UCLG Regional Sections and the Global Covenant of Mayors discuss first common steps to localize climate action

UCLG Regional Sections and the Global Covenant of Mayors discuss first common steps to localize climate action

On 25 and 26 September 2018, UCLG World Secretariat, together with the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM), hold a two-days training workshop, convening all UCLG Regional Sections to explore concrete ways to identify how the new climate reporting tools developed by GCoM could actually be implemented in the different world regions.

UCLG is a founding member of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, an international alliance of cities and local governments with a shared long-term vision of supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and move to a low emission, resilient society. The GCoM results from the merge between the Global Compact of Mayors and the European Covenant.

The workshop provided a clear overview of the diversity of the regional priorities and challenges in climate strategy and action. Each UCLG Regional Section was represented and could share their views on their current priorities and challenges in terms of local climate action.

The workshop further allowed to start building a discussion between UCLG Sections and Global Covenant of Mayors on strategic and practical aspects of climate local action and reporting.

It finally explored concrete next steps on how the tools developed by GCoM can help respond to the challenges defined around climate action at the local level in the different parts of the world.

Emilia Saiz, Secretary General of UCLG, referred to strong legacy of the local governments constituency around climate since COP13 in 2007 in Bali, where the first Local Governments Climate Roadmap was established. She further made the plea for a step-by-step global and regional coordinated strategy on climate action among the different networks.

Nadja Vetters, from the Global Covenant of Mayors, explained to UCLG Sections the logic and practicalities of the latest climate reporting tools, recalling the need to go beyond the targets of the Paris Agreement.  

Through a learning exercise, UCLG Sections could provide the UCLG World Secretariat and the GCoM with their feedback on localizing climate action an implementation challenges of the tools, particularly regarding knowledge management, resources and capacities and target groups. 

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