Cities and Regional Governments conveyed in a dedicated dialogue day at the Climate negotiations to share their crucial experiences

​Local and Regional Governments Delegation 

Mobilised under the Local Government Climate Roadmap, UCLG delegation was led by Ronan Dantec, Councillor of Nantes and UCLG spokesperson on climate, ICLEI delegation led by its President David Cadman, ​representatives of ​C40,​ nrg4SD and CEMR also participated in the meetings​.

A Strategic Partnership​

At the invitation of Ronan Dantec, UCLG Spokesperson and with the support of the l​ocal governemnts and municipal authorities constituency, representatives of different constituencies (Farmers, Business, Trade Unions, Environnmental NGOs, Youth, Women, Indigenous people) met in Bonn to discuss a draft statement that would present a joint position, showcasing the capacity of non states actors to work together and agree on common messages. A second draft of the document will be shared next week.  

Forum of Best Practices​

A full day was dedicated to cities and urban issues in relation to climate change on Tuesday 10. It featured a Forum on Experiences and Best Practices of Cities and Subnational Authorities, as well as a Thematic Expert Meeting (TEM) on Urban Environment.

Chairing the Forum, Aisa Kirabo Kacyira, Deputy Executive Director, the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT), called on participants to share views on ensuring the centrality of cities in responding to climate change and recalled that “it is in cities where the sustainable development battle will be won or lost.”.

A panel of representatives from cities and subnational authorities, focused on building resilience and mainstreaming mitigation and adaptation into local development agendas. Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, stressed the need for capacity building and development of institutional and policy frameworks but also the need to access international funding to addressing climate change in his city. Paris, France, emphasized the opportunities created by local climate action plan to connect cities with other actors and territories at regional and national levels and to develop integrated climate change programmes. California, US, highlighted the role that states can play in building connections among different levels of governance. Local and subnational governments were also in the room and took the floor to share their views and experiences, including Northern Westphalia, Québec, Dakar, Bogota. They received support from the States and in particular the chief of the french delegation, Paul Watkinson, called for the 2015 climate agreement to promote coordination between national and subnational levels.

The TEM on Urban Environment, discussed ways to support and scale up feasible policy options for sustainable urban development. Participants underscored that the city level can bridge North-South divides; and the need to align institutional arrangements, governance mechanisms and financial resources with urban mitigation goals for effective design and implementation.

​The 2014 report of the Carbonn registry was presented.