From March 29 to 31, mayors and officials are gathering in Cartagena de Indias, one of the emblematic cities of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in the Americas (GCoM Americas), a project funded by the European Union. The meeting is part of the 2023 National Congress of Municipalities, organized by the Colombian Federation of Municipalities (FCM), which coordinates the GCoM in the country.
The event featured a high-level panel, “Governance for the Climate Crisis,” with the participation of the Director of Climate Change and Risk Management of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Sebastián Carranza; the Vice President of Sustainability – EPM, Ana Milena Joya; the Forest Ranger Calderón, represented by Víctor Manuel Saborio; and the mayor of Tópaga/Boyacá, Álvaro Henry Barrera Díaz. The expert from the GCoM, Belén Jiménez, represented the alliance.
The mayor of Tópaga/Boyacá and representative of the GCoM’s Mayors’ Forum in Latin America, Álvaro Henry Barrera Díaz, shared his experience on the importance of the participation of small communities like his in international initiatives such as the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. He highlighted how the project has helped him in adaptation and mitigation by working collectively with eight neighboring municipalities and thanked the alliance for the opportunity to meet with cities from other countries and share similar issues to those of his locality.
Representing the GCoM, expert Belén Jiménez emphasized three key points in fighting the climate crisis: the need to understand that global challenges can only be materialized at the local level, which is why the GCoM directly supports small and medium-sized cities that are the first to feel the effects of climate change; the importance of decarbonization and adaptation to climate change; and the integration of the climate agenda transversally in the formulation of public policies at the local, provincial, and national levels, with the support of all sectors, including the private sector, public sector, academia, and civil society, to address the climate crisis.
Technical and financial support in discussion
Belén Jiménez, GCoM expert for Latin America, led the workshop “Opportunities for technical and financial support for municipalities within the framework of GCoM Americas.” As part of the GCoM’s national strategy in Colombia, the aim of the meeting was to present the main tools to facilitate technical management and access to climate financing sources and inform about the technical support for designing climate action plans. Additionally, along with the FCM and ICLEI, the national strategy, ongoing activities, and processes in various cities were discussed and planned for the coming months.
“The climate crisis is a wake-up call for all of us. Decarbonization and adaptation are the two irreversible paths we must take to ensure a sustainable future for all,” said Jiménez. “As leaders and citizens, it is our responsibility to act decisively and take concrete measures to address this challenge,” she concluded.
With 37 cities committed to the GCoM and leading the climate fight in Colombia, the FCM considers the visibility that spaces like this have at the local, regional, national, and international levels to be strategic.
During the discussion, key topics were addressed, such as the advantages of GCoM support, the acceleration of local climate action in Colombia, and the benefits of working in local partnerships and pooling efforts at the local level, as has been done in Tópaga.
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy in the Americas (GCoM Americas) is a global alliance of cities and local governments voluntarily committed to combating climate change, reducing its inevitable impacts, and facilitating access to sustainable and affordable energy for all. The GCoM is funded by the European Union, a strategic partner in the region’s fight against climate change.
For more information:
Press: Ebida Santos, [email protected]
Technical: Belén Jiménez, [email protected]