Why Cities will be in the Spotlight at the UN Conference in Paris
This December, Paris will host the UN Conference of Parties, bringing together leaders from countries across the globe in the hope establishing far-reaching climate agreements. The meeting will feature a coalition of U.S. mayors and city officials, emphasizing the increasingly important role of cities in developing and implementing climate solutions.
Their presence marks one in a series of recent international events in which city leaders have been recognized as key players in the fight against climate change. The reasons for this shift are simple. Cities have become the first responders to climate related events, they empower their communities and residents to take action on the realities of climate change already underway, and they are often forced to bypass the political wrangling that stymies climate change negotiations at the state and national levels.
To bolster their influence, more cities must make the commitment to pursuing climate action by actively collaborating with organizations representing mayors, municipal officials, and national and international city leaders. If your city is ready to take action, come join Path to Positive Communities and connect with leaders and resources to begin your journey towards climate solutions!
U.S. Mayors Step Up As Key Advocates for Climate Change Action during UN Conference in Paris
Press Release | The National League of Cities | August 24, 2015
WASHINGTON – A coalition of U.S. mayors and city officials announced today that they will join the UN Conference of Parties (COP) meeting in Paris in December to showcase their cities’ climate leadership and call for an ambitious international agreement that addresses our climate crisis and supports further action at the local level.
This group of mayors, called the Local Climate Leaders Circle, includes mayors of Atlanta, Boulder, Chula Vista, Columbus, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Oakland, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, West Palm Beach, and councilmembers from Santa Monica and King County, Wash.
The Leaders Circle is coordinated in partnership by World Wildlife Fund (WWF), ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, National League of Cities, and U.S. Green Building Council in association with the Compact of Mayors and C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group. The Leaders Circle works alongside city officials from across the United States to advance their local climate goals. The partners are working closely with these cities on a range of efforts including updating measurements of their greenhouse gas emissions, preparing local projects to better access needed financing, engaging citizens on climate action, and meeting with high-level representatives from the U.S. government and international community to advance a climate accord that benefits city action, recognizing that the most ambitious local goals can only be achieved alongside an enabling national and international framework.