CITY ADVISORY AT EXPO CITY DUBAI
Sharing our unique framework for sustainable planning and urban resilience with cities worldwide
In 2023 His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum designated Expo City Dubai a centre for planetary solutions – a city "powered by clean and renewable energy" and a destination for global "pioneers" to pilot and launch climate innovations.
That mandate includes serving as a living breathing blueprint, test bed and advisory for sustainable urban development.
With a decade of experience conceptualising, planning and building Expo City Dubai, our City Advisory is uniquely positioned to share with cities worldwide our values-driven, holistic approach to addressing the challenges faced by cities and communities. We work with city leaders and stakeholders to create positive outcomes for people and planet by enabling them to leverage the networks gained from the delivery of the most sustainable World Expo in history, and by offering Expo City Dubai's unique framework for urban resilience.
Our core capabilities
Deep domain expertise from a multidisciplinary team of practitioners
Real-world sandbox for environmentally and socially sustainable city and community development
Support and guidance on strategy, planning, design, operations, decarbonisation and public engagement
Our approach
We consider the many layers that make up a city, including: the physical, operational, experiential and programmed environments; the cultural and social context; and the virtual environment. This broad perspective is supported by our network of deep domain experts in a wide range of specialisations which enables us to provide comprehensive and holistic advice.
Our framework
We provide six distinct, yet interrelated, offerings that seek to address the myriad challenges faced by cities around the world.
Urban Resilience Action Programme
The Urban Resilience Action Programme, launched at COP28 by ECD, is designed to address the full range of complex challenges and unexplored opportunities that cities face today.
Moving beyond traditional metrics to broaden our understanding of – and expectations for – the future of urban contexts, we are learning and sharing the lessons of our own journey as a sustainable city, fostering scalable solutions to meet the basic human needs of communities around the world, and particularly the global south.
The programme houses the following functions:
Urban Resilience Observatory Index: The Index is based on a one-of-its kind framework, created by Expo City for Expo City to measure and identify our own urban resilience progress, targets and opportunities. Informed by ECD's unique layered and values-based approach, the framework enables cities anywhere to perform a comprehensive ‘health check’ by generating a resilience rating. It then maps out a tailored course of action to enhance everyday life locally, including helping cities to determine where to channel impact investments.
Urban Resilience Knowledge Hub: Helps city stakeholders build capacity using Expo City Dubai as a real-world case study. The Hub organises workshops and seminars on a values-driven approach to urban development and maintains an active Membership Association open to technical experts, corporates and institutions, academics, students and community stakeholders.
Urban Resilience Advisory: Through the Advisory, we provide strategic city resilience support services in critical areas of urban development and work with city and community stakeholders to implement a values-driven, holistic approach to addressing their unique challenges.
