09 November, Shanghai – In the lead up to next week’s COP29 UN climate summit, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in China and the College of Civil Engineering at Tongji University today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), expressing a shared commitment to work together on strengthening resilience to disasters and climate change in urban areas to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With more than 50% of the global population currently living in cities – a number which is on pace to rise to over two thirds by 2050 – urban areas are a key priority in tackling risks from climate change and increasingly frequent natural disasters. Cities are also at the forefront of environmental and sustainability action, and are hubs of innovation and drivers of economic growth. They are leading the way in pioneering new approaches to facilitate green and inclusive pathways for the future.

With the signing of this MoU, UNDP and Tongji University will look to collaborate on exploring scalable, tech-based solutions for strengthening urban resilience, as well as enhancing the understanding of government officials and policymakers in this area through knowledge-sharing and convening of global thought-leadership. In particular, the partnership will aim to leverage Tongji’s expertise as a leading institution in civil engineering and urban planning, as well as UNDP’s global network and experience in sustainable development.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by UN Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Associate Administrator XU Haoliang. “This agreement reflects a first step towards collective actions to help equip cities in developing countries with the knowledge, technologies, and approaches they need to protect lives, adapt to climate change, and guard against the increasingly severe impacts of climate-related disasters. It also reflects UNDP’s commitment to South-South and triangular cooperation,” stated Xu. “Drawing on our mutual strengths, we will work to ensure that no community or city is left behind in the pursuit of a safer and more climate-resilient world.”

The ceremony was held as part of a larger forum marking the 110th anniversary of the Civil Engineering Discipline at Tongji University, and was also witnessed by Tongji University President ZHENG Qinghua. “We appreciate UNDP’s strong support for Tongji University and look forward to collaborating to establish a globally influential urban disaster resilience innovation lab,” said President Zheng.

In the coming months, it is expected that the partnership between UNDP and Tongji University will be concretized in an official project that will result in the establishment of an SDG innovation lab focusing on disaster and climate resilience – the first such lab launched by UNDP together with a university in China.