The LGMA COP30 Joint Position

The push to move from negotiation to implementation at COP30 has led to the strongest recognition of our work inside the negotiations in years.

On Tuesday, the COP30 Presidency released several draft documents of interest to the Constituency, including the “Mutirão” decision takes up the four big issues that, although not formally on the agenda, have been dominant in negotiations discussions, including emissions-cutting ambition, countries’ climate plans, climate finance and trade.

LGMA delegates are pushing for an outcome in this document that could move the dial on our inclusion into the formal processes of COP. Our goal is these negotiations mandate a framework through which our contributions and actions can be counted and reflected within the process because truly effective climate action is action taken in coordination across different levels of government.

Throughout the day Tuesday 18 November, the Constituency was working to land textual suggestions into a revised version of this decision.

Read LGMA’s suggestions for the revised Mutirão decision »

The situation is rapidly evolving. The revised text will land sometime this morning Brazilian time, with Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva set to arrive back at the Summit.

(With contributions from Toby Walker, Under2 Coalition).

At the COP30 Presidency informal consultations on 14 November Friday, the COP30 Presidency invited Parties and stakeholders to submit their views by 11:00 Brazil time on Sat 15 November, where a specific discussion on “Responding to urgency, accelerating implementation, solidarity and international cooperation” is expected. We encourage all LGMA partners to reach to relevant contacts or UNFCCC national focal points so that they can also make submissions to include our text (as follows):

“Requests the [COP Presidency / Secretariat], in collaboration with the LGMA constituency, to convene a mandated dialogue on multilevel governance and urbanisation, through in-session workshops in conjunction with UNFCCC sessions to accelerate implementation at local and subnational levels and to close the ambition gap, and requests the Secretariat to prepare a report of the discussions by COP32, to facilitate the UNFCCC response to the IPCC Special Report on Cities due in 2027 and as an input to the Second Global Stocktake in 2028.”

The below option can also be considered as a shortened version;
“Convene a mandated dialogue on multilevel governance and urbanisation, culminating at COP32, to accelerate implementation at local and subnational levels and close the ambition gap.”
Download the full text proposal (PDF) »

LGMA Constituency delegates have been working feverishly throughout the last two days to reach out to national focal points and negotiators, as well as LGMA COP30 Joint Position endorsers.

As negotiations continue to unfold at COP30, the LGMA Constituency has coalesced around a request to Parties to take up proposed text to include a legacy of multilevel governance and urbanization. Constituency members are encouraged to reach out to Party representatives with this proposed text.

Proposed text:
“Requests the [COP Presidency / Secretariat], in collaboration with the LGMA constituency, to convene a mandated dialogue on multilevel governance and urbanisation, through in-session workshops in conjunction with UNFCCC sessions to accelerate implementation at local and subnational levels and to close the ambition gap, and requests the Secretariat to prepare a report of the discussions by COP32, to facilitate the UNFCCC response to the IPCC Special Report on Cities due in 2027 and as an input to the Second Global Stocktake in 2028.”

Download the full text proposal and background »

This means that the outcomes of COP30 Cities Day are now being translated into the negotiations through two complementary processes. We propose that the text be incorporated into COP30 negotiations on NDCs, and it can be customized for global stocktake, just transition and adaptation, and other agendas as appropriate. Additionally, the COP30 Presidency, Brazil’s Ministry of Cities, UNFCCC and UN-Habitat have jointly released the Summary of the Chair for the Fourth Ministerial Meeting for Urbanization and Climate Change (PDF) which will be circulated to Parties.