Climate Leaders from Around the World Show Support for Compact of Mayors & Covenant of Mayors Merger
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
“I welcome the merger between the Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors. Sustainable cities are critical to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and meeting the economic and social needs of people worldwide. This new global coalition will promote ambitious climate action and support efforts to implement the Paris Agreement and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament
“Six months ago, negotiators in Paris succeeded where others had failed. Cities and city-led initiatives like the Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors are key forces to make the Paris Agreement a success. Today’s merger serves as further proof that cities are heeding the call by the world’s urban leadership to innovate faster, reduce climate emissions and enhance resilience to meet the Paris climate goals. This initiative shows the force of a bottom-up approach, of local ownership and of voluntary — but real — commitments.”
Giovanni La Via, President of the European Parliament Committee on Environment, Health and Food Safety
“I commend, on behalf of the European Parliament, today’s historic announcement to create the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. I saw the collective power of cities at the COP21, and this new coalition will further ensure that cities are represented at the negotiating table. I believe everyone, not just those of us at the national level, must fight against climate change, and the mayors and city officials that make up the Global Covenant are doing just that when it comes to reducing their global greenhouse gas emissions and reaching our ambitious goals.”
Markku Markkula, President of the European Committee of the Regions
“Europe’s cities and regions continue to deliver ambition locally to achieve one common goal: forging a path towards a sustainable future. The European Committee of the Regions has supported the Covenant of Mayors from its very inception. The merging of the Covenant of Mayors and the Compact of Mayors brings together thousands of regions and cities from across the globe demonstrating that we stand united ready to collaborate, share ambition and set the future climate agenda. Climate change is simply a challenge that cannot be resolved alone.”
Dr. Joan Clos, Executive Director, UN-Habitat
“As one of the founders of the Compact of Mayors, UN-Habitat welcomes the merger of these two initiatives. The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy will serve as the global platform for cities to commit to ambitious climate and energy action. As Habitat III approaches, we invite partners to the Global Covenant to ensure that this urgent priority is firmly enshrined in the New Urban Agenda.”
Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group
“The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group has long been committed to the principle that working together helps cities go farther, faster. We therefore welcome the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. We look forward to engaging new partners and a broader coalition of city leaders committed to taking concrete, measurable and transparent action on climate change. United, we can lead the drive to peak global emissions by 2020.”
Gino Van Begin, Secretary General ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
“This merger is an important step in demonstrating that local governments are taking action to fight climate change and cope with its effects. By joining this new, larger coalition, cities and towns will demonstrate the significant collective impact of their work and set an example for transparent reporting. As a global network of cities, towns and regions, ICLEI will continue to support our Members in taking bold actions that raise global climate ambition.”
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, President, UCLG
“I witnessed the collective impact cities had on the successful negotiation of the Paris Climate Agreement as co-host of the Climate Summit for Local Leaders. During COP21, we gathered 1000 mayors and city officials at Paris City Hall, with Mike Bloomberg. Together, we adopted the ambitious Paris Agreement and showed the way to national governments.
Today’s announcement makes clear to the international community that cities are standing up, taking action and using one single, unified voice to combat the effects of climate change. Together, we advocate for new powers for citizens where they invent, where they share, where they get involved, where they live.”
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, President ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability
“Today’s announcement of the merger between the Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors will lead to the beginning of a new initiative. Local governments will continue to thrive and lead as leaders of innovative solutions to the pressing issue of climate change under this new initiative. The world can make a change through not only cooperation and participation from nations but also from cities and citizens. Seoul will actively address climate change mitigation and adaptation with our citizens and I would like to ask other cities to join our efforts. Supported by global city networks such as ICLEI, efforts implemented by Seoul to tackle climate change can be replicated to many other local governments, and I believe the newly formed global coalition for local governments will help national governments achieve their greenhouse gas reduction goals and successfully implement the Paris Agreement. The city of Seoul will continue to work together with other local governments under the new global initiative announced today to tackle climate change.”
Quito Mayor Mauricio Rodas, Host City of UN Habitat III
“Six months after cities stood together in Paris to shape and advocate for a strong climate agreement, today’s announcement further cements our role as leaders in the fight against climate change. Together, we are heeding the call to act from fellow local leaders and we will continue to move forward, especially with the critical Habitat III talks taking place in Quito in October 2016. In that sense, the Habitat III Conference is the perfect place for the Global Covenant of Mayors to come to life.”
Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson, Chairman, Federation of Canadian Municipalities Big City Mayors Caucus
“As a Compact of Mayors compliant city, I know how important and valuable city-led coalitions are to the global effort to curb climate change. By merging these two equally important initiatives into one, the power of cities from around the world can be heard through one unified voice and we can begin collectively towards enhancing our resiliency to climate change.”
Heidelberg Mayor Prof. D. Eckart Wurzner
“The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy not only takes the initiative to a worldwide scale, it reinforces its crucial political dimension. Its new Board of Directors will provide cities with an institutional voice on the global stage, better reflecting our shared determination to steer the world towards a more affordable, reliable and sustainable energy future.”
Växjö Mayor Bo Frank
“In Europe, the Covenant has managed to mobilise thousands of ambitious cities in outperforming their national governments’ targets. Its evolution into a global coalition with international accountability further paves the way towards a new age marked by locally-rooted and inclusive climate policies.”
President Felipe Calderón, Mexico (2006–2012); Chair, Global Commission on the Economy and Climate
“Building the cities of the future in a smarter way is vital to reduce climate change and to improve quality of life. I welcome the announcement about The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy. It is a great example of city-led action that shows how we should all work together to efficiently and effectively realize our common goal of reducing climate change. This alliance will benefit all the global population and therefore it is in the interest of all Mayors to join the effort.”
Paul Dickinson, Executive Chairman of CDP
“We congratulate Michael Bloomberg and the EU on this historic merger. This announcement sends a clear message worldwide — not just to cities but to national governments, businesses, state and regional governments, and investors: strong cities are fundamental to fighting climate change.
At a time when the world is facing unprecedented global challenges that threaten to divide us, we applaud this move to bring cities closer together and speak as one unified voice on climate action.”
For more information on merger between the Compact of Mayors and Covenant of Mayors please visit: www.globalcovenantofmayors.org
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