Saitama City brings the G7 to COP29

Event highlighted the importance of officially recognizing local governments in the G7 process

Despite cities being home to the majority of G7 citizens, local governments are not yet systematically consulted by national governments on critical decisions affecting their communities. The Urban7 (U7) is seeking to change that within the G7 group of countries.

Local government representation in international fora doesn’t end with the United Nations agendas, such as the Climate COPs. Local and regional governments are advocating for representation – especially with regards to sustainable development objectives – on multiple fronts, including the G7, G20 and other multilateral platforms. 

The U7 is an initiative of national associations and international city networks in the G7 countries that advocates for continuous dialogue between G7 nations and municipal actors. The U7 believes that cities play a key role in transforming societies and economies toward G7 objectives.

On Day 2 of COP29, “The Urban7 -Saitama City ‘E-KIZUNA High-Level Talks’: Continuing the critical role and engagement of local governments in the G7” were held at the Multilevel Action & Urbanization Pavilion. Local leaders highlighted progress and efforts on urban decarbonization and multilevel collaboration in G7 countries and beyond with the goal of further enhancing efforts towards the critical role and engagement of local governments in the G7.

The formal inclusion of cities in the G7 decision-making process is a key priority for the U7, as they believe that local governments should have a formal, impactful role in shaping national and international policies. 

Alessandro Ghinelli, Mayor of Arezzo, Italy, representing the U7 under the Italian G7 presidency, made the case for this representation at the event: “Multilevel governance between national governments and cities is essential for efficient policy implementation. The U7 fosters this governance, encouraging ongoing dialogue. I urge the G7 to recognize the U7 as an official engagement group, allowing cities to contribute directly to global challenges like climate action and sustainable urban development.”

Saitama City was one of the key cities leading the G7 urban agenda in 2023 under the Japanese presidency program. Hayato Shimizu, Mayor of Saitama, Japan, said in the event, “The role of cities is crucial, and with strong partnerships, we can create a sustainable future. The Japanese word ‘Kizuna’ meaning relationship, encapsulates multilevel collaboration. As we advance, Saitama is dedicated to strengthening U7 efforts and working closely with the G7, Canada’s 2025 presidency, and beyond.”

Edward Webber, Deputy Director of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Government of the United Kingdom added: “[As] part of the UK government, thinking about how [we can] accelerate the transition and one of the things that repeatedly comes out from reports from the International Energy Agency and others is the importance of collaboration.  And that individual efforts can, not just be scaled, but scaled many times over, by the ability to bring multiple actors behind common outcomes. And that’s as true at an international between countries as it is between cities, regions, between companies, between investors. And so when I think of multilevel action, I’m thinking of that whole ecosystem of effort. All pointing and pushing and pulling in the same direction. And in that spirit I really welcome its initiative and I welcome its being embedded in the G7 process and being embedded in the UNFCCC process as well.” 

From November 3-4, 2024, G7 Sustainable Urban Development Ministers met in Rome. A key outcome was a recommendation to recognize the U7 as an official G7 engagement group. The Ministers committed to establishing a shared understanding of effective urban development policy and to unlock the full potential of cities. This dialogue and process will continue in 2025 when Canada takes over the G7 presidency from Italy with the opportunity to finalize the formal engagement of the U7.

The G7 space is an important arena for local and regional governments. The decision-making in much of the United Nations system depends on consensus and trust-building, which can also happen in non-UN arenas. According to Togo Uchida, Executive Director of ICLEI Japan, “Mechanisms outside the United Nations system – such as the G7 and G20 – are more flexible in terms of diplomatic procedures and can help nations understand areas for partnership and alignment. ICLEI actively engages in these processes to support multilevel dialogue and collaboration.”

At COP28 in Dubai, the U7 released a summary report on the G7 Roundtable Meeting on Subnational Climate Actions, a first-of-its-kind meeting in the G7 space.

This article was written with contributions from Alexandra Pfohl, ICLEI Europe.