The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating impacts on cities – putting unprecedented pressure on municipal budgets and public services, exacerbating inequalities and revealing their extreme fragility to shocks. At the same time, cities offer among the most promising opportunities to build back better with speed and impact, and the crisis has increased public appetite and political space for bold interventions that can radically transform cities. WRI is helping city and national leaders turn crisis into opportunity by harnessing the potential of cities to drive a green, inclusive and resilient recovery in responding to the pandemic.