GOVERNANCE OF THE GCOM ALLIANCE

 

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an alliance that rallies the collective power of many stakeholders to drive local climate action. This alliance dynamic is organized around a global governance structure, which enables the establishment of governance frameworks at the regional and national levels in Latin America. By setting up this structure, various mechanisms have been created to bring together key climate action actors at different levels, assigning them specific roles within the alliance. This approach aims to generate greater coherence among the GCoM’s global, regional, national, and local strategies through the active participation of its key actors.

NATIONAL LEVEL

National Coordinators

The National Coordinators serve as points of contact for the signatory municipalities in each of the eight countries where they are present (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru). They lead the formulation and implementation of the GCoM’s National Strategy in their countries in coordination with their National Advisory Committee members. They also directly support municipalities within the context of GCoM activities in their country (recruitment, technical support, participation in events, etc.) and chair the National Advisory Committee. The Regional Secretariat periodically organizes meetings among the Coordinators to promote exchanging knowledge and experiences among the countries.

National Consultative Committees

National Consultative Committees have been established in eight Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, and Peru). They bring together key actors in climate action in each country (including different levels of government, municipal associations, civil society organizations, etc.) to facilitate dialogue on climate action policies and programs. This is the working group where the GCoM’s national strategy is defined and monitored, and synergies are sought between different initiatives supporting municipalities in the climate arena.

Find out who supports the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy in each participant Latin American country

National Coordinator


National Consultative Committee:
(in process of reactivation)

National Coordinator:

 

National Consultative Committee:

(in process of reactivation)

REGIONAL LEVEL

Regional Steering Committee

The committee brings together key actors in local climate action with regional coverage in Latin America, who share responsibilities within the alliance. Together, they shape GCoM’s strategy for the Latin American region, considering national priorities identified by each country. They are responsible for monitoring and tracking the regional progress of the GCoM. Additionally, the Committee is tasked with translating the alliance’s global initiatives into regional efforts and sharing the regional vision globally through participation in various global alliance forums. It also serves as a hub for information exchange, seeking synergies and collaboration among organizations.

 The Regional Steering Committee members are the Delegation of the European Union in Brazil, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, CDP, Cidades e Governos Locais Unidos – CGLU (FLACMA), Mercocidades, ICLEI América do Sul, ICLEI MECS and the mayor representing Latin America on the GCoM Global Board (currently Carolina Basualdo, from Despeñaderos, Argentina).

Regional Secretariat of the GCoM

It’s the regional operational body of the GCoM, providing support to all governance instances, coordinating technical work to assist municipalities, establishing collaboration agreements with other entities, and being responsible for communication and visibility of the alliance’s work in Latin America. The Secretariat directly engages with municipalities in the region through the Helpdesk. It also closely coordinates with the GCoM Global Secretariat.

Helpdesk

The Helpdesk is a support mechanism for cities, assisting local governments and authorities at different stages of their commitment to the GCoM. As part of its services, the Helpdesk guides new municipalities willing to join the alliance and responds to administrative, technical, and/or institutional questions and requests from cities and partners. It works in conjunction with the Regional Secretariat.

Mayors Forum

This Forum brings together GCoM mayors from different countries in Latin America who stand out for their work and commitment to climate action. The aim is to ensure a city-led approach to GCoM’s strategy and support priorities in Latin America.

With the participation of 14 mayors from eight countries, the Forum members act as spokespersons for the alliance community, giving greater visibility to the signatories’ ambitious climate action in the region.

Carolina Basualdo, Mayor of Despeñaderos, Argentina, chairs the forum and represents the Latin American region on the GCoM Global Board.

GLOBAL LEVEL

Global Board

The Board brings together GCoM mayors representing different regions of the world and city networks, aiming to ensure that the GCoM alliance is led by cities. The Board members collaborate with mayors in different regions of the world to recruit new signatories, support initiatives of municipalities that have already joined, and contribute to strategic discussions and identification of priorities for the GCoM. Mayor Carolina Basualdo (Despeñaderos, Argentina) represents Latin America on the Board.

Strategic Advisory Committee

This committee comprises representatives from founding global and European city networks, regional/National Covenants, organizations serving on the Board as ex-officio members, and other key partners to the GCoM alliance. It aims to strengthen the entire GCoM alliance through a robust strategic vision by bolstering global governance and streamlining decisions stemming from the technical working groups. ICLEI South America participates in the Committee representing Latin America.

Global Secretariat

Established in Brussels, it is the operational body of the GCoM at the global level while also providing support to national and regional covenants. The Secretariat promotes coordination among the numerous key actors of the alliance, especially city networks, around five technical working groups focused on: global and regional coherence; data management, monitoring, and reporting; climate finance; communication; research; and innovation.

For more information on the global governance of the GCoM, you can visit our website.