by Brianna Crandall — October 15, 2014—United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael R. Bloomberg recently announced the launch of a global Compact of Mayors, billed as the world’s largest effort for cities to fight climate change.
The Compact will enable cities—considered the drivers of progress and innovation—to publically commit to deep greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions; make existing targets and plans public; and report on their progress annually, using a newly standardized measurement system that is compatible with international practices. Through this effort, cities will be choosing to meet the same requirements proposed for the international climate negotiations that will lead to a global climate treaty in 2015.
Announced at the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Summit, the key partners of the Compact of Mayors are the world’s preeminent global city networks: C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), with support from the UN’s lead agency on urban issues, UN-Habitat.
New research by the parties to the compact, along with research partner Arup, indicates that existing city commitments alone could reduce annual emissions by 454 Megatons CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) in 2020 — a total of 13 Gigatons CO2e by 2050.
The Compact is expected to help regions, nations and financial institutions better understand the potential impact of local climate actions, and where they can offer support, such as funding much-needed mass transit systems or energy-efficiency measures.
Under the Compact, local emissions data will be collected through existing city platforms, including partner platform CDP Cities, and will be made publically available through ICLEI’s platform, the carbonn Climate Registry. Together, city networks will engage thousands of cities to join the Compact of Mayors and to register their GHG inventories, and climate adaptation and mitigation plans and targets.
The Compact also supports a new consistent method for collecting and publishing city-level greenhouse gas data — the Global Protocol on Community-scale GHG Emissions (GPC). Cities reporting through the Compact will be using the GPC to ensure the consistency, credibility and quality of their local emissions data.
A powerful symbol of unity among the world’s cities, the Compact is not just a huge step forward for cities, but also for nations, say the founding organizations. Importantly, it not only demonstrates cities’ commitment to helping nations set more ambitious, transparent and credible climate targets, but also will encourage nations to recognize local commitments; establish better policies; and direct resources to cities to limit any further increase in global warming.
Driving home the major role cities are already playing in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change, two additional city-based initiatives from national governments and the private sector were also launched at the recent Summit to help cities finance investments in sustainability: the City Climate Finance Leadership Alliance and the City Creditworthiness Partnership.
