Climate and energy transition

The thirds edition of the Climate Chance Observatory's Global Synthesis Report on Local Climate Action provides an update on the results and progress on local climate action, eight months ahead of the COP26 in Glasgow.

At a time when governments are renewing their climate commitments, five years after the Paris Agreement, integrating cities and regions into climate strategies is fundamental. The Local Action Report provides a unique overview of the action taken by cities and regions around the world to reduce their emissions.

The 128-page report is jam-packed with maps, charts and infographics strikingly showing local and regional governments’ engagement on climate. It provides local decision-makers and national governments with the information they need to develop climate-conscious public policies.

The report provides numerous case studies and analyses of cities and regions that are particularly advanced in terms of greenhouse gas reductions, including Dakar, Manchester, North Rhine-Westphalia, Occitania, Scotland, Slavutych, Strasbourg, Turin and many more.

The main topics analyzed in this Third Edition of the Local Action Report are:

• Cities and regions’ international cooperation initiatives leading the way towards emissions reduction.
• Regions are continuing to take the necessary steps to transition to carbon neutrality despite despite the health crisis.
• The integration of local governments’ climate policies and their consideration in national climate plans (known as Nationally-Determined Contributions or NDCs) is progressing, but is still unequal across regions and far from being fully implemented.
• Local governments driving the growing alignment of climate action with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report was launched at a press conference in Paris on 6 April and presented by Ronan Dantec, Nantes municipal councillor, president of Climate Chance and CEMR/ UCLG spokesperson on climate.