COP26 gets underway: City highlights – November 1

The Cities Today daily round-up of the most important stories for cities at COP26. We are updating the news throughout the day. Send stories to our editorial team.

National League of Cities highlights importance of federal support

The National League of Cities (NLC) is asking elected US officials to submit a statement about why climate action is important to them and what they could accomplish with stronger federal partnership. It is also asking them to share how climate change is already impacting their communities.

The organisation said: “NLC has consistently called for urgent action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across a broad sector of the economy and investments to support more sustainable communities. Local leaders need a federal partner in these efforts to support our economy and build resilient communities.

“Addressing climate change is a top priority of the Biden Administration, and the president has taken key actions through executive power to carry out his climate action plan. These executive actions, along with the reengagement of the US in the Paris Climate Agreement, also require legislative action to establish policies and programmes that help the country achieve its goals – and support the continuation of cities, towns and villages working to lead the way on climate action.”

US Congress is currently considering the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Build Back Better Act.

NLC also highlighted more ways cities can show support, including calling on Congress to act, and joining the America Is All In coalition and the Race to Zero pledge.

Global mayors head to Glasgow

Eric Garcetti, C40 Chair and Mayor of Los Angeles, Sadiq Khan, C40 Chair-Elect and Mayor of London, and ten of their fellow mayors have set out on their journey to COP26.

Mayor Garcetti said: “Mayors know that this ‘Code Red’ moment for humanity requires action at every level of government.

“We need to tackle this crisis with the same ferocity with which it’s threatening the next generation.”

Mayor Khan commented: “C40 mayors represent over 700 million people across the world – and on their behalf we will be playing our full part at COP26 in Glasgow and beyond to address the climate emergency our world faces.”

C40 Cities will hold the ‘Our Last, Big Chance: Why our future depends on action taken today in the world’s cities’ event tomorrow. It will take place from 9:45 GMT at Glasgow City Chambers and online.

11 global cities showcase ‘pioneering’ climate action initiatives

C40, a global network of cities committed to addressing climate change, and Arup have brought together 11 global cities to showcase some of “the world’s best examples of impactful climate action at a city level”.

The Global Cities Climate Action Exhibition is located in COP26’s Green Zone and also available virtually via an interactive digital platform.

The 11 selected cities are: Auckland, Beijing, Bogota, Istanbul, Jakarta, Lima, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, Nairobi, and Washington, D.C.

Some of the climate action examples featured include the construction of New Zealand’s first green hydrogen production and refuelling facility that serves port equipment, buses and cars, and a smart app in Beijing which facilitates door-to-door recycling services for citizens, preventing 235 tons of carbon dioxide emitted annually.

Richard de Cani, Global, Lead, Cities, Planning & Design, Arup, said: “City-level action is often overlooked in favour of international targets, but there are huge opportunities for impactful action at city-level to accelerate emissions reductions. This exhibition draws on best practice thinking and successful climate actions from cities across the world, aiming to inspire other city leaders and citizens to accelerate action towards net zero targets.

“International agreements and commitments are encouraging but cities can be the engine of swift, tangible climate action, often acting as a testbed for innovation”.

Multilevel Action Pavilion opens at COP26

The Multilevel Action Pavilion at COP26, located in the Blue Zone, is a focal point for  sub-nationals, including cities, towns and regions.

This year, the Pavilion is both in-person and – for the first time – also available online to ensure everyone can attend.

The Pavilion is convened by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability,  hosted by the Scottish Government and co-hosted by the Welsh Government, Glasgow City Council, Urban LEDS and Daring Cities.

Cities call for multilevel collaboration for climate action

At an event to mark World Cities Day and the opening of COP26 in Glasgow yesterday, local, regional and government representatives called for a new phase where multilevel collaborative action becomes the ‘new normal’.

The press conference, convened by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA), highlighted the efforts of cities and regions to deliver on ambitious climate action, especially in working across all levels of government.

Of the second round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), only 80 countries have so far been found to be more ambitious than the first round. They all have something in common, ICLEI said: “Countries with more ambitious climate goals seized the opportunity of engaging all levels of governments.”

The US was citied as an example.

“We are very excited to see the Biden Administration step up and say that not only are they in, but they are willing to work in a multilevel fashion for all of us to succeed in this,” said Frank Cownie, Mayor, Des Moines, US and ICLEI President. “And I think that this really excites us, that we can make progress, that from the national level, to the state level, to the county level to the local level, we’re all in this. We all see the opportunity. We need to share our best practices, we need to declare a climate emergency at all levels.”

The LGMA also launched its Time4MultilevelAction Roadmap, a four-point path to engage all levels of government in climate action.

Image: Rafael Henrique | Dreamstime.com