorsing partner.

Many countries are urbanising rapidly without adequate urban governance, fiscal resources, urban policies, and integrated planning, preventing effective and efficient use of resources for sustainable development. Climate crises and financial constraints have become additional challenges for sustainable development in cities worldwide, requiring the rethink of policymaking, planning, investment, and development of integrated climate-responsive urban strategies.

To create the foundations for a collaborative and participatory response to the climate crisis, the event will highlight the role of urban finance and integrated climate-responsive planning in the achievement of sustainable development. This will be discussed against the backdrop of an increasingly complex global multi-crisis, with a focus on climate change and cascading effects on cities and city regions.

The event will bring together planners, policymakers, city leaders, government, academia, financial institutions, entrepreneurs, and civil society, around four thematic areas:

• Finding synergies and relevant solutions for attracting climate finance and transforming it into locally demanded social, economic, and environmental values for city residents not leaving anyone behind.
• Leveraging multi-disciplinary, multi-sector, and multi-level collaboration for better urban governance, balancing public and private, global, and local urban development needs.
• Investigating new ways of proactive planning and effective investment by combining the use of evidence with the foresight and visioning for transforming cities and communities into economically prosperous, healthy, environmentally friendly, socially just, inclusive, and resilient places.
• Exploring technologies, not historically linked to planning practice and urban finance, by exposing innovative linkages and synergistic opportunities of using big data, algorithms, and artificial intelligence.

A Call for Contributions to the official programme is open until 14 May 2023.