The 2026 Innovate4Cities Conference will be held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 21–24 June 2026. Co-hosted by UN-Habitat and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), I4C26 will bring together city leaders, researchers, innovators, and climate experts to connect science, policy, practice, and innovation for a sustainable urban future.
The Indian Blue Community UDYAMA is invited to join the 2026 Innovate4Cities Conference as a strategic partner. Pradeep Mohapatra, Secretary & Co-Founder of UDYAMA, asked me to provide some notes from a Blue Community perspective. Here my input:
Notes on behalf of the Blue Community Network for Innovate4Cities (I4C26)
On behalf of the global Blue Community Network I am honored to contribute to the Innovate4Cities (I4C26) conference, a vital platform for advancing sustainable, inclusive, and resilient urban futures.
At a time when cities face growing pressures from climate change, inequality, and resource scarcity, water stands at the center of both the challenge and the solution. Access to safe, clean, and affordable water is not only a basic human need—it is a recognized human right and a cornerstone of public health, social equity, and environmental sustainability.
The Blue Community Network brings together municipalities, civil society organizations, and public water providers and other institutions committed to three core principles: recognizing water and sanitation as human rights; promoting publicly owned and managed water services against privatization and profeteering; requesting safe public drinking water for everybody, everywhere, against the commodification and commercialisation of bottled water and plastic waste.
Urban areas are on the frontlines of the global water crisis. Rapid urbanization, aging infrastructure, pollution, and climate-related disruptions such as droughts and floods are intensifying water insecurity. These challenges disproportionately affect vulnerable communities, deepening existing inequalities and undermining social cohesion.
We believe that the response must be rooted in public leadership and ownership, democratic governance, and community participation. Cities must invest in resilient and sustainable water systems that prioritize universal access and long-term stewardship over short-term profit. Public-public partnerships, knowledge sharing, and inclusive innovation are key to scaling solutions that are both effective and equitable.
Innovation in the water sector must go beyond technology. While digital tools, data systems, and nature-based solutions are essential, innovation must also include new governance models, social inclusion, and cultural perspectives. Indigenous knowledge, local practices, and community-driven approaches offer valuable insights into sustainable water management.
The Blue Community Network also emphasizes the importance of protecting water as a commons. Water cannot be treated solely as an economic good; it is a shared resource that sustains life, ecosystems, and future generations. Safeguarding water sources—rivers, lakes, aquifers, and watersheds—is fundamental to any urban climate strategy.
In this context, we call on participants of Innovate4Cities to:
- Strengthen commitments to water as a human right in urban policy frameworks
- Invest in public water infrastructure and capacity building
- Promote inclusive governance that empowers communities and workers
- Integrate water protection into climate adaptation and mitigation strategies
- Foster collaboration across cities, regions, and sectors
The challenges are urgent, but so are the opportunities. Cities have the power to lead transformative change by placing water justice at the heart of sustainable development.
The Blue Community Network stands ready to collaborate with partners around the world to build cities where water is protected, accessible to all, and governed in the public interest.
Water is life. Water is a public good. Water is a human right.
Roland Brunner, Blue Community Network, Responsible Content Editor
