This Earth Month, I am celebrating that the #Stocktake4ClimateEmergency process has kicked off, with the City of Concord, New Hampshire in the United States showing leadership by announcing its Paris Agreement local-level contribution will take place on 22 May. More communities will soon announce their own stocktake events, using the LGMA’s guidebook to get started. Register your community’s event for anytime this year using this form.
We thank Councilor Alison Gilliland, who attended the recent Copenhagen Ministerial on behalf of the LGMA. In her reflections, the Councilor recounts the message she took to the ministerial that national governments must include local governments in meaningful multi-level decision-making talks—and provide the finance needed for local solutions to scale.
Finally, we are celebrating that this week, G7 Ministers announced a historic commitment to work with cities on subnational climate action. In collaboration with the Urban7 engagement group, the Ministers established the G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions. Clearly, the momentum around multilevel action is building, and we look toward a big moment next week when the U.S. Government hosts its first Cities Summit of the Americas.
Yunus Arikan
ICLEI Director of Global Advocacy
LGMA Focal Point
LGMA Roadmap towards COP28
UN-Habitat highlights success of SURGe and first-ever Climate and Urbanization Ministerial
In two recent reports—UN-Habitat Executive Director's 2022 Report and the report for the first-ever Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change at COP27—the UN's urbanization agency highlights Sustainable Urbanization for the Next Generation (SURGe) initiative and support of the LGMA in making SURGE a key COP27 outcome. ICLEI delivered a statement at the first meeting of the UN-Habitat Executive Board on 28 March to express the LGMA´s commitment to collaborate. All this progress informs preparations toward the 2nd UN-Habitat Assembly in Nairobi, 5-9 June, where a high-level climate dialogue is scheduled on 6 June and a number of resolutions on climate action should be adopted.
"Recognizing the vital role of subnational governments," the G7 Ministers gathered in Sapporo, Japan, for their Climate, Energy and Environment Meeting on 15-16 April, established a G7 Roundtable on Subnational Climate Actions to share best practices in multilevel climate action. The Communique acknowledges interplay with urbanization ministers and shows great alignment with calls in the Urban7 Mayors Declaration issued during the U7 Mayors Summit in March. Read the press release.
Global Stocktake Technical Dialogues to conclude at Bonn Climate Conference
In the Summary of the 2nd Technical Dialogue for the Global Stocktake at COP27, the UNFCCC Secretariat shows mitigation, adaptation, and means of implementation are among the themes most addressed in submissions (see Regions4 and European Committee of Regions’ updated input on adaptation on behalf of LGMA). The 3rd and last Technical Dialogue will be convened at SB58 in Bonn on 5-15, June, for which the LGMA will nominate representatives to four roundtables by 24 April. Interested partners can participate in a 3rd Technical Dialogue Poster Session, with deadline 22 May.
With the city of Concord, New Hampshire USA scheduling events, the #Stocktake4ClimateEmergency process is underway! Let the LGMA community help your community host an event with a focus on Local Commitments, NDC Integration, and Climate Justice. We will report your contribution to UNFCCC ahead of COP28 in Dubai. Watch our overview, access the toolkit, and register your event for anytime during 2023 and our EarthDay.org partners will list your event on the official Earth Day map!
Representing the LGMA, Dublin Councilor and Committee of the Regions COP27 Rapporteur Alison Gilliland attended the Copenhagen Ministerial to emphasize the need for local-level finance, ensure adaptation is locally led, link local efforts to NDCs, and more.
In December, the UN Convention on Biological Diversity adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the COP15, including Decision 15/12 acknowledging the role that subnational governments play in its implementation. Ingrid Coetzee, Director of Biodiversity, Nature and Health from ICLEI Africa & Cities Biodiversity Centre, reflects on the decisions.
At the first UN Water Conference in more than 46 years, over 10,000 water stakeholders gathered in NYC to address the water crisis. The LGMA supported the Global Task Force to convene a local and regional governments day, culminating in a statement contributing to the World Action Agenda.
We are already starting initial plans for the LGMA Multilevel Action Pavilion at COP28! Are you interested in hosting an event at the pavilion? Let us know!
Events and Announcement
Yunus Arikan, Director of ICLEI Global Advocacy, orients local and regional governments on the important issues of multilevel governance and progress in the global climate negotiations. Every month, Yunus will be highlighting developments and key topics from the global climate arena.
Join us on 20 April at 10:00 or 16:00 CEST.
26-28 April | Denver, USA
This first-ever city-focused gathering for the Western Hemisphere is the latest example of U.S. leadership on multilevel action (outlined in ICLEI USA’s blog post).
29-30 April | Bonn, Germany
Building on the outcomes of their first meeting in Luxor in March, the Transitional Committee on Loss-and-Damage will convene its first workshop. The LGMA can nominate three representatives (with other constituencies) by deadline 24 April.
Harnessing the strengths of in-person and virtual engagement, the re-conceptualized in-person component will gather leaders in conjunction with the UNFCCC SB58.
5-9 June | Nairobi, Kenya
Convened every 4 years as the largest decision-making gathering for the urban community, the Assembly will feature a high-level climate dialogue on 6 June, the World Assembly of the Global Task Force on 8 June, and a number of resolutions on climate action are anticipated to be adopted.
The LGMA’s busy advocacy calendar culminates in November/December with COP28 in Dubai, but is marked by key moments all year long, across three agendas: United Nations and UNFCCC events, events hosted globally or by nations, and those hosted by our own constituency organizations.
