Supported by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy and ICLEI, representatives from Latin American cities attended COP23 in Bonn, Germany, in November. COP23, the 23rd Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), is a global event focused on implementing the Convention and addressing climate change.
At the conference events, municipal leaders worldwide learned about various aspects of the fight against climate change and contributed to the global environmental agenda.
The Climate Summit of Local and Regional Leaders took place at the event, bringing together local leaders from around the world, national authorities, and representatives of international organizations for a series of discussions on local-level climate action.
Mayor Mónica Fein noted that many Latin American cities have sustainable development projects and plans on paper but often lack funding due to bureaucratic issues. “We must ensure that resources reach cities, from the smallest to the medium-sized and the largest,” Fein said.
See everything that was discussed at the Summit here.
Additionally, at the Cities and Regions Pavilion, the European Union’s International Urban Cooperation Program—which promotes the establishment of the Global Covenant of Mayors in Latin America—also held a meeting, bringing together representatives from various regional programs worldwide. Participants could share best practices and discuss ways to promote sustainable urban development and climate action through cooperation between local governments. A brunch also marked the occasion for the Latin American delegation.
COP and the GCoM
As a result of COP21, the Paris Agreement set ambitious goals to accelerate the global fight against climate change. In this process, cities, businesses, communities, and citizens are critical actors for success. Thus, the expansion of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy emerged to create a global community of local governments committed to the climate cause.
(With information from COP23, UCLG, and photos from ICLEI SAMS).
