Moderator: Debra Roberts

With 90% of urban population growth until 2050 projected in Asia and Africa, many cities and much of future urban growth is and will continue to be characterised by informal settlement, unplanned urban expansion, incremental development and livelihoods reliant on the informal economy. As both climate change and urban growth accelerate in the Global South, discussions on the transformative action required to address these dual challenges while still advancing the achievement of all Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are an increasingly urgent priority. The session will address Conference Theme 4 on “Transformative Action for climate change” by sharing innovative practices and technological solutions from the informal sector. The session will also provide examples of how transformative climate action rooted in the informal sector is critical for addressing poverty and inequality, and how people who live in informal settlements and participate in the informal economy can re-shape the power relations to create the new vision for what a climate-compatible, equitable, resilient and inclusive city needs and should look like.