Aligned with its environmental efforts, the Quezon City Government has become one of the founding members of a global network of cities taking urgent and coordinated action to address one of the most dangerous impacts of the climate crisis: extreme heat.
Joining the C40 Cities Cool Cities Accelerator strengthened the city’s commitment to protecting its residents from escalating heat risks and transforming its urban spaces into a safer, cooler future.
Extreme heat is considered to be among the deadliest weather-related hazards worldwide, responsible for an estimated 489,000 deaths annually. Without decisive action, the number of people exposed to life-threatening urban heat is projected to increase fivefold by 2050.
In 2023, Quezon City began experiencing unfavorable extreme heat, resulting in class suspensions, shortened class periods, and a shift to alternative teaching modalities.
“Extreme heat greatly affects our communities, livelihood, and overall way of living. It affected our schools and production of our urban farms, and put our residents at risk of heat-related illnesses. Being part of this movement will help us develop programs to become heat-resilient, protecting all our residents, including those who belong to the most vulnerable populations,” Mayor Joy Belmonte said.
C40 established the Accelerator in partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation, with implementation support from ClimateWorks Foundation and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Accelerator, in support of the COP30 Beat the Heat action agenda, provides a practical, science-based framework for cities to collaborate in addressing this global threat.
Through the Accelerator, Quezon City will protect residents by establishing clear heat action leadership, strengthening early warning systems, and expanding access to cooling solutions during heat emergencies within two years. It will also transform the city for the future by updating building codes to keep indoor temperatures safe, increasing shade and tree canopy in public spaces, and future-proofing critical infrastructure within five years.
“Extreme heat is a silent killer and an increasingly urgent global threat,” said Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities. “The number of days that major capitals experience temperatures above 35°C has increased 54% over the past twenty years. Cities like Quezon City are showing real leadership by taking practical steps to protect communities, safeguard economies, and create more liveable urban environments. By aligning with the UN Secretary-General’s call to action on extreme heat, these cities are helping to set a global standard for what bold, collective climate leadership looks like.”
The Cool Cities Accelerator brings together 33 cities representing over 143 million people from every region of the world, including Austin, Boston, Buenos Aires, Freetown, Nairobi, Phoenix, Singapore, and Paris. By sharing strategies and scaling proven solutions, cities can act more quickly and effectively than they could alone.
Prior to this endeavor, the city government had established initiatives championing climate resilience in communities, including the Enhanced Local Climate Change Action Plan (LCCAP) 2021-2050, the Green Building Code of 2025, its membership in the Resilient Cities network, and the development of a local climate action council.
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