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Extreme heat is already straining cities worldwide, contributing to an estimated 489,000 deaths each year and eroding residents’ health and wellbeing. As temperatures rise, so do the risks: longer, more severe heatwaves, surging cooling demand, and increased spread of heat-related illnesses—especially in lower-income cities.

Too often, cities struggle to justify the up-front costs of cooling solutions when benefits are hard to quantify. Cool Cities Lab changes that. Built on globally accessible open data, Cool Cities Lab places tangible, actionable data on the potential of solutions within reach of officials and planners in any city.

Whether a city wants to lower overall temperatures by 1 degree C or improve the comfort of people living in a cramped, underserved neighborhood, Cool Cities Lab empowers both city staff and residents to quantify their vulnerability to extreme heat and understand which solutions could make the greatest difference.

In this session, you will:

  • See a live demo of Cool Cities Lab.
  • Learn how to assess heat risks and model cooling solutions.
  • Hear firsthand how cities are already using the platform.
  • Gain practical tools to support data-driven decision-making.

This webinar is designed for city officials, national government representatives, and urban practitioners working on climate, health, and urban development.

Agenda:

Opening Remarks ​

  • Adalberto Maluf, Ministry of Environment, Brazil ​

Cool Cities Lab Introduction & Live Demo ​

  • Dr. Elizabeth Wesley, World Resources Institute​

Panel Discussion: Learning from Experiences in Florianópolis, Hermosillo and with Smart Surfaces Coalition​

  • Cibele Assman, Florianópolis (Brazil)​
  • Uziel López Gálvez, Hermosillo (Mexico)​
  • Jacob Miller, Smart Surfaces Coalition ​
  • Moderator: Eric Mackres, World Resources Institute

Audience Q&A

  • John-Rob Pool (Moderator)

Closing Remarks

  • Pablo Lazo, World Resources Institute​