UNDP, Tongji University launch urban resilience lab in Shanghai

A lab which will use the Sustainable Development Goals as a guide in its innovative work on disaster prevention and building resilient infrastructure for global cities in the age of climate crisis was inaugurated in Shanghai on Monday.

The RISE (Resilience, Innovation, Sustainability, and Empowerment) Lab, jointly established by the United Nations Development Programme in China, Tongji University, and China International Center for Economic and Technical Exchanges, aims to provide a platform for national exchanges on strengthening the sustainable development of cities.

"Cities are at the heart of the climate crisis, but they are also key to the solution," said James George, UNDP deputy resident representative in China. "RISE Lab will serve as a test-bed for cutting-edge innovation and a platform for national and global knowledge exchange to accelerate sustainable, inclusive urban transformation."

As UNDP China's first SDG innovation lab focused specifically on disaster and climate resilience in urban areas, the initiative comes at a time when climate-related challenges are intensifying globally. George cited data indicating that extreme weather events have caused approximately two million deaths and $4 trillion in economic losses over the past five decades. Projections are that climate-related hazards could result in additional economic losses of $12.5 trillion and over two billion healthy life years lost by 2050. Healthy life years measures the number of remaining years that a person is expected to live without a disability.

UN Under-Secretary-General and UNDP Acting Administrator Xu Haoliang emphasized that cities, which contain more than half of the global population and account for major greenhouse gas emissions, must be central to addressing the triple planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. "That's why I am especially proud to see the launch of the RISE Lab on Urban Resilience at Tongji University, in collaboration with UNDP China," he said.

The lab leverages Tongji University's expertise in civil engineering and UNDP's development experience. Tongji has always practiced "science and technology to serve the world" and adhered to the "rigorous and pragmatic" spirit, said Zheng Qinghua, Communist Party secretary of Tongji University. "RISE Lab will help transform Chinese experience into global standards and contribute to building safe, inclusive, and resilient cities."

Zhou Ying, dean of the College of Civil Engineering at Tongji, said the lab will tap into UNDP's global network spanning 170 countries, Tongji University's civil engineering expertise and disaster prevention research capabilities, as well as CICETE's international economic and technological exchange resources to develop innovative urban solutions.

According to Zhou, artificial intelligence will be one of the key research directions for the lab. "AI will play a crucial role in addressing complex urban systems through systematic thinking and solutions," she added, noting the development of large-scale computing models and professional knowledge language models for disaster prevention and resilience.

She also highlighted China's urbanization rate of 66 percent compared to the global average of 54 percent, noting that the county's successful urbanization experience, particularly in disaster prevention and resilience, could benefit other nations through UNDP cooperation.

James George agreed, saying, "China's experience and lessons learned can provide valuable insights to cities around the world," and noting that China has made important progress in sustainable urban development and integrating climate resilience into city planning and infrastructure. This includes piloting innovative approaches from green building standards to large-scale investments in public transport and renewable energy. The country's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025) emphasizes low-carbon urbanization and building resilient cities to advance sustainable, green development.

Monday's launch event was attended by representatives and experts from international organizations including the UNDP, UN-Habitat, ICLEI East Asia, Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and experts from the Shanghai municipal government and academia. Discussions covered topics ranging from low-carbon city design and resilient infrastructure to the role of digital technology in climate adaptation.

Li Shuyin, deputy director general of CICETE, expressed confidence that the lab would become a research hub for disaster prevention and reduction in China, carrying out the mission of global cooperation and experience sharing.

The new lab has also announced a Global Call for Solution Proposals, inviting innovators, city leaders and researchers from around the world to collaborate in developing practical, scalable solutions for resilient urban futures. In addition, the lab is planning a flagship international conference and an advanced leadership training workshop for the latter half of this year.