Green Cities, Infrastructure and Energy
The UK Government’s Centre of Expertise in Green Cities, Infrastructure and Energy operated from 2023 to 2026, responding to the impacts of climate change and poverty by accelerating the delivery of sustainable cities and resilient infrastructure.
It continues as a set of smaller work packages. For details of our ongoing work in this sector, please contact your nearest embassy or high commission, or visit Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. This website remains available as a source of guidance and learning for infrastructure practitioners.
83
Projects
30
Countries across Asia, Africa and the Caribbean
50
Cities
Figures represent GCIEP Alliance Deep Offer, Targeted Offer and UK Expertise Offer projects.
Cities hold more than half the world’s population and most of its infrastructure assets.
Cities are the backbone of national economies and will play a crucial role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. To accelerate the transition to net zero in urban areas and harness the benefits of rapid urbanisation, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) operated the Green Cities, Infrastructure and Energy Centre of Expertise between 2023 and 2026.
The Centre of Expertise deployed the UK’s expertise in infrastructure planning and inclusive urban development across a range of countries, supporting our partner governments to invest in resilient infrastructure, create jobs and enhance productivity. The Centre of Expertise brought together the skills and capabilities of the private sector with the expertise of UK public agencies, creating a platform for delivering effective policy solutions to key challenges facing national governments and cities.
The Centre of Expertise was implemented primarily through the Green Cities, Infrastructure and Energy Programme (GCIEP), which was managed by a PwC-led consortium including Mott MacDonald, Engineers Against Poverty, Adam Smith International and MDY Legal. Further expertise was provided by our eight delivery partners: British Geological Survey, BSI, Connected Places Catapult, Crossrail International, Ofgem, Ordnance Survey, National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority, and Transport for London. In addition to GCIEP, several other programmes under the Centre of Expertise also contributed to greener cities and infrastructure: the Climate-Compatible Growth Programme, the Urban Climate Action Programme, Transforming Energy Access, and Modern Energy Cooking Services.
Our delivery partners
Top Resources
View all resourcesThis website is a useful repository of knowledge made available for practitioners pursuing sustainable cities, infrastructure and energy. Six resources are showcased here and many more resources, learning notes and news articles are available on the News and Resources page.
Ho Chi Minh City Transit-Oriented Development: Technical Guidelines for Planning and Implementation
17/06/26
A Practical Guide to Feasibility Studies: Supporting partner governments in low- and middle-income countries
20/05/26
Designing a funding and financing framework for Indonesia’s infrastructure goals
21/04/26
A pivot in UK aid: Technical assistance and UK expertise as a catalyst for financing climate-resilient infrastructure
28/06/26
How world-class UK agencies and methodologies can transform the UK’s development impact
28/06/26
The commercial and development case for combining ODA and non-ODA in FCDO programming
28/06/26
UKEO Tools and Methodologies
View all resourcesThese resources bring together some of the practical UK tools, guidance and methodologies, some of which have been developed by GCIEP. They each have huge potential and value in supporting better infrastructure project preparation, assurance, transparency and delivery. Further information on each resource, including how it can be applied, is available on the pages linked below.
UK 5 Case Model
26/06/26
NISTA Gateway Review Methodology
26/06/26
COST – Infrastructure Transparency initiative
26/06/26
Urban Rail and BRT Bench Marking Tool – A reference class forecasting tool benchmarking your urban system against its international peers.
26/06/26
GEDSI Lens Toolkit for Infrastructure Project Developers
26/03/25
A whole system approach: A guide for advisers engaging in the energy sector in developing countries
30/07/19