Local Governments @ COP17 - Urbanize Climate Agenda!

At COP17/CMP7 in Durban, South Africa nations agreed on a platform for establishing a protocol, another legal instrument, or an agreed outcome with legal force under the UNFCCC applicable to all Parties. While this is a negotiation success, cities and local governments continue to push forward at a faster and more ambitious level.

While nations have rallied to agree on a deal at the climate talks, cities have already demonstrated their commitment to climate action by adopting the Durban Adaptation Charter, increasing the number of signatories to the Mexico City Pact and through the release of the carbonn Cities Climate Registry report.

Read the post-COP17 press release and the outcomes for local and sub-national governments at COP17/CMP7. 


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LGs at COP 17 - Daily Report

Day 1 - 28 November 2011

COP 17 kicks off today, with about 12000 delegates, including 200 from local government and municipal associations. 

During the opening plenary, ICLEI Deputy Secretary General of ICLEI called for the 'urbanization of the climate agenda' so that committed and concrete actions at the local level, can be fully integrated in the global efforts, and ensure that the opportunity of transitioning to a low-carbon, climate-resilient human development can be achieved in urban areas where more than half of humanity now lives.

 

 

 

Day 2 - 29 November 2011

COP 17 negotiations continue as delegates met for the opening sessions of the AWG-KP and AWG-LCA, and to resume their work under the SBI.

It has been decided that COP18 will be held in Qatar, while Korea will be hosting preparatory meetings.

Local governments participated in a site visit to CDM landfill gas projects in the afternoon, followed by the discussion forum on the Economics of Low Carbon Cities.

ICLEI's Lucinda Fairhurst gave a presentation on how ICLEI is exploring and establishing the interconnective links between climate change impacts and multisectoral risks at the local level.

 

Day 3 - 30 November 2011

COP17 delegates met in plenary sessions of the COP and COP/MOP.

Local governments were involved in informal consultations on a wide range of agenda items under the AWG-LCA, AWG-KP, SBI and SBSTA.

The Climate Change Learning Exchange also took place, attended by many local government representatives.


Day 4 - 1 December

As negotiators have began working on texts that are expected to form the basis of outcomes from these bodies in Durban, local governments held informal consultations with contact groups on a wide range of agenda items under the COP, COP/MOP, AWG-LCA, AWG-KP, SBI and SBSTA.

Mr Yunus Arikan, Focal point of LGMA constituency to UNFCCC and Manager of ICLEI Cities Climate Center, has chaired the session on Major Groups with UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres.

Day 5 - 2 December

Today marks the opening of the Durban Local Government Convention which gathers over 200 delegates, including mayors, high level officials and the scientific community.

The event was opened by South African President Jacob Zuma, with the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC, Christina Figures, and the President of COP 17/CMP7, Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.

  • Visit the Durban LG convention page for more conference highlights
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Day 6, 3 December 2011

The second day of the convention zoomed in on the African region, and its perspectives for adaptation. Food security and conservation were the buzzwords in today's break away sessions.

A major concern for Mayors in the South is the disconnect between the existing climate policies with the general conditions of poverty. For the new climate regime to be relevant, it must take into account issues that most local authorities are dealing with, i.e. poverty, lack of infrastructure, lack of funding resources, and water scarcity.



Day 7, 4 December 2011

114 mayors from 28 countries around the world adopted the Durban Climate Change Adaptation Charter, underlining their commitment for strengthening local resilience to climate change.

The mayors will present the Charter to the COP17 negotiators, with a plea to take the role of local governments more seriously.

 

Day 8, 5 December 2011

Today saw the release of the cCCR 2011 Annual Report, where cities are showcasing their measurable, reportable and verifiable climate action. Cities are putting on a powerful demonstration of their ability to find local solutions to the global challenge of climate change, and are calling for the global climate agenda to be urbanized.

During the press briefing where the reports were launched, Mayor James Nxumalo also presented the Durban Climate Change Adaptation Charter, in which signatories underline their commitment to evidence based local adaptation policies.

At the Rio Pavilion, the improved Harmonized Emissions Analysis Tool (HEAT+) was officially presented to cities. 

In the afternoon, the 1st WGBC Government Leadership Awards were presented to cities leading innovative and sustainable solutions. Among the awardees were Tokyo Japan, Birmingham UK, Singapore, New York USA, San Francisco USA and Mexico City.ICLEI Secretary General Konrad Otto-Zimmermann was part of the panel of judges for the awards.


 

 

 

Day 9, 6 December 2011

Today local governments continue to make a noise at the COP17 negotiations through a jam packed side event with WRI and Renmin University on developing low carbon technologies in the Global South.

Cities also joined the Climate Action in Cities side event and the Megacities event highlighting to role of local action in combating climate change.

 

 

Day 10, 7 December 2011

ICLEI Deputy Secretary General Gino Van Begin chaired a High level panel on Cities of the Future. Discussions were centered on integrated planning and solutions to achieving a low carbon future and environmental sustainability in cities.

Local governments also participated in high level events such as on Financing climate action at the subnational level and attended the launch of the Green City Support Programme of South Africa which is aimed at empowering global cities for climate action.


Day 11 , 8 December 2011

While countries negotiate the future of Kyoto Protocol, cities continue to make their presence felt at the COP.

Local governments are demonstrating their ability to act on climate change and make positive impacts at the local level by engaging in many informal consultations with negotiators and other stakeholders.


Day 12, 9 December 2011

Mayor James Nxumalo of Durban spoke in behalf of the LGMA constituency at the high level segment on  the adoption of decisions and conclusions by the COP and the CMP.

"The Durban Adaptation Charter compliments the Mexico City Pact adopted last year and the carbonn Cities Climate Registry that prepares cities to Measure, Report and Verify their climate actions. Thus, I sincerely invite nations and global climate community to seize the opportunity presented by cities and local governments in turning the “talk” of global climate challenge into the “walk” of climate action.", stated Mayor Nxumalo.

Day 14 - 10 December 2011

Nations finally struck a deal

As nations finally reached a deal at the UN Climate Summit, cities fear that the Durban Outcomes are insufficient to slow down the pace of global warming, nor foresee adequate resources for adaptation actions at the local level.

“It is now urgent and more than ever necessary to mobilize and support the ambitious climate actions of local governments who have been accelerating action quicker than nations," says Gino Van Begin, Deputy Secretary General of ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability.