The GCoM Officially Launches Operations in Mexico
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) took another step forward with its official launch in Mexico. The launch event took place during the Smart City Expo LatAm Congress 2018, held from September 11 to 13 in Puebla.
During this event, six Mexican cities joined the GCoM, demonstrating their commitment to combating climate change. Additionally, the cities of Corrientes in Argentina and Santa Anita in Peru also joined this global initiative.
Corrientes and Santa Anita Commit to the GCoM
Representatives from the newly committed cities gave presentations highlighting their ongoing actions to tackle climate change.
Manuel Fuentes, Head of the International Urban Cooperation Program for Latin America (IUC-LAC), presented the progress of the GCoM in Latin America and participated in a panel on sustainable economic development organized by GIZ in Mexico. “The most important part of the meeting in Mexico was the integration between the GCoM in South America and the GCoM in Mexico, as well as the interaction between South American and Mexican mayors. Significant exchanges of ideas occurred, creating synergies among groups of mayors,” said Manuel Fuentes.
The event brought together key representatives from participating cities, institutions, civil society organizations, and businesses seeking to identify common challenges and collaborate by sharing and discussing solutions for improving urban planning in terms of mitigation, climate change adaptation, and energy access.
Key Organizations Involved
The event was attended by major organizations supporting the initiative, including the Delegation of the European Union in Mexico, represented by Ms. Imma Roca i Cortes, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project), the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission, the Directorate-General for Energy (DG Energy), the Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA), and others.
This event will play a crucial role in raising awareness and promoting the GCoM so that more cities learn about the initiative and consider joining, thereby strengthening cooperation among cities in addressing climate change.
