adminThupeyo Muleya in QUITO, Ecuador
The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) has called on central governments and international financial institutions to help in funding low carbon and sustainable projects that play a critical role in implementing the new urban agenda and meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
C40 is a network of the world’s megacities committed to addressing climate change.
Some of the African cities which form part of the network include; Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Pretoria (South Africa), Cairo (Egypt), Accra (Ghana), Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) and Nairobi (Kenya).
The call for action was launched in Quito, Ecuador on Monday afternoon by Mayor of Mexico City, Mr Miguel Angel Mancera, Mayor of Madrid, Manulea Carmena and Mayor of Barcelona, Ada Cloau and the host Mayor, Mauricha Rodas during the on gong United Nations third conference on housing and sustainable development (Habitat 3).
“The C40 cities call for action on the municipal infrastructure finance, which details six reforms that if implemented would help create sustainable and low carbon future for millions of urban citizens.
“These include; development banks must be reformed to responds to city needs, cities must be granted direct access to the international climate funds, the power to control finance must be delivered to cities, national governments must create a stable policy and regulatory environment, innovation, standardisation, pooling and pipelines must become the new normal and cities must be supported to develop their capacity to prepare and execute projects,” he said.
Mr Mancera added that the recommendations had the potential to revolutionise the way climate action was funded and implemented in cities.
He said the C40 steering committee for the upcoming mayors’ summit set for Mexico this year had already endorsed the proposals.
Mr Mancera said the call was endorsed by 27 leading international organisations, including the UN Environment Programme, World Resource Institute, Natural Resources Defense Council and Overseas development institute.
“Financing climate action in cities is a major priority for C40 and will be key them at the C40 Mayors summit 2016 set for Mexico City from 30th to December 2nd.
“The summit will bring together the world’s influential mayors, representing 650 million citizens to present their common goals for a sustainable future, one year after the COP21 in Paris, ” he said.
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