And other burning questions about the Madrid/Chile Convention.
6 December 2019 | COP25 DAILY CITY LENS RECAPView in browser
COP25 opens: In the time of climate emergency, an opportunity
Local and regional governments are an extensive and diverse presence at this year’s COP, showing the depth of our commitment to solving the climate crisis. This strong representation demonstrates that we, as a constituency, are fully behind the implementation of the Paris Agreement. We are bringing to COP25 our immensely rich expertise within the climate field - from nature-based solutions to circular economy from finance to youth leadership.
The constituency of local and regional governments have been able to work closely with the Chilean Presidency of COP25 over the past months, which has been a promising sign of our role in the negotiations. This year’s COP is our last chance to communicate the urgency of making nations’ NDCs compatible with the Paris Agreement before we get the revised goals next year. National governments can do this only if they take cities and regions into account in these revised NDCs.
The thousands of local and regional governments who have declared climate emergencies are using this moment to elevate the overall challenge of sustainability in a way that we haven’t been able to before, to show our commitment to transformation to a more sustainable future. Follow #COP25 cities and regions stories in these daily recaps and join the conversation in this #timeforaction.
Yunus Arikan
Global Director of Advocacy, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability
Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency Focal Point
Early days of COP25 highlights plight of most vulnerable nations
While much of the world’s attention is focused on limiting the long-term effects of global warming, the kick-off to COP25 fittingly shined light on the monumental challenges the world’s most vulnerable nations and cities already face.
Following the growing wave of climate emergency declarations and climate neutrality commitments, sub-national governments take on additional relevance at COP25.
“Cities need to influence and shape the climate agenda. That’s what we’re going to take on in Glasgow, that is what we’re already taking on here … That, however, is still an argument to be won."
Leader of Glasgow City Council Susan Aitken, host to COP26 (below, meeting with COP25 President Carolina Schmidt).
