Reliable datasets evaluating average and extreme precipitation are crucial for assessing water-sector vulnerabilities and adaptive capacity in global cities. However, conventional meteorological station data is often insufficient for consistent global analysis. In this study, we piloted and refined a publicly accessible decision-support tool (Global Urban Climate Assessment-GUCA) on 12 global cities using the ERA5-Land reanalysis precipitation dataset from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). We analyzed data from water years 1981 to 2023 to assess flood exposure by examining trends in annual peak daily precipitation, transformed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) (z scores) and an estimate of 25-year return period precipitation. We also analyzed changes in water availability by analyzing linear trends in annual average precipitation z scores, and in untransformed annual averages. To evaluate water security in the 12 pilot cities, we combined average annual precipitation, standardized precipitation trends, freshwater withdrawal data, and population change. Our results show that several cities are experiencing significant precipitation changes. For instance, Panama City and Shenzhen showed increased flooding vulnerability over the past 20 years (71–83%), while Mogadishu, Amman, and Abuja were more susceptible to reduced water availability and intensifying droughts (23–32%). These findings demonstrate that innovative use of ERA5 reanalysis data can provide a comprehensive and self-consistent global resource for conducting analyses of different aspects of water security, offering policymakers and urban planners actionable insights for more informed decision-making across a broader range of cities worldwide. Graphical Abstract This study developed a decision-support tool to assess water-sector vulnerabilities in 12 global cities using the ERA5-Land reanalysis precipitation dataset (1981–2023) from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). The research analyzed trends in flood exposure (using annual peak precipitation and 25-year return period estimates) and water availability (using annual average precipitation trends and the Standardized Precipitation Index). Key findings revealed increased flooding vulnerability in cities like Panama City and Shenzhen, while Mogadishu, Amman, and Abuja faced heightened drought risks. The study highlights the utility of ERA5-Land data for creating a consistent global resource to evaluate water security and climate resilience. The results are integrated into the Global Urban Climate Assessment (GUCA), an ArcGIS-based platform providing actionable insights for urban climate adaptation and investment prioritization.

This article provides insights into facilitating collective impact with community indicator programs (CIPs). The research deconstructs effective programs in two communities and explores the role of community indicators and institutional design in facilitating change. A CIP analytical framework drawn from relevant literature provides a model to assist in analyzing the structure and processes around the CIPs of the Alliance for Building Community (Quincy, IL) and the Jacksonville Community Council (Jacksonville, FL). Next, using process-tracing methods, this research follows a successful community initiative and its local systems approach. These observations, along with the relevant broader findings from the literature, provide revisions to the analytical framework and generalizable processes and factors in developing such a system.

How can we best leverage higher education to address the pressing issues we face? While the SDGs reflect a global landscape dominated by complex, interconnected ‘wicked’ problems, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) remain largely tethered to siloed, decontextualized instructional models. The inability of HEIs to shift practices to foster transversal, 21st-century skills necessary to navigate uncertain futures is a critical competency gap. This paper highlights the transformative potential of challenge-based learning (CBL) and place-based learning (PBL), high-impact experiential pedagogies, as critical tools for sustainability transformations. The Consortium for Adaptive Futures, an interdisciplinary and transnational community of practice, was launched in early 2025 to promote co-learning among faculty from North America and Europe for these practices. Drawing on insights from an inaugural symposium in Dublin, we identify three critical elements to HEI transformations that support sustainability and 21st-century skills to address grand challenges. These are: the importance of real-world relevance in education; the need for pedagogical shifts and faculty development to support these new roles; and the essential role of supportive institutional structures and resources to enable sustained engagement. In doing so, we issue a call to arms to HEIs and forward a reimagining of undergraduate education.