Climate Champions Morning Dialogue.
The third and final of a series of high-level meetings between Nigel TOPPING, High-Level Climate Champion for COP26 and Mahmoud MOHIELDIN, High-Level Climate Champion for COP27,
and representatives of the Marrakech Partnership, Non-State Actors Leaders,
UNFCCC leadership, COP Presidencies and key partners. Taking part in the
dialogue, Vincent CHAUVET (FR/Renew) applauded the
Marrakech Partnership for Global Climate Action as a good way for
subnational governments cooperate and engage in global climate action, also
stressing that these kinds of initiatives must lead to a stronger
recognition of subnational actors within the UNFCCC process.
Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)
– PLATFORMA political meeting with EU institutional delegates.
PLATFORMA
is the pan-European coalition of towns and regions that are active in
decentralised cooperation, serving as a hub of expertise on European local
and regional governments’ international action. The CoR delegation joined Diana ACCONCIA, Director on
International affairs and climate finance, DG CLIMA, European Commission,
in an exchange with PLATFORMA and
United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Africa
delegates to discuss the role of decentralised cooperation in sustainable
development and tackling climate change.
Side event: Building Bridges in Cities and Regions with New European
Bauhaus.
The New European Bauhaus, launched in November 2021, is aimed at connecting
the European Green Deal to the daily lives and living spaces of citizens.
The EIT Climate-KIC
organised event aimed at bringing a diverse set of experts and stakeholders
to the
UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub (UGIH)
in order to discuss the role of the New European Bauhaus within the EU and
beyond. Alison GILLILAND (IE/PES) highlighted the
importance of culture and creative sectors in mainstreaming climate action
into citizens’ everyday lives:
“Very few sectors are better placed than the culture and creative
sectors to bridge the gap between what we know and feel about climate
change, and to critically examine and provoke a shift in cultural
values and norms. The New European Bauhaus is the soul of the Green
Deal”.
Bilateral meeting with the Czech Presidency of the Council.
The CoR delegation met with the Czech Presidency to take
stock of the negotiations and to work towards reinforcing the EU mandate
for COP28. Jan DUSÍK, Deputy Minister of Environment,
Czechia, welcomed the good cooperation between the CoR and the Czech
Presidency on the road to COP27. The CoR delegation called on the standing
Presidency to urge the Parties to integrate multilevel and cooperative
action, as an essential element of implementation and ambition of the Paris
Agreement, asking for the explicit recognition of these points in the COP27
conclusions.
Side event: Green hydrogen: how to reconcile North/South stakes in the
development of the future market. Green hydrogen could take an important place in the global energy mix,
having a profound impact on the state of geopolitics in the future.Jakub CHEŁSTOWSKI (PL/ECR), CoR rapporteur on the
Energy package on gas, hydrogen and methane emissions
highlighted the importance of hydrogen in addressing fossil fuel
dependency:
“Poland manufactures a lot of hydrogen. It is not entirely clean
hydrogen because it uses coal for its production, but it can still be
used to decrease dependency on fossil fuels. We must become independent
of fossil fuels – this is not an option, it is an absolute necessity”.
Side event:
Hearing the voice of subnational governments: Learning from the
Edinburgh Declaration for biodiversity.
The
Edinburgh Declaration
on biodiversity is a key milestone in the formal recognition of
contributions by subnational governments to the achievement of global
biodiversity goals and targets. At the upcoming CBD COP15 in Canada, the
goal of the Edinburgh Declaration is for Parties to formalise this role via
the adoption of a Plan of Action specifically dedicated to subnational
governments. The CoR is an official signatory of the Declaration. Marieke SCHOUTEN (NL/The Greens) highlighted the link
between the Edinburgh and UNFCCC processes: “The achievements of the Edinburgh process can be replicated for the
Paris agreement and in the UNFCCC context, but the question is why and
how. LRAs are at the front line when it comes to climate change impacts
and biodiversity”.
Roby BIWER
(LU/PES), CoR rapporteur on
Bio-diverse cities and regions beyond 2020 at the UN CBD COP 15
and in the
EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030
and member of the CoR delegation CBD COP15 highlighted the benefits that
biodiversity and nature can have:
“We have seen that high levels of biodiversity and nature in cities
lead to better resilience and a higher level of wellbeing and comfort.
Healthy ecosystems act as buffers against hazards and the impacts of
climate change while building resilience, sustaining livelihoods,
creating jobs and supporting recovery actions from disasters. It is a
win-win situation”.
Bilateral meeting with MEP Javi LÓPEZ.
In a bilateral meeting, Alison GILLILAND (IE/PES) sat down
with MEP Javi LÓPEZ to discuss how to
increase cooperation between the CoR and the European Parliament, and how
to bank on the synergies between them. Both parties pointed out the
importance of preparations for the upcoming COP28 in Dubai, as well as the
upcoming European Parliament elections in 2024.
Side event: Disaster Risk Reduction: GCoM Risk Assessment and
Solutions.
The EU Pavilion panel discussion presented key urban adaptation and
mitigation tools aimed at increasing resilience to climate change and
helping prepare for its adverse impacts. Through valuable accounts of
Mayors and local leaders from all over the world, the panel explored
cities’ achievements to reduce their vulnerability to climate change and
environmental hazards. Kata TÜTTŐ (HU/PES), CoR rapporteur
on
Gender equality and Climate change: towards mainstreaming the
gender perspective in the European Green Deal
highlighted the importance of decision-makers taking into account the
social impacts of adaptation measures:
“When we look at measures, when we look at investments, when we look at
budget – we need to be looking at how they will help close the gap with
disadvantaged groups of citizens. When we say that our society will
carry a great burden on its shoulders this winter, we need to be aware
that it is women who will have to carry a disproportionate burden. We
very much need to look through a gender lens when making these
decisions”.
Bilateral meeting with COP27 Presidency Youth Envoy.
The CoR delegation met with Omnia EL OMRANI, COP27 Presidency Youth Envoy. Ms EL
OMRANI presented the main requests of the YOUNGOs, the Constituency
officially representing the voice of the youth and their policy demands in
the UNFCCC. She highlighted the importance of mobilising financial
assistance and simplifying the accreditation processes for youth
participation at COPs. She also invited Parties to designate young people
as part of national delegations, and to make them responsible of relevant
agenda points. The CoR delegation highlighted the need for meaningful youth
participation in decision-making and presented the CoR Young Elected
Politicians programme (YEPs).
CoR event: EU Green Deal: from local to global.
All around the globe, cities and regions are driving climate ambitions,
promoting innovative solutions and mainstreaming sustainability into the
everyday lives of citizens. Without the full engagement of their
subnational governments, Parties cannot move from commitments to
achievements in time to reach the goals of the Paris Agreement. The CoR delegation rallied key global networks of regions and
cities to renew the partnership between them and launch the Declaration on
the EU
Green Deal: from local to global. Representatives from ICLEI,
Under2Coalition, EIT Climate-KIC,
Climate Alliance,
Climate Chance, Regions4 and the
Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA)
gathered to discuss a joint Roadmap for COP28 and highlight the key
milestones for cooperation.
Background information: