Open Call: Host the 2028 Innovate4Cities Conference
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) and UN-Habitat invite expressions of interest to host the 2028 Innovate4Cities Conference (I4C28) by 21 October 2026.
Cities and local governments are where the impacts of climate change are most acutely felt – and the epicentres of commitments turned into action. But cities cannot act alone. Inclusive, effective, and people-centered action depends on multi-level partnerships, scientific evidence, financing, and public support.
Innovate4Cities Conferences convene the people who co-create evidence, make decisions, shape policy, finance solutions and implement urban climate action. By connecting science, policy and practice, the Conferences help identify the latest knowledge and fill gaps through locally tailored solutions that – in turn – inform national and global climate agendas.
The Conferences started in 2018 with the Cities and Climate Change Science Conference in Edmonton, Canada – accompanied by the creation of the Global Research and Action Agenda on Cities and Climate Change Science (GRAA), which underpins the knowledge gaps and action priorities that cities need to tackle at speed and scale. The next editions were underpinned by depth and breadth featuring a 24/7 global virtual format in 2021, moving to Montréal, Canada in 2024 and Nairobi, Kenya in 2026. Landing in Africa for the first time, the Nairobi conference attracted almost 5,000 online registrations and a record 1,200 in-person participants across 128 sessions.
Read the full call and express your interest
A key moment for cities and climate change
The 2028 Innovate4Cities Conference will take place following the expected approval of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Climate Change and Cities in 2027 and the conclusion of the second Global Stocktake, two major milestones in global climate policy.
I4C28 will provide an opportunity to translate cutting-edge urban climate knowledge into policy, investment, and practical implementation. Alongside co-convenors GCoM and UN-Habitat, host cities and states can elevate regional expertise and priorities across international debates while securing a lasting legacy of collaborative research and innovation.
As the GRAA marks its tenth year of guiding knowledge and action priorities for cities in 2028, hosting the Conference offers an unmatched opportunity to showcase local climate leadership, draw global experts, funders, and industry leaders to the region, and turn knowledge into action.
Submitting an Expression of Interest (EoI)
Expressions of interest to host I4C28 may be led by national governments, GCoM signatories, or local academic/research institutions. All EoIs should be supported by national governments.
At this initial stage, interested candidates need to only indicate their intent to enter the selection process and do not need to submit a detailed proposal. Expressions of interest must be submitted through an official communication on institutional letterhead, with a signature, and received by 21 October 2026.
Further information on detailed proposal requirements will be shared in due course with candidates who submit an expression of interest.
