Mobilizing cities as delivery platforms for resilient and synergistic solutions

With more than 2.2  billion urban residents, cities in Asia and the Pacific are well placed to drive the urban transitions needed to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (ESCAP, 2025b). Their large and growing urban population gives them significant influence, but the real strength of cities is in their role as delivery platforms for integrated solutions to sustainability challenges. Across the region, cities are increasingly implementing approaches that address climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution together while advancing resilient, inclusive and low-carbon development. In doing so, cities demonstrate a wide range of pathways that can inform how policymakers deliver on synergies both within and beyond the Asia Pacific region. This chapter therefore explores how cities in Asia and the Pacific are leveraging synergies to tackle the triple planetary crisis and accelerate progress on the SDGs.