Effective climate action needs cities and regions

Today, 10 November 2025, the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) opens in Belém (Brazil). Effective climate action cannot overlook cities: they are the largest contributors responsible for over 70% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions but are also crucial actors implementing effective mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The Global Cities Hub, as part of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities Constituency, seconds its joint position.

“For COP30 to be successful, States must include local and regional governments (LRGs) in the global effort to implement the pledges of the Paris Agreement. They need to formally recognize the vitel role LRGs play in driving more ambitious climate action and ensure that LRGs get adequate funding for mitigation and adaption projects.”

– Christina Kitsos, Global Cities Hub President and Vice-Mayor of Geneva

GCH supports Brazil in organizing a COP that is more inclusive of cities, through initiatives such as their call for Global Mutirão – a collective effort to accelerate solutions, their support for the Cities & Regions Hub at COP30 and their urban climate adaptation initiative AdaptAÇÃO.

Inclusive multilateralism was also embodied in the Local Leaders Forum, held in Rio de Janeiro ahead of COP30 from 3 to 5 November and co-organized by the COP30 Brazilian Presidency and Bloomberg Philanthropies. The meeting gathered mayors, governors and other city representatives to showcase the contributions of LRGs to drive climate action and call upon States engaged in negotiations in Belém to be more inclusive.

GCH is particularly active on the theme of urban heat. As temperatures soar to new extreme records, cities are tasked with finding solutions to shield their residents from urban heat. Sustainable urban cooling has become core infrastructure for LRGs. Support, both financial and political, from national governments and the international system, to implement it is key. In this context, the GCH, UNEP and UNECE co-organized an event during the 5^th UN Forum of Mayors on urban cooling and building resilience. Further, it will also organize the “Beat the heat: Local and Regional Action for a resilient planet”, an official side event at the 7^th session of the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7).

COP30 can be a turning point in how cities are included within the international environmental multilateral system: closer integration with LRGs on climate action will mean that “Belém will be remembered not only as the ‘COP of Forests’, but also as the ‘COP of Cities’”, as the COP30 Special Envoy for Urban Solutions, Mr. Philip Yang, so eloquently stated.

Photo by Nathalia Segato on Unsplash