UCLG & Global Taskforce

It is the most widely-adopted and shared text ever presented in climate negotiations. On the eve of the UN Climate Summit, on 23 September 2014, a great mix of partners, ranging from local and regional government to business, finance and civil society, officially submitted a joint statement to UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon and the national delegations meeting in New York.

This statement, notably endorsed by UCLG and CEMR, underlines “the absolute scientific urgency of climate change, and the priority of limiting global temperature rise below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.”

The signatories speak as one on the imperatives that must underpin the global agreement on climate change to be adopted in 2015 in Paris. "We call the heads of state to put climate change at the top of the political agenda, to commit to reach agreement on climate change by 2015, and make non-state actors stakeholder negotiation and implementation successful implementation of decisions of 2015.”

Adequate resources and easy access to new financial mechanisms will be crucial to support local action

The declaration also states that an agreement between states is not enough without the daily commitment at local and regional level. “Local and regional governments’ actions represent probably the most important capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the short-term, in particular the 2015-2020 period. They play a crucial role in adaptation to climate change in their territories. (…) Strengthening decentralisation process, supported by the adequate resources and easy access to new financial mechanisms, will be crucial to support our action in defining and implementing strong local policies for mitigation and adaptation.”