Cities are where we build our most ambitious and symbolic structures, where we come together to share experiences and exchange capital, goods and ideas, and where we go in search of a better life. They will also be ground zero for the collision of economic, environmental and social imperatives that define sustainability.

Cities therefore provide a compelling frame through which to understand and drive sustainability. As models of characteristics such as connectivity, adaptability, decisiveness and experimentation they provide numerous lessons, especially to business, on how to advance the sustainability agenda both within and beyond the city.