For the first time, local government had a proper seat at the top table with the other negotiators at the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference, and was saluted by many who now see the sector as at the heart of climate action.
I attended the 28th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai late last year, as part of the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), representing more than 100,000 councils across the whole of Europe.
On day one of COP28, world leaders agreed a landmark ‘loss and damage’ fund to help the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries cover the cost of the impact of climate-related disasters. There were calls by some to extend this gesture, and for ‘ecocide’ to be a crime.
COP28 saw the conclusion of the first five-yearly global stocktake of countries’ collective progress towards meeting the goals of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The stocktake is designed to inform the next round of climate action plans – otherwise known as countries’ ‘nationally determined contributions’ – which are due to be put forward by 2025.
The stocktake shows that only 15 per cent of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are on track and carbon emissions are at a record high, with very damaging impacts from increasing weather extremes. We need to up our game.
Annual global spending on climate action rose to more than a trillion dollars in 2021, yet does not touch the sides. The amount spent on climate is just one-tenth of what was spent on COVID-19 fiscal measures.
Money can be made available for emergencies – and make no mistake, this is an emergency.
As part of CEMR, I facilitated a high-level meeting between United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) – the global network of cities and local, regional and metropolitan governments and their associations – and UNFCCC negotiators.
I contributed by presenting the CEMR’s work on how local government is financing its response to climate change, and I gave a presentation on the impact of climate change on mental health – for the first time part of the final COP agreement, recognising the connection between climate change, more extreme events and health.
I also did some work with the press, explaining how important it is for local government to be at the heart of decision-making on the sustainable goals and central to their implementation and delivery.
Local governments from across the world worked as a team, through Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA). We met with our own countries’ delegations to seek their support in proposing our amendments. We as local governments are directly contributing to the international debate.
There was considerable controversy about the need to stop the use of fossil fuels and about holding the event in the United Arab Emirates. There were many stands on promoting renewable and nuclear energy, but also promoting natural gas.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, the COP28 President, launched the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) for Climate Action. A total of 65 national governments signed CHAMP commitments to enhance cooperation with subnational governments in the planning, financing, implementation and monitoring of climate strategies. Despite our best efforts, the UK has yet to sign.
Thanks to CEMR and LGMA for all their work organising and supporting us throughout our negotiations.
For more information about COP28, please visit www.cop28.com/en.