UCLG delegation advocates for Local Governments during Climate Negotiations in Bonn

06.06.2011

Following the first round of negotiations held in Bangkok in preparation of the Conference on Climate Change in Durban -COP17-, two weeks of negotiations are taking place in Bonn from 6 to 17 June. UCLG, represented by the City of Nantes and by the City of Dakar, and counting with the presence of its Co-President Muchadeyi Masunda, Mayor of Harare (Zimbabwe), advocated for the inclusion of local authorities in the definition of national plans and international instruments to address and finance climate change. 


UCLG further participates in a special workshop on enhanced engagement of the stakeholders in the climate negotiations, gathering Parties and stakeholders and to the organisation of a joint side-event with ICLEI and WMCCC addressing the progress of the Mexico Pact and the Carbon registry. Co-President Masunda presented the work of UCLG in climate negotiations and local governments actions. Ronan Dantec, Deputy Mayor of Nantes and UCLG spokesperson raised the need to access finance and launch financiable projects, and in particular mitigations projects in the framework of the Clean Development Mechanisms. Eventually, Yoro Ba, Deputy Mayor of Dakar and UCLG climate delegation member presented the experience of Dakar as a coastal city from the developping world: climate change impacts, needs and difficulties of the city.

Read the speech of Yoro Ba, Deputy Mayor of Dakar

Read the speech of Ronan Dantec, Deputy Mayor of Nantes

Read the speech of David Cadman, President of ICLEI

Read the key demands on public participation

The Parties attended the meeting, among them: USA which proposals were warmly welcomed by observers, European Union, Bengladesh for the G77 and China and in the afternoon the current presidencies: Mexico and South Africa. 

 

 

Following a joint request from all observers, local governments hope this workshop will lead to a better sharing of information, will all negotiations documents available online by default and submissions from observers communicated to Parties through official documents. UCLG also hopes that the essential role of observers raised by Parties during this workshop wil lead to further anad reinforced involvement of observers in the new organs iof the UNFCCC: the technology committee and the Green fund board. 

 

In the framework of the Second World Congress on Cities and Adaptation to Climate Change (Resilient Cities 2011) that takes place before the negotiations in Bonn, the Forum of the Mayors on Adaptation is being held where UCLG is represented by its Co-President, Muchadeyi Masunda, and the UCLG Climate Negotiation Group, composed of Ronan Dantec, Deputy Mayor of Nantes and Yoro Baa, Deputy Mayor of Dakar. Co-President Masunda spoke at the Closing session on behalf of UCLG, explaining the role of the World Organisation in the negotiations on climate. 

 

On 9th June, Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC reminded the fact that 50 % of emissions are coming from cities but acknowledged the great steps and efforts those later are already undertaking in tackling climate change. Raising the need for all actors to get involved in the fight against climate change, she particularly insisted on the need for coherence between subnational and national policies and actions, and the need to overcome the political disagreement that usually exist between those two levels of governance. 

 

A gathering is also scheduled with the City of Durban and the Association of Local Authorities of South Africa (SALGA) in order to plan any mobilization activities for local governments in view of the COP 17, taking place in Durban in December.