The cancellation of this year’s UN Regional Climate Weeks, raised concerns about the regional dimensions at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Contrasting this, local and regional governments in Latin America are advancing their own ‘regional dialogues,’ with Belém, Brazil, emerging as a key hub for climate discussions and preparations for a successful COP30.
During the first in-person event in San José, Costa Rica, the Urban Infrastructure Insurance Facility (UIIF) Project united representatives from Latin American and Caribbean cities to enhance their disaster management strategies. The workshop provided a platform to emphasize the role of insurance in disaster risk management and fostering a stronger foundation for future resilience efforts.
In 2024, the global climate agenda is at a pivotal point following COP28, which marked the “beginning of the end” of the fossil fuel era and highlighted the need to cut global greenhouse gas emissions by 43% by 2030. This year is poised to be a ‘super year’ for sustainability, with six major UN events converging and local and regional governments playing a critical role in advancing the global sustainability agenda amidst unprecedented climate challenges.
Addressing the climate crisis in socially unequal areas involves utilizing tailored insurance mechanisms, such as those provided by the Urban Infrastructure Insurance Facility (UIIF), which support cities in managing risks and quickly accessing financial resources for their most vulnerable residents.
Like many other industrial cities, Karachi faces problems that are further exacerbated by climate change. This led to an urgent call to the local government for a comprehensive and integrated climate action plan to ensure low-emission development, with enhanced resilience to reduce its own carbon footprint.
COP27 emphasized the vital role of nature in addressing the climate crisis, marking the first time a full day was dedicated to nature and biodiversity, highlighting the need for integrated solutions and direct financing for local governments. This focus on nature precedes the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) at COP15, underscoring the essential role of cities and regions in achieving global biodiversity targets and addressing climate change.
Daring Cities 2022 highlighted the pivotal role of cities in responding to the climate emergency through innovative finance, people-centered approaches, and resilience initiatives, emphasizing the need for formalizing climate action processes, improving funding access, and including traditionally underrepresented groups.
As national and regional governments grapple to “keep 1.5°C alive” with updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), science-based climate targets offer local governments a clear path towards effective climate mitigation.
A growing sense of urgency, propelled by the IPCC reports, COP26 discussions, and the need for real impact by 2030 mean climate policies have never been higher on the agenda. Climate reporting gives local and regional governments control to track, manage, and attain their climate goals. The good news is, it also attracts investment.
Culture and heritage are primarily local phenomena due to the hundreds years of history of cities and their local conditions. This means local and regional governments have massive responsibilities to protect them. But at the same time, we should collectively develop a new culture of sustainability in order to reach a 1.5 C compatible world under the Paris Agreement and deliver other sustainable development goals.
Nature’s contributions to people are of critical importance to rich and poor in developed and developing countries alike. Nature underpins every person’s wellbeing and ambitions – from health and happiness to prosperity and security. People need to better understand the full value of nature to ensure its protection and sustainable use.”
This post has been written as part of the UrbanShift project by Bhaskar Padigala, Karishma Asarpota, and Matteo Bizzotto. Among…
