A new CityMetrics platform has been launched by the WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, offering an interactive dashboard that allows users to explore key urban indicators from more than 60 cities across the world. The tool aims to support city leaders, planners and researchers in understanding environmental risks, development patterns and climate resilience challenges.
What the Dashboard Offers
The CityMetrics dashboard compiles a wide range of geospatial datasets linked to seven major themes that influence sustainability and resilience. These themes include flooding, heat, air quality, accessibility, land protection, biodiversity and climate change mitigation. Users can compare cities and observe how conditions have changed over time.
Key Indicators
Flooding indicators show exposure to coastal or river overflow and the presence of development around natural drainage systems. Heat indicators allow users to review projected high temperatures and the spread of heat-prone built-up spaces. Air quality is tracked through exposure to PM2.5 pollution.
Accessibility measures the proximity of essential services such as healthcare, public transport and open green spaces. Land protection and biodiversity indicators assess tree cover, restored habitats, protected zones and species presence. Climate mitigation data highlights greenhouse gas emissions and potential reduction strategies.
How CityMetrics Helps
The platform offers decision-makers a clear picture of where risks are highest and which communities are most vulnerable. For example, in Delhi, high PM2.5 concentration and the vulnerability to intense rainfall combine to make air pollution and flooding major risks. In Freetown, Sierra Leone, several wards with densely built-up settlements near natural drainage are particularly prone to floods.
The dashboard also reveals how risk varies for different groups. In Mexico City, children have less access to open green spaces compared to the general population. Long-term trends are also visible, as seen in Jakarta, where permeable land that could naturally absorb rainwater has decreased dramatically in the past three decades.
Why This Matters
By providing open data that can be viewed, compared and downloaded, the CityMetrics dashboard encourages cities to learn from one another and develop clear priorities for climate resilience and urban planning. The tool builds on earlier WRI dashboard projects and expands coverage, offering deeper insight to support strategic decision-making.
Where to Access
The dashboard is available at CityMetrics.wri.org, where users can explore maps, data layers and comparative charts, as well as download information for further analysis. A detailed blog explaining development of the platform is available on TheCityFix.org.
This platform is expected to play a growing role in shaping climate-ready urban development and improving the lives of city residents worldwide.