As Antalya Looks to the Cities of Tomorrow, Ethiopia Brings a Story of Urban Renaissance

Addis Ababa, November 12, 2026 (FMC) – The cities of tomorrow are being shaped by decisions made today: where homes are built, how people move, how rivers are protected, where energy comes from and whether urban growth leaves nature behind or makes it part of the solution.

As COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, turns its attention to resilient cities and the built environment, Ethiopia brings to the global discussion an experience that connects urban transformation with a much wider national drive for climate action.

For Ethiopia, the transformation of its cities is part of a development vision in which modern infrastructure, environmental restoration and economic progress must advance together.

The changing urban landscape is visible in river rehabilitation, flood-protection works, green public spaces, improved mobility and the development of pedestrian-friendly corridors. These interventions seek not only to change the physical appearance of cities, but also to address longstanding environmental pressures, improve public life and create more resilient urban environments.

Addis Ababa offers a striking illustration of this ambition. The rehabilitation of its rivers and the development of their banks into parks, walkways and recreational spaces are changing how residents interact with the city’s natural environment.

Corridor development is bringing together roads, pedestrian facilities, greenery and public services, while modern infrastructure and mobility initiatives are reshaping the capital’s urban experience.

The wider significance lies in treating rivers, green spaces and public infrastructure as interconnected elements of a liveable and climate-resilient city.

This urban transformation is connected to Ethiopia’s national climate action. The Green Legacy Initiative, with more than 56 billion seedlings planted, has mobilised communities across the country in efforts to restore degraded landscapes, expand forest cover and strengthen watersheds.

Beyond tree planting, Ethiopia is pursuing renewable energy diversification through wind, solar and geothermal development, while advancing electric mobility and climate-resilient agriculture.

These efforts reflect the country’s position that climate action is inseparable from food security, energy access, livelihoods and long-term economic development.

The scale of this connection is particularly evident in Ethiopia’s energy and agricultural systems. More than 90 percent of the country’s electricity is generated from hydropower, making rainfall patterns and water availability critical to energy security.

Agriculture and coffee production are likewise exposed to changing temperatures and rainfall. At COP31, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed underlined these links, stressing that climate action is an integral part of Ethiopia’s economic policy.

He also pointed to the country’s expanding use of wind, solar and geothermal energy, electric mobility, satellite data and artificial intelligence-supported weather forecasting to strengthen resilience and preparedness.

Ethiopia’s engagement in Antalya is therefore extending well beyond presenting its urban and environmental initiatives. The country officially opened its pavilion on November 9 at the Antalya EXPO Center, establishing a platform for climate dialogue, partnership-building and the exchange of practical solutions.

Scheduled to host 63 events from November 9 to 20, the pavilion is addressing climate finance, adaptation, energy transitions, food systems, youth and gender.

It is also showcasing the Green Legacy Initiative, renewable energy expansion and the country’s climate-resilient development approach as Ethiopia prepares to assume the COP32 presidency.

At the diplomatic level, Foreign Minister and COP32 President-Designate Gedion Timothewos has used the Antalya conference to underline Ethiopia’s commitment to an inclusive and constructive climate process.

In his engagement at COP31, he emphasised the need to rebuild confidence in multilateral climate cooperation through delivery, meaningful participation and outcomes that connect global commitments with national implementation.

Ethiopia has also expressed readiness to work closely with Türkiye and Australia to support successful negotiations and ensure a smooth transition towards COP32.

The country’s engagement has also reached out to developing nations and international partners. Gedion’s meeting with the Chair of the Least Developed Countries Group, Ambassador Adão Soares Barbosa of Timor-Leste, reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment to keeping the priorities of vulnerable countries central to the road towards COP32.

Finance Minister and COP32 Chief Negotiator Fitsum Assefa also held discussions with Norway’s Minister of Climate and the Environment, Sigrun Gjerløw Aasland, on cooperation, including afforestation under the Green Legacy Initiative.

These engagements reflect Ethiopia’s effort to build partnerships around climate finance, adaptation and the practical means of implementing climate commitments.

The urban dimension has been advanced directly by Addis Ababa’s leadership. On the sidelines of COP31, Mayor Adanech Abiebie met Professor Anthony Nyong, Director for Climate Change and Green Growth at the African Development Bank, and Anne Hidalgo, Global Covenant of Mayors Ambassador and former Mayor of Paris.

Their discussions addressed direct access to climate finance for cities, project preparation and implementation, green development, riverfront renewal, urban redevelopment and urban agriculture. The Mayor also underscored the opportunity COP32 presents for African cities to bring their climate priorities, financing needs and development agendas to the international community.

That engagement speaks to one of the most consequential questions facing the global climate process: how can cities secure the financing and technical capacity to turn ambitious plans into tangible improvements? Across Africa, rapidly growing urban populations are increasing demand for housing, transport, water, energy and basic services.

Without resilient planning and investment, urban expansion can deepen environmental degradation and expose more people to climate risks. Yet with appropriate financing, technology and institutional capacity, cities can become powerful drivers of low-carbon growth, adaptation and improved quality of life.

For Ethiopia, hosting COP32 in Addis Ababa in November 2027 will provide a platform to bring these interconnected priorities into the heart of global climate deliberations.

The task is not simply to organise an international conference, but to help advance a process in which the concerns of developing countries, African cities and climate-vulnerable communities translate into meaningful cooperation and implementation.

The future city cannot be separated from the future of the climate. A rehabilitated river, a greener neighbourhood, reliable clean energy, climate-resilient agriculture and accessible public transport are not isolated development achievements; they are parts of the same response to a changing world. As Antalya turns the spotlight on the cities of tomorrow,

Ethiopia is bringing forward a story in which urban renaissance and climate action are increasingly intertwined—and in which the measure of transformation is not only how cities grow, but how well they protect and sustain the lives within them.