By Yamila Castro, Communications lead, Cities Alliance.
As the world gathers for the Summit of the Future, at a time when global crises are intensifying—from the impacts of climate change to rising inequalities, conflict, and mass displacement— the stakes have never been higher.
The Summit represents a critical opportunity for the international community not only to address immediate challenges but to forge a path toward lasting peace, equality, and prosperity for all.
In this interview, we speak with María Fernanda Espinosa, President of Cities Alliance and former UN General Assembly President, about the central role of cities in leading climate action, advancing social equity, and creating resilient, inclusive communities.
As leaders chart a course for a more just and stable world, her insights highlight the power of cities in reshaping the future of our planet.
Throughout your career, you have consistently championed multilateralism and global cooperation, two topics that are at the heart of the Summit of the Future. Given today’s challenges, how do you see international cooperation evolving to better address these issues, particularly in fragile urban contexts?
Achieving sustainable development in cities requires not only the right policies and investments at local and national levels but also strong global cooperation. The COVID-19 pandemic clearly showed how interconnected and interdependent we are—local challenges ripple out to have global impacts. To address the current multifaceted and overlapping crises—climate change, rising inequalities, migration, and conflict—we need to modernize and strengthen the multilateral system.
The current UN structure needs reforms to respond effectively, particularly in fragile urban areas.
The Summit of the Future is a critical opportunity to tackle key questions, such as how to rebalance power among UN organs to ensure cities and local governments participate in global policymaking. Local and regional governments are critical to implementing the SDGs, and multilateral efforts must be responsive to the pressing issues of our time.
At the heart of international institutions and cooperation are real people.
Organizations like Cities Alliance remind us that beyond the projects and policies, our focus should always be on people’s dignity, rights, and well-being. Cities are where 57 per cent of the world’s population resides, often home to the most vulnerable. This makes them critical arenas for action and transformation.
Cities Alliance puts care—human rights, the environment, and inclusive urban growth—at the forefront of urban development. As we work towards strengthening international cooperation, we must ensure that this ethos remains central to our efforts. It's not just about the frameworks and agreements; it’s about making sure that urban populations, especially the most vulnerable, are not left behind as we build a more sustainable and inclusive world.
You are a strong advocate for climate action. How can the international system foster resilience while ensuring marginalized groups—women, youth, and the poor—are active agents of change? What steps can improve their access to climate finance, empowering them to lead adaptation and mitigation efforts?
The climate crisis is far more than an environmental issue; it's a symptom of deeper systemic failures in the relationship between nature, society, and the economy—driven by greed, short-termism, and overconsumption.
This crisis acts as a multiplier, intensifying other challenges like poverty, conflict, and insecurity.
Currently, 3.6 billion people live in disaster-vulnerable zones, struggling with food insecurity, water scarcity, and other critical resource shortages. Disasters displaced 32.6 million people in 2023 alone, mostly due to climate events. Resilience often emerges in overlooked urban settlements, where communities innovate despite systemic neglect.
Cities, responsible for 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, are particularly vulnerable. People in slums—over 1 billion, mostly women and children—are most affected. At the core of this issue are gender-based inequalities that restrict women’s access to education, housing, and asset ownership, with one in ten living in extreme poverty. These barriers also reduce their participation in paid work due to unpaid care responsibilities. Yet, women are key to climate adaptation and resilience. A gender-sensitive approach to climate action is essential, recognizing women as agents of change and promoting more inclusive solutions for our urban environments.
To foster resilience, the international system must enhance access to climate finance, enabling communities to lead their own adaptation and mitigation efforts.
This means supporting locally led initiatives, investing in community-driven solutions, and ensuring inclusive and accessible policies and financial mechanisms.
Cities Alliance’s commitment to inclusive urban development serves as a model for elevating the voices of those most affected by climate change, turning them from passive recipients into active drivers of sustainable solutions. By empowering these communities, particularly in urban areas, climate action can be both equitable and guided by those who best understand the challenges.
With over half the world’s population living in cities, many of them young people, how can we better engage youth in addressing global challenges from climate to economic inclusion? What’s the role of cities in fostering youth leadership and innovation?
Young people are at the forefront of climate action and social activism across the globe, bringing energy, creativity, and a sense of urgency to tackling global challenges. They aren’t passive participants but leaders demanding climate justice, social equity, and sustainable futures.
Cities are uniquely positioned to foster environments where young people can access education, jobs, and the digital tools for active participation in shaping their futures.
They serve as hubs of innovation, offering fertile ground for youth-led initiatives to address global challenges. To fully engage youth cities must actively promote youth leadership by involving them in decision-making and governance through youth councils, supporting youth-led organizations, and ensuring their representation in policy discussions.
Providing youth with safe spaces and resources to turn their visions into reality is vital to empower them as change-makers. By investing in their voices, cities can foster a more inclusive and forward-thinking global community.
As President of Cities Alliance, how do you envision partnerships between local governments, international organizations, and civil society evolving to tackle the global urban crises more effectively, especially in the context of the Summits’ commitments?
Cities are at the heart of sustainable development, with over 60 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goals directly linked to urban environments. They represent two-thirds of the global economy. As 80 million people are added to the urban population every year, and with 70 per cent of the global population expected to live in cities by 2050, the importance of urban areas in addressing global challenges cannot be overstated.
To address global urban crises effectively, especially in the context of the Summit’s commitments, I see partnerships between local governments, international organizations, and civil society evolving around three key aspects: people, planet, and government.
First, we need to prioritize people in all development efforts, focusing on human-centred approaches with a commitment to equality, diversity, and universal access to public services. Housing, health, education, and participation in cultural and political life must be accessible to all urban residents. Multisectoral partnerships should address the needs of the most vulnerable, creating the foundation for more resilient and inclusive urban communities.
Second, we must prioritize the planet. Cities, responsible for over 70 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, are highly vulnerable to climate change. For a sustainable future, we need to adopt models like the doughnut economy, which balances planetary and social boundaries.
Partnerships should focus on transitioning from destructive to restorative urban models, addressing the unequal distribution of environmental benefits and burdens, and building resilient systems that protect both people and the planet.
Finally, we must focus on the government. Inclusive, participatory, and accountable governance is essential at all levels. Partnerships should involve diverse stakeholders in policymaking, connecting local actions with global trends and giving cities a voice. This fosters a territorial perspective in global agendas, based on solidarity and shared responsibility.
Aligning local actions with global commitments, such as those made in the Pact for the Future, can create more resilient and inclusive urban spaces for all citizens.
Women play a central role in responding to crises, whether from climate change, conflict, or disasters. As the Summit of the Future looks to shape a more inclusive world, what strategies do you see as most effective to better support gender equality and harness the potential of women in addressing the wide array of challenges cities face today?
Gender equality is essential to achieving all SDGs. Without the inclusion and empowerment of women, sustainable development remains out of reach. Cities Alliance’s commitment to gender equality is commendable—50 per cent of programme participants are women, focused on strengthening leadership in resource management and climate resilience. These programmes demonstrate the transformative impact of inclusive urban policies.
However, significant gender gaps persist. We need to recognize women as powerful catalysts for change, not just passive beneficiaries.
Gender-targeted strategies that elevate women’s roles in leadership and crisis response are critical for creating resilient urban environments.
Education is also key. Girls are often the first to drop out of school for family support or due to climate impacts and are less likely to return after crises. Women’s representation in STEM is only 19.9 per cent. Investing in girls' education boosts literacy and earning potential, with each year of schooling increasing future earnings by up to 20 per cent. Prioritizing education and digital access gives girls the tools to fully engage in urban economies and decision-making.
Financial barriers limit women’s contributions to urban development. A feminist financial architecture is needed to address this disparity. Currently, less than 2 per cent of global investments go to women-founded companies, and $360 billion more annually is needed to achieve gender equality.
Investing in women is not just an option; it is a necessity for sustainable urban growth.
Cities must promote inclusive governance by ensuring women’s representation in decision-making and implementing policies that address gender-based violence and economic disparities. When women lead and fully participate, cities become more resilient, inclusive, and better prepared to face crises.
Restoring trust in multilateralism is one of the central themes of the Summit. In your view, what role can cities, and local governments, play in bridging the global trust deficit, particularly in addressing critical issues such as climate action and inclusivity?
Trust in multilateralism has been eroded over the years, but cities and local governments are instrumental to restoring it. Local governments, often more agile and responsive than national ones, can implement and scale solutions that meet community needs and this ability to deliver tangible results can help rebuild trust in multilateralism.
Cities have the unique capacity to bring together diverse stakeholders—governments, the private sector, academia, civil society, and youth—to collaborate on global challenges. By mobilizing these actors, they can demonstrate that multilateralism works at the local level and that collective action leads to meaningful change.
City leadership can bridge the gap between global aspirations and local realities, making international goals more relevant to everyday citizens, but restoring trust in multilateralism also hinges on the perception that international systems are inclusive and equitable.
When local governments focus on inclusive governance, transparent decision-making, and equitable access to resources, they show that multilateralism is not just about high-level agreements but about making a positive difference in people's daily lives.
