Multilevel Action & Urbanization Pavilion High-level Opening: The home for where local action goes global

The Multilevel Action & Urbanization Pavilion launched at COP29 in Baku with a powerful message: Addressing the climate emergency requires seamless collaboration across all governance levels. Co-convened by UN-Habitat and ICLEI, the Pavilion serves as the global platform for city and subnational climate action, bringing together mayors, regional leaders, and national representatives to showcase both challenges and achievements in climate action.

More finance, more climate action ambition

Dr. Shipra Narang Suri, Chief of UN-Habitat’s Urban Practices Branch, highlighted a critical gap in current climate strategies: “With 74% of NDCs having moderate, low, or no urban content, COP29 presents a key opportunity to enhance NDCs 3.0.” She emphasized that cities in developing nations alone need up to USD 300 billion annually by 2030 to meet climate goals, underlining the urgent need for scaled-up urban climate finance.

Maimunah Sharif, Mayor of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; COP29 International Advisory Board Member, and advisor to the ICLEI Global Executive Committee addressed a critical issue: “Sometimes funding is stuck at the national level and doesn’t trickle down to the cities that need it most. We are facing three C’s: Post-COVID scenarios, the crisis of climate change, and the crisis of capital, both in terms of expertise and finance.”

Despite this, Mayor Sharif detailed her city’s response to pressing challenges like flooding and urban heat. “We have already planted one million trees to reduce carbon sink, with an additional 32,000 trees planted recently,” she explained. Ms Sharif emphasized the importance of nature-based solutions and community involvement through the Kuala Lumpur Low Carbon Society Master Plan. 

However, Mayor Sharif stated that tangible outcomes will only come with the formalization of the vital role of local authorities by submitting Locally Determined Contributions (LDCs). “We hope that, through multilevel action here at the Pavilion, we can continue the journey from Dubai to Baku. With everyone’s support, we can ensure that Locally Determined Contributions become part of the NDCs. Local communities are driving real change—these efforts must be recognized and integrated if we want to achieve our climate goals together,” she declared.

Axel Grael, Mayor of Niterói, Brazil, and chair of the Climate Action Support Portfolio for the ICLEI Global Executive Committee, brought compelling insights, sharing recent experiences with climate disasters. “When disasters happen, there’s no point in pointing fingers – we all have to get together and be able to prevent and support other cities in the same situation,” he stressed, highlighting the importance of multilevel action in disaster response and prevention. 

“We have high expectations at this conference, as Baku’s outcomes will shape the ambition for next year in Belém. Financing is crucial, as countries will present their new commitments, and the level of ambition depends on the progress we make here. This is why we’re so motivated—to see cities more engaged in the decisions. This Pavilion serves as a home where local action can go global,” concluded Mayor Grael.

Cities and regions leading in climate initiatives

Gillian Martin, Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, demonstrated how regions can lead climate initiatives. “We need to recognize that when we are talking about loss and damage, it’s not only our responsibility as Global North countries to help the Global South recover, but we also need to articulate to our own country the imperative of climate action,” Ms Martin stated, emphasizing the universal nature of climate impacts.

Colombia’s María Saralux Valbuena, Director of the Climate Change and Risk Department at the Colombian Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development, highlighted a critical connection between climate and biodiversity goals. Recently, as the host of Biodiversity COP16, the country launched its updated National Biodiversity Plan (MSAP), which integrates climate-related actions. “Now, we are joining both agendas—our climate change goals in the NDC and our biodiversity goals in the MSAP—so we can maximize the impact of both,” she explained. With this strategy, they noted that 30% of their mitigation targets could be achieved through forest conservation alone, underscoring the significance of aligning biodiversity and climate initiatives.

From Baku to future COPs: Building global momentum

As COP29 unfolds in Azerbaijan, Baku is advancing the urban sustainability agenda established in Cairo, particularly ahead of next year’s UN-Habitat World Urban Forum. “We’re expanding city-centered climate initiatives with over 100 stakeholders already joining the COP29 Presidency’s Multisectoral Actions Pathways (MAP) to Resilient and Healthy Cities,” said Elmar Mammadov, Initiatives Co-Lead for the COP29 Presidency. 

Mr Mammadov announced that Azerbaijan will establish an urban climate action coalition with four COP presidencies on November 20. The initiative builds on previous COP achievements, from COP27’s SURGE initiative to COP28’s CHAMP. Now, Baku has introduced MAP, with plans to continue the momentum through COP30. He invited all cities and regions to support both MAP and the coalition’s continuity. “It’s crucial that we maintain strong continuity, applying lessons from past COPs and the current climate summit to future conferences, ultimately bringing this knowledge back home to Azerbaijan,” he concluded.

The UNFCCC’s vision for multilevel action was articulated by Cecilia Kinuthia-Njenga, Director of Intergovernmental Support & Collective Progress, who emphasized that “80% of renewable energy implementation and energy efficiency improvements will happen within our cities. That’s where the majority of our population is, where the majority of vulnerable people are, and where solutions are required across the board.”

Yunus Arikan, Director of ICLEI’s Global Advocacy, captured the spirit of the gathering: “We are proud to lead the active engagement of the LGMA Constituency throughout the year, demonstrating that ICLEI is a strong powerhouse for ambitious, holistic, and multilevel climate action and advocacy.”

As COP29 unfolds, the Multilevel Action & Urbanization Pavilion stands as a testament to the power of collaborative climate action. With an action-packed agenda ahead, it will continue to serve as the nucleus for urban climate discussions, fostering the essential collaboration between local, regional, and national authorities needed to address the climate crisis effectively.