From Mission to Action: Collaboratively unlocking the potential for climate neutral cities
Thematic session in the framework of the programme of the German Pavilion at COP 26
From left to right: Lord Mayor Dr. Peter Kurz, City of Mannheim, Councillor Brigid Shea from Travis County, USA, and Chair of the ICLEI US Board, Yunus Arikan, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, Prof. YUN Sun-Jin, Co-Chair of the Commission on Climate Neutrality by 2050 of South Korea.
Cities around the world have recognized the global challenges of climate change and many of them have committed to climate neutrality. To accomplish this goal, more ambitious and integrated climate targets for 2030 and 2050 are needed. In Europe the Green Deal provides a comprehensive framework and currently triggers Local Green Deals that transpose mission to action. Do political signals such as the declaration on the climate emergency help to achieve climate neutrality and establish civil society buy-in? How does a just transition to green energy work at the local level? How can market-based instruments be used to advance the Green Deal?
These questions were addressed by the session speakers on 2nd November 2021 in the framework of the programme of the German Pavilion at COP 26. Yunus Arikan, Director of Global Advocacy at ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability pointed out that the Paris Agreement and European Green Deal cannot be implemented without the local level. The multilevel dialogue organized by ICLEI in the framework of Local Governments and Municipal Authorities Constituency (LGMA) is key. The road to sustainability is urban and multilevel collaboration is the new normal.
Sabine Drees, German Association of Cities and Towns, Lord Mayor Dr. Peter Kurz, City of Mannheim, Commissioner Brigid Shea of Travis County, USA and Chair of the ICLEI US Board, Yunus Arikan, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, Prof. YUN Sun-Jin, Co-Chair of the Commission for Climate Neutrality by 2050 of South Korea
Mayor Dr. Peter Kurz from the City of Mannheim stressed that the European Green Deal provides a comprehensive framework and currently triggers Local Green Deals such as in Mannheim. Mannheim’s approach is a broad sustainability approach along the SDGs. Mayor Kurz advocates for a multilevel approach, involving mayors as policy makers and change agents to move forward. One example that proofs their role as change agents is the worldwide mayors’ declaration of nuclear free zones. The Global Parliament of Mayors is also engaging in the topic of climate justice and works on climate related migration.
Commissioner Brigid Shea from Travis County, USA and Chair of the ICLEI US Board highlighted the key role of climate adaptation. Travis County had to deal with water shortage in the past and implemented a programme to save large amounts of water per year by stopping the use of drinkable water for air conditioning.
Prof. YUN Sun-Jin, Co-Chairperson at the 2050 Carbon Neutrality Commission of the Republic of Korea recognises the important role of mayors and governors especially in their function as implementers and stressed that they need to be supported in this role by the central government. The 2050 Low-carbon Vision Forum was established to listen to various opinions of experts to have a long-term strategy towards climate neutrality 2050. Industrial sustainability is also key.
All panellists wished for a clear signal from COP 26 on climate neutrality and on the replacement of grey energy by 2050.
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