Amplifying Voices of Local Leaders in Global Climate Discussions
“What you do in your cities resonates across the world. When you make your cities green and sustainable, you are not just local heroes, you are global heroes.” These were the inspiring words that Inger Andersen, Director of the UN Environment Programme, shared with attendees of the UNEA-6 Cities & Regions Summit in Nairobi, Kenya. This powerful call to action highlighted the critical role that local and subnational governments play in tackling the interconnected global challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
Without a doubt, cities are at the heart of climate action. Home to over half the world’s population and responsible for around 70% of global CO2 emissions and over half of global waste, cities are where both the drivers and solutions to the triple planetary crisis converge. As Wade Crowfoot, Secretary for Natural Resources of the State of California, USA, emphasized, “Climate change and biodiversity conservation are two sides of the same coin”, and cities and regions are where strong synergies can be realized.
However, the UNEA-6 Cities & Regions Summit made it clear that cities do not operate in a vacuum. Their policies and actions influence significant global frameworks like the Sustainable Development Goals, and their ability to implement transformative change depends on the support of national and global governance structures. Moreover, the successful implementation of climate policies and initiatives often hinges on access to larger financing mechanisms.
Formalizing Subnational Participation in Global Frameworks
The UNEA-6 Summit offered a platform for city and regional leaders to call for the formalization of institutional arrangements and procedures that would enable their meaningful participation in implementing global and regional multilateral agreements and commitments. Governors, mayors, and other subnational representatives emphasized the need for their voices to be formally represented in international bodies like the United Nations, as they govern the places where the “effects of climate change take the hardest toll” – the communities and informal settlements where the “rubber hits the road.”
For the global goals set out in frameworks such as the Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Biodiversity Framework, and the Multilateral Environmental Agreements to be achieved, action must be crosscutting, inclusive, and localized. Local and regional governments are uniquely positioned to realize solutions to these complex sustainability challenges, as they are the closest level of government to urban dwellers and can develop responsive, context-sensitive policies and programs.
Concrete examples and opportunities emerged from the Summit:
- Colombia, the host of the CBD COP 16 in 2024, announced that a “Cities Day” will be convened to provide a space for further discussion on multi-level governance and the transition toward climate-resilient and biodiverse cities.
- Local and regional leaders highlighted the need for international organizations like the UN to develop and enhance metrics, indicators, and environmental reporting platforms that can reflect and measure subnational progress in addressing the triple planetary crisis.
Unlocking Financing for Local Climate Action
While the contributions of local and regional climate action are essential to achieve the objectives of global strategies, the Summit made it clear that local governments often lack the resources and funding to address these issues effectively. According to the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance (CCFLA), we need to be investing over $4.5 trillion per year in infrastructure, of which up to 27% must be dedicated to making this infrastructure low-emission and climate-resilient.
At the heart of the funding issue for local and regional climate action is the fact that the existing global financial structure was designed around the needs of countries, not subnational governments. To ensure that funds for climate resilience and adaptation reach cities and regions, financers and governments need to develop new and innovative models to lower the barriers to support and assist low and middle-income countries in overcoming challenges to attracting financing, from low creditworthiness to lack of direct access to development banks.
Innovative Approaches to Financing Local Climate Action:
- Freetown, Sierra Leone, is funding its sustainability initiatives through the sale of tokens in private and carbon markets, demonstrating the potential of innovative financing mechanisms.
- Quezon City, Philippines, allocates up to 30% of its budget towards climate action, including investments in urban farms, green mobility, and circular economy programs.
- Denmark’s municipalities are mandated to have Paris-aligned climate action plans, and if all actions are implemented, the country could achieve a 76% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030.
International organizations can play a key role in building the capacity of governments and private sector actors to develop investment-ready resilience projects and connect them with potential financiers. Initiatives like the UN Environment Programme’s Restoration Factory, UrbanShift’s Finance Academies, and ICLEI’s Transformative Actions Program are helping to bridge the gap between local climate action and global financing.
Strengthening Multi-level Governance and Partnerships
Until the critical role of local and subnational governments is fully recognized and capacitated, our communities will remain vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. An “all-hands-on-deck” approach is needed to invest in climate and nature and scale up multi-level governance through meaningful partnerships between all levels of government, as well as relevant stakeholders.
By facilitating multi-level dialogues and offering capacity-building support and direct connections to financiers and the private sector, initiatives like UrbanShift are actively working to close these gaps across their network of cities and countries. Forums like the UNEA-6 Cities & Regions Summit are vital for strengthening the call for transformation and ensuring that the learnings and insights from local leaders inform global decision-making.
As Mayor Joy Belmonte of Quezon City, Philippines, stated after the Summit, “In unison, voices from local municipalities to regional bodies, national governments, and international organizations resoundingly underscored the importance of working together, including local communities and the private sector.” She expressed the eagerness to see “productive discussions at UNEA-6” and emphasized that “with your leadership, we can build resilient and sustainable cities to realize the world we aspire to.”
The UNEA-6 Cities & Regions Summit has set the stage for a new era of inclusive, multi-level climate action, where local leaders are empowered and supported to drive transformative change in their communities. By bridging the gap between global frameworks and local realities, we can unleash the full potential of cities and regions to tackle the triple planetary crisis and create a more sustainable future for all.
Harnessing the Power of Nature-based Solutions
One key area of focus at the UNEA-6 Cities & Regions Summit was the role of nature-based solutions in addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution. As cities continue to expand, the need to integrate green and blue infrastructure into urban planning and development becomes increasingly crucial.
A publication by UNEP and the Penn Institute for Urban Research outlines the gaps and opportunities for financing nature-based solutions in cities, highlighting best practices from around the world. Drawing from the experiences of GEF cities, including under the UrbanShift program, and GenerationRestoration cities, a recent event explored how cities are taking transformative action to address their challenges and navigating the roadblocks to progress.
Examples of Nature-based Solutions in Action:
- Freetown, Sierra Leone, is funding its initiative to plant a million trees by 2024 through the sale of tokens in private and carbon markets, providing a model for innovative financing mechanisms.
- Quezon City, Philippines, is expanding its green spaces by up to 40% by 2030 and implementing community-based circular economy programs to tackle waste, with support from UNEP and the German government.
- Overstrand, South Africa, is integrating biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration into its urban planning and development strategies.
By harnessing the power of nature-based solutions, cities can not only address the triple planetary crisis but also create more livable, resilient, and equitable communities. However, as the Summit highlighted, the path to implementing these solutions is not without its challenges. Navigating roadblocks, securing financing, and fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration are critical to scaling up nature-based approaches in urban areas.
Elevating Local Voices, Unlocking Global Solutions
The UNEA-6 Cities & Regions Summit marked a significant step forward in elevating the voices of local and subnational leaders in the global climate discourse. By providing a platform for mayors, governors, and other regional representatives to share their experiences, challenges, and innovative solutions, the Summit underscored the vital role that local governments play in addressing the triple planetary crisis.
Moving forward, it is essential that the momentum generated at the Summit is translated into tangible actions and institutional changes that empower local and subnational governments. This includes formalizing their participation in global frameworks, improving multi-level governance structures, and unlocking the financing necessary to implement transformative climate and sustainability initiatives.
As Inger Andersen, the UNEP Director, eloquently stated, “When you make your cities green and sustainable, you are not just local heroes, you are global heroes.” By harnessing the power of local climate action and elevating the perspectives of subnational leaders, we can unlock the solutions needed to create a more sustainable, resilient, and equitable future for all.
