COP28 Presidency Urges Ministerial Support For Urban Climate Action

The COP28 Presidency, in collaboration with UN-Habitat, the UN Climate Change High-level Champion for COP28, and Bloomberg Philanthropies, urges housing, urban development, and environment ministers to endorse the 'Joint Outcome Statement on Urbanisation and Climate Change.'

This statement, proposed at COP28 during the second ministerial meeting on Urbanisation and Climate Change, outlines a ten-point plan to enhance the role of cities in climate decision-making, promote multi-level climate action, and expedite urban climate finance. As many as 90 per cent of cities face threats from rising sea levels and storms, with residents exposed to temperatures up to ten degrees higher than rural areas.

COP28 President Sultan Al Jaber emphasises the importance of empowering cities in climate action and acknowledges the crucial role of over 450 mayors and governors in informing global solutions. The statement aligns with the 'Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP), inaugurated at the Local Climate Action Summit during COP28, aiming to strengthen levers for climate finance and include local leaders in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

While cities contribute over 70 per cent of CO2 emissions, immediate action could reduce their emissions to near net zero. However, finance remains a critical bottleneck, with less than a third of climate finance allocated to adaptation and resilience, and only 10 per cent reaching the local level.

The meeting, the second of its kind, represents a pivotal moment in coordinating government levels to address the climate crisis, with delegates calling for its continuation in future COP meetings.