Building Climate-Resilient Cities: Join Us at the Resilient Cities, Buildings and Cooling Pavilion at COP31

As the world prepares to gather in Antalya for the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) this November, rising temperatures and increasingly frequent extreme heat events are placing growing pressure on cities, buildings and communities worldwide. In the near future, the way cities are planned and buildings are designed will increasingly determine both people’s exposure to heat and the amount of cooling and energy they need. 

This year, the UNEP Cool Coalition, the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), İLBANK and UN-Habitat will come together to co-host the Resilient Cities, Buildings and Cooling Pavilion. Aligned with the COP31 Presidency’s Action Agenda priority on Climate-Resilient Cities, the Pavilion will spotlight the critical connection between cities, buildings and cooling, demonstrating the need for integrated action across all three to reduce global emissions and strengthen climate resilience

At COP31, the four conveners will join forces, each bringing important perspectives to one urgent question: how do we build resilient, sustainable cities in a rapidly warming world?  

The Cool Coalition will spotlight the urgent need to accelerate access to sustainable, and energy-efficient cooling. GlobalABC will focus on accelerating the transition to a zero-emission, efficient and resilient buildings and construction sector. UN-Habitat brings an urban perspective, highlighting the critical role of cities and sustainable urbanisation in advancing climate action. İLBANK provides extensive experience in financing and delivering urban resilience investments, translating complex financial and technical requirements into bankable projects. 

Together, the four conveners will connect the buildings, cities, cooling and finance agendas, bringing policy, implementation and investment into the same conversation.  

Taking place from 9 to 20 November in the COP31 Blue Zone, the Resilient Cities, Buildings and Cooling Pavilion will address topics ranging from building efficiency and decarbonization, passive and sustainable cooling to resilient infrastructure and market transformation.  

The programme will feature high-level dialogues connecting global and national priorities with the realities facing cities and communities, alongside technical sessions and partner-led events, which will explore the practical work being developed across buildings, municipal infrastructure and sustainable cooling. Each day will focus on a different theme, including finance and trade, food and agriculture, human and social development, and enhancing implementation. By bringing together policymakers, practitioners, financiers and innovators, the Pavilion will create a space to share evidence, compare approaches and identify what is needed to move promising solutions from plans and pilots to implementation at scale. 

Find out more about the Resilient Cities, Buildings and Cooling Pavilion here.