On 5 May 2026, Global Cities Hub hosted a roundtable discussion on “Alternative lawmaking for a new multilateralism: cities as co-creators?”, co-organized with the Co-Chairs of the Urbanisation and International Law Committee of the International Law Association, Prof. Janne Nijman and Prof. Helmut Aust.
Bringing together scholars and practitioners, the roundtable explored how local and regional governments (LRGs) could contribute more directly to international norm creation. Discussions focused on whether evolving forms of international governance may open space for cities not merely as implementers of global agendas, but as active co-creators of international norms.
The conversation took place against the backdrop of growing calls to reform multilateralism in response to increasing geopolitical polarization, declining trust in international organizations, and the need for more effective and inclusive mechanisms. Participants reflected on the fact that while today’s world is profoundly urbanized, international law and multilateral institutions largely remain State-centric.
For several years, the Global Cities Hub has worked to strengthen the participation of LRGs in state-led multilateral processes and to ensure greater visibility of the “urban” on the agenda of the international community. This has included engaging with international organizations to facilitate the participation of LRGs in conferences, as well as encouraging States to integrate local perspectives into multilateral negotiations, including those related to a new Pandemic Agreement, the Plastics Pollution treaty, and various UN resolutions. Such engagement, however, often took place on the margins of formal multilateral processes, within the “observer” space. The roundtable therefore raised a broader question: could cities and LRGs move beyond peripheral participation and become more fully integrated into international lawmaking processes?
Participants highlighted the many informal pathways through which non-state actors already influence international norm development, and which could serve as precedents for more active participation by LRGs. Human rights and environmental were cited as important areas, where actors beyond States have shaped standards and policy frameworks through mechanisms such as Treaty Body general comments and COP climate decisions.
The GCH however noted that informal influence alone may not fully respond to the needs and expectations of LRGs. Unlike many civil society actors, cities and regions exercise public authority and are directly responsible for implementing policies on their territories. Their engagement at the international level is therefore also linked to questions of political recognition, representation, and visibility.
In this context, participants addressed the question of a dedicated status for LRGs within multilateral processes. In GCH’s view, such a status could facilitate more structured participation of LRGs in international discussions, while also helping address longstanding questions regarding representation. Rather than relying on a single city network to speak on behalf of all LRGs, the GCH emphasized the importance of allowing interested LRGs to participate and speak in their own capacity.
The roundtable also underscored the distinction between international law and international governance. While formal processes of international lawmaking may remain difficult to transform, international governance mechanisms often provide greater flexibility and opportunities for innovation. In that regard, the work carried out by the GCH aims precisely at adapting international governance structures to better integrate LRGs into global decision-making processes.
Ultimately, the discussion suggested that rethinking participation and representation in global governance may gradually influence the future evolution of international law itself. As global challenges increasingly manifest locally, cities and regions are likely to play an ever more important role in shaping legitimate, inclusive, and effective multilateral responses.