2023-2024 Finalist Disclosures

According to the Terms and Conditions, the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities is eligible to be won by projects that do not have a pre-existing relationship with WRI. 

The Kham River Restoration Initiative

There is no existing relationship between WRI and EcoSattva. WRI has worked with the city of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on the city’s Climate Action Plan, which was launched in February 2024. WRI did not work with EcoSattva or any Kham river partners for the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Climate Action Plan. 

Rodrigo Bueno: Climate Resilient Housing

There is no existing relationship between WRI and the Housing Institute of Buenos Aires. At the 2022 C40 Mayor’s Summit in Buenos Aires, some C40 delegates visited the Rodrigo Bueno site. Rodrigo Bueno was a featured case study through C40. Buenos Aires is a member of the C40 Cities network of cities. Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40, previously sat on the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities jury. Mark Watts is not a jury member for the 2023-2024 cycle. 

Re-Ciclo 

There is no prior existing relationship between WRI and the Re-Ciclo project. Re-Ciclo project receives funding from TUMI, which is a large program of work funded by GIZ. WRI is a co-lead in the TUMI e-bus mission. WRI Brasil supports e-bus electrification projects in other cities in Brasil as part of TUMI. WRI Brasil has also supported bus electrification projects in Fortaleza in the past under FedEx funding. Re-Ciclo does not include any e-bus components. In 2015, Fortaleza was selected by Bloomberg Philanthropies as part of its Global Road Safety Initiative. WRI Brasil Sustainable Cities is part of the Safe Mobility and Safe Roads group of the Bloomberg Initiative and supports the city in the development of road safety actions.   

The Climate Budget 

There is no existing relationship between WRI and the Oslo Climate Agency. Oslo is a member of the C40 Cities network of cities. C40 Cities runs a Climate Budgeting program inspired by Oslo’s work. Some staff from C40 Cities climate budgeting program have gone to take on roles at WRI. WRI staff who held roles at C40 were not involved in the Oslo Climate Budget as WRI staff. Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40, previously sat on the WRI Ross Center Prize for Cities jury. Mark Watts is not a jury member for the 2023-2024 cycle. 

Green Community Schoolyards

There is no existing relationship between WRI and Trust for Public Land Community Schoolyards program in NYC. Kenneth Wong joined Trust for Public Land’s National Board of Directors in May 2023. Kenneth Wong also serves as COO of Related Companies, where Stephen M. Ross is Founder and Chairman. The role of Trust for Public Land’s National Board is nationally focused and Board members are prohibited from performing duties specific to local work. Kenneth Wong has not had any role in the Community Schoolyards work in New York City.