Global Covenant and World Organization of Cities Join Forces to Discuss Localization of Climate Action
On September 25 and 26, the Global Secretariat of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), a founding member of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), organized two workshops in Barcelona, Spain, in collaboration with the GCoM. The aim was to identify pathways to implement new tools for reporting progress on the climate agenda.
Nadja Vetters, representing the GCoM, presented the rationale and practical aspects of the new climate reporting tools, emphasizing the need to go beyond the targets set by the Paris Agreement.
“Local Climate Action also involves changes in educational curricula, redefining how we perceive quality of life,” highlighted Emilia Saiz, UCLG Secretary General. She also referenced the strong legacy of local governments’ climate constituency since COP13 in 2007, held in Bali, where the Local Governments Climate Roadmap was established. Saiz stressed the importance of a coordinated global and regional strategy among different networks for climate action.
During the event, UCLG’s regional sections provided feedback on the localization of climate action and the challenges in implementing the tools, particularly those related to knowledge management, resources and capacity, and target groups.
Climate Action and SDGs
At the #Listen2Cities event, which coincided with the Global Day of Action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each regional section presented an overview of the challenges faced by their regions and their strategic priorities for climate action. Discussions included practices and strategies related to local climate action and the new tools developed by the GCoM, designed to address local challenges across different parts of the world. Participants also engaged in brainstorming sessions to explore synergies for implementing climate action and achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Regarding the SDGs, special emphasis was placed on Goal 11, which addresses climate. Representatives of local governments discussed the alignment of targets and the definition of monitoring indicators. This step is essential for advancing the convergence of these two agendas.
Source: UCLG
Photo Credits: UCLG
