City and Regional Leaders Call for Multilevel Action and Financing to Respond to the Climate Emergency at COP27

TEXT: Sibel BÜLAY

Representatives from Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA), the recognized voice of cities and regions into the UNFCCC climate negotiation process, gathered to advocate and illustrate how multilevel action is critical to achieving climate goals set out in the Paris Agreement.

“LGMA calls on UNFCCC Parties to acknowledge that multilevel action delivers the Paris Agreement, building on the recognition of the multilevel and cooperative action in the Glasgow Climate Pact and the transformative power of sustainable urbanization to respond to climate emergency.” said Yunus Arikan, Director of Global Advocacy, ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and Focal Point for LGMA.

Key asks from Parties at COP27 include;

1. Endorse the Sustainable Urban Resilience for the next Generation (SURGe) Initiative; a multilevel climate governance initiative sponsored by the COP27 Presidency and endorsed by 70+ organizations, focused on five tracks: buildings and housing, urban energy, urban waste/consumption, urban mobility, and urban water.  To learn more about the SURGe initiative, click here.  Leaders from national, subnational, financial, private, academic, NGO sectors are encouraged to endorse the SURGe initiative by completing this form.

2.  Welcome the first-ever UNFCCC COP27 Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change

3.  Mobilize Climate Emergency Finance to accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement; including recognition of sustainable urbanization as a non-market mechanism under the Art6.8, engaging subnational development banks, addressing loss-and-damage and supporting project pipeline facilities.

“Our local governments are already acting boldly to combat climate change, sometimes with extremely limited means and resources… Africa needs $7 to $15 billion per year to mitigate impacts of climate change,” said Kobie Brand, Deputy Secretary General, ICLEI, and Regional Director, ICLEI Africa Secretariat.