Convened for the first time on the African continent from 21-24 June 2026 at the United Nations Office in Nairobi, I4C26 welcomed more than 1,200 participants from local and national governments, research institutions, finance, civil society, and business – with a significant presence of African
institutions and youth ensuring that regional perspectives shaped progress.
The convening marked the latest chapter of a cross-sector, multi-level journey that began in Edmonton in 2018 and has since grown through a virtual 2021 edition, solution-oriented Marketplaces, and Montréal 2024 edition.
Anchored in the Global Research and Action Agenda on Cities and Climate Change Science, I4C26 was built as a turning point to accelerate the translation of knowledge into local implementation at the speed and scale required to meet global climate ambition. Ten evidence-led priorities will now guide Innovate4Cities delivery in the coming years, informed by the conference’s 128 sessions that featured more than 176 speakers representing institutions from 60 countries.
Dive into the core breakthroughs from I4C26 that are turning national climate pledges (NDCs 3.0) into real-world action on the ground. Inside, you’ll find the story behind the 10 Global Research and Action Agenda (GRAA) priorities, key insights from the review of the upcoming IPCC Special Report on Cities, and practical ways initiatives like CHAMP, SURGe, and the new CAKE platform are teaming up with local communities to unlock funding and spark lasting urban solutions.
Coming soon!
The I4C26 Youth Team was established to strengthen youth participation at I4C26. Youth Team members were present in every conference session as Knowledge and Creative Leads, and provided operational support to the organizing team.
The team submitted 163 structured reflections, each mapped to the Global Research and Action Agenda on Cities and Climate Change Science (GRAA), providing a record of youth perspectives across the conference. These reflections form the basis of the Youth Team Reflections Report, and youth engagement is recognized as a key outcome in the I4C26 Outcomes Report
Written and edited by 44 Youth Team members, the report draws on all 163 reflections across five chapters:
The zine brings together the Youth Team’s drawings, photos, poems and short reflections from four days in Nairobi, presenting impressions and interpretations of the conference experience in multimedia form.
With over 20 youth volunteer team members providing contributions to this publication, the zine serves as a companion to the Reflections Report provided by the research-focused volunteers on the team. Not everyone will engage fully with the academic literature, so in the interest of broadening the audience of Innovate4Cities and providing a glimpse into the co-generated research and action agenda for cities and climate change science, we are pleased to offer our insights in multimedia format for further exploration.
The 2026 Innovate4Cities illustration is inspired by kanga (or leso) textiles: traditional, colorful fabric central to Kenyan culture. The artwork features Nairobi’s iconic skyline under golden sunshine, while the central figures honor the Maasai who originally named the city from the phrase Enkare Nyrobi meaning ‘cool water.’ The people woven into the artwork embody the core ethos of Innovate4Cities: collaboration. We cannot solve the climate crisis alone. Progress requires collective action, for the citizens of today and in service of future generations.
Musa Omusi is a multidisciplinary artist and designer from Nairobi, renowned for a handcrafted, bold, graphic style. As the founder and principal artist of the Made with Love studio, Musa works across physical and digital spaces as an illustrator, animator, and curator.
Oakbeam Pictures provided creative visual support for I4C26, transforming complex themes into dynamic presentations and films that created an emotional connection between the content and audience. From an opening film tracing the journey from Montreal in 2024 to Nairobi in 2026, to a closing piece building momentum for I4C28, the visual storytelling helped from the conference’s critical global narrative.
Watch the videos to be part of the journey.
Oakbeam Pictures is a UK-based visual communication studio helping organisations turn complex research, policy, evidence and lived experience into clear visual stories, systems and assets.
One of the many talented youth team members, Mariastella Kamuti (Studio Mariart) captured key takeaways, important moments, and the many ideas coming from each plenary session at I4C26. Scroll through and relive each plenary.
Mariastella Kamuti is a creative visual communications consultant dedicated to transforming complex ideas into compelling narratives. Check out Studio Mariart
