Experimenting with Data: Unlocking access to finance for intermediary cities through co-creation

According to the World Bank Banking on Cities report, resilient and low-carbon urban development in low and middle-income countries will require US$256–821 billion annually through 2050. At the same time, intermediate cities, which absorb much of urban growth, often struggle to mobilise finance for climate-aligned investments. The Banking on Cities report analyses investment opportunities across key sectors-transport, solid waste management, energy efficiency,etc -and explores their revenue generation potential and financing pathways.This session complements these insights with findings from a global survey of 160 cities conducted by the GCoM–Gap Fund Partnership. The survey captures cities’ perspectives on challenges in developing and implementing resilient and low-carbon projects, including regulatory, technical, financial, and governance barriers. The session functions as a collaborative lab: cities, researchers, and PDBs will test how barriers identified in Banking on Cities manifest in intermediary cities. The outcome is not a fixed report, but a co-produced narrative that strengthens both evidence and action. It will also inform urban finance tools developed by GCOM.