What does the journey look like for a city to turn climate ambition into a project that can attract investment?
A new collection of City Stories from the Global Covenant of Mayors–Gap Fund Partnership highlights how cities are overcoming one of the greatest barriers to climate action: preparing projects that are technically sound, locally owned, and ready to secure financing. From restoring degraded urban landscapes and protecting vulnerable coastlines to modernizing essential infrastructure and strengthening climate governance, the stories demonstrate how early-stage technical assistance is helping cities transform ambitious ideas into credible investment opportunities.
Spanning nine cities and multi-city initiatives across Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Middle East and North Africa, the collection showcases a diverse range of climate ambitions and solutions while revealing a common lesson: Cities don’t need perfect projects to begin—they need the confidence to start, the partnerships to prepare, and the vision to turn local challenges into investable solutions.
Since 2020, the City Climate Finance Gap Fund has supported cities in developing and emerging economies to take one of the hardest steps in climate action: moving from ambition to technically sound, locally owned, financeable projects. Working with the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), cities are building the foundations for investment through data, diagnostics, co-creation with communities, and pre-feasibility work that can unlock much larger finance.
This collection of city stories shows what that early stage looks like in practice. Each story follows a city or group of cities as they define a challenge, work with the Gap Fund to develop options, and move towards implementation and financing. From greener streets and climate-ready waterfronts to modernised water systems and regional climate action plans, these examples highlight how targeted technical assistance can shift systems and improve daily life. Together, they are a resource for local governments, partners, and funders who want to understand how early-stage support can turn ideas into credible, investment-ready projects.
The 9 stories come at an important milestone as the GCoM completes its 10 Year Anniversary in 2026 and the community celebrates with these success stories
Launching three series, the first series on Nature & Resilience in Action showcases how cities are transforming degraded urban spaces into greener, safer, and more climate-resilient places through nature-based solutions, urban regeneration, coastal resilience, and sustainable cooling. The second series highlights how institutional transformation strengthens climate investment, policy and planning.
Featured stories:
- Series 1: Nature & Resilience in Action
- Palmas, Brazil – A park for the people of Palmas, by the people of Palmas
- Kingston, Jamaica – A Resilient Future for Kingston’s Waterfront
- Podgorica, Montenegro – A greener and cooler home for the people of Podgorica
- Dhaka, Bangladesh – A New Future for Old Dhaka
- Series 2: Systems Reform & Governance
- Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya – Kenya’s Biggest Cities Move from Climate Risk to Climate Action
- Fez and the Fez Meknes region, Morocco – Fez and its neighbours unite for a climate-ready region
- Multiple cities, Thailand
A Low-Carbon Future for Urban Families and Communities Across Thailand
Stay tuned for Series 3, coming soon! Explore the full stories below.
