July 18, 2023. Three cities that are members of the GCoM Mayors’ Forum in the Americas attended the U20 Summit, held on July 7 and 8 in Ahmedabad, India.
Mayor Carolina Basualdo of Despeñaderos, Argentina, Mayor Gonzalo Durán of Independencia, Chile, and Carlos Cubides, Director of Climate Change of Tópaga, Colombia, attended various sessions where six priority areas were discussed: promoting environmentally responsible behaviors, ensuring water security, accelerating climate financing, defending local identity, reinventing urban governance frameworks, and planning and catalyzing digital urban futures.
The U20 format was launched in 2017 to bring together mayors of the major cities of the G20 and allow them to bring urban development issues and challenges to the G20 leaders’ debate.
Mayor Basualdo, in her role as a representative of Latin America on the global Board of the GCoM, noted that Despeñaderos (Argentina) is part of highly relevant projects guided by the goals reflected in the Global Covenant of Mayors. “Among our priority areas, I would highlight the transition to a circular economy, creating conditions for sustainable development and gender equality,” she said.
As Champion of Inclusive Climate Action on the GCoM’s Board, Basualdo also had the opportunity to speak at the session “Women, Youth, and Children in Urban Policy Design,” highlighting local governments as key actors in developing the global objectives outlined and their policies as the first local response to the factual consequences of the environmental crisis. She incorporated into the debate a situated and plural perspective that strengthens the voice of local governments and emphasizes the importance of having their own representation space where they can express the real challenges and needs of local governments in Latin America.
Mayor of Independencia (Chile), Gonzalo Durán, commented that “in the days leading up to this meeting, the planet recorded its highest temperature: 17.01°C, reflecting the urgent need to change our habits and cities to help reduce the effects of global warming from our territories, and for that, financing environmental projects is crucial.”
For Carlos Cubides, local governments play a fundamental role in combating climate change due to their proximity to communities and their ability to implement effective policies and programs at the local level. “The U20 summit highlights this role and generates multilevel synergies so that municipalities can work towards low-carbon and climate-resilient development,” said the director.
The municipality of Tópaga participated in the climate finance panel, questioning the financing horizon and how a municipality with a limited budget can achieve the goals of the new urban agenda. “As the effects of climate change become increasingly evident, local governments have a responsibility to take concrete actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote sustainability, and strengthen the resilience of their communities,” he concluded.
Issues related to modernizing climate finance also resonated strongly among the participants. The main aspect that received a lot of attention was the need to develop a mechanism that makes climate finance more accessible to cities.
“We know that fiscal systems are very focused on federal-level financing, which means central governments are better funded than municipal governments. Cities are at the forefront of climate action, so they need the money to adapt, mitigate, and become more resilient, investing in capital-intensive areas such as transportation, sanitation, and water supply,” said Lucas Wosgrau Padilha, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the Rio G20 Mayoralty.
Next November, Brazil will preside over the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro. Before the summit of heads of state, the U20 meeting will also take place there. The city has been a signatory of the GCoM since 2015 and a member of the Flagship Cities initiative.
