Leading Local Government associations worldwide embark on a 2 year strategy 'From Bali (COP 13) to Poznan (COP14) to Copenhagen (COP 15)'
United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), Metropolis, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, the C40 Climate Leadership Group, and the World Mayors Council on Climate Change (WMCCC), in conjunction with their regional and national associations, networks and partners, have embarked on a local government process that shall seek empowerment and inclusion of cities and local governments in a UN post-2012 framework on climate change, thus influencing the Bali-Poznan-Copenhagen Roadmap.
The local government associations and networks leading the strategy are committed to involving their member and – where applicable – their regional sections in the process. More about this process under Roadmap Components
More on the Local Government Climate Roadmap in English, French, Polish, Spanish.
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The Local Government Climate Sessions (LGCS), an important step in the Local Government Climate Roadmap, were held in parallel to the UN Conference on Climate Change COP14, on 9-11 December 2008, in Poznan, Poland.
Outcomes of the event
Local governments have sent a clear message to the national governments that they want their role recognized as necessary partners to address climate change.
National governments have been contacted during the UN Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland, and the desire of the COP Decision on Cities, Local Authorities and Climate Change (English, French, Spanish) has been presented by Local Government to the Parties of the COP.
During the LGCS, representatives of National Delegations were present: Australia, Belgium, European Commission, France, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, Poland, Spain, Sri Lanka together with the Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, Mr. Yvo de Boer and the Executive Director of UN-Habitat Ms. Anna Tibaijuka and the Chair of the IPCC Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, and Director of the UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics, Ms Sylvie Lemmet.
For more information about the LGCS, please click here.
During the UN Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland, Municipal Commissioner of Thane, India, addressed COP delegates on behalf of Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA)
"We have gathered here in Poznan to advocate the need for an ambitious post-2012 climate mechanism that should also recognise the role of cities and local governments in climate action."
To download the full speech, please click here.
Mobilising Leadership in Local Climate Action
By 2030, two thirds of humanity will live in urban areas, where today more than 50% of the world’s population lives and up to 80% of all energy is consumed. Cities, especially fast growing cities in developing countries, are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
Mayors and local governments, as the governance level closest to citizens, are critical when it comes to practical climate actions. If genuinely empowered and resourced, local governments have a large potential to achieve substantial emission reductions in their local areas and, therefore, they are essential to ensure that global and ambitious targets of greenhouse gas emission reductions are being met.