New Subnational Advisory Council marks the first time national governments within CHAMP formally integrate subnational leaders’ perspectives and experiences into the coalition’s decision-making structure

London, June 25th – The Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) for Climate Action announced the creation of its new Subnational Advisory Council, marking a historic step forward in strengthening cooperation between national, local and regional governments in the global response to the climate crisis. The announcement was made during London Climate Action Week (LCAW) at the inaugural meeting of the Subnational Advisory Council in the presence of city mayors, governors and the Co-chairs of CHAMP – representatives of Brazil and Germany, convened to accelerate climate ambition and drive implementation.

The establishment of the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council marks a major milestone in advancing the goals of the Paris Agreement through stronger multilevel governance and coordinated climate action across all levels of government. For the first time since the coalition’s creation, CHAMP – a coalition led by countries – is formally integrating cities, states, and regions into its official governance structure, creating a direct channel to elevate the voice and leadership of subnational governments to the coalition’s 78 endorsers (national governments and the European Union). The Subnational Advisory Council will help ensure that local and regional realities, expertise, and climate solutions directly inform CHAMP’s strategic direction, advocacy priorities, and implementation efforts.

It brings together city and regional leaders from across the globe – both large and small in size, population – but all with unique contributions to make on climate action. This representational structure ensures that the voices and experience of subnational governments directly help shape the coalition’s strategic direction, advocacy, and implementation efforts. Representing communities on the frontlines of the climate crisis, the Subnational Advisory Council members reflect the diversity, ambition, and leadership of cities and regions driving climate action worldwide. 

The members of the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council, invited to serve on the Council for 2 years, are:

City Representatives

• Mayor Mohamed Sefiani, Chefchaouen, Morocco
• Lord Mayor Nick Reece, Melbourne, Australia
• Mayor Claudio Castro, Renca, Chile
• Mayor Alfredo Coro, Del Carmen, Philippines
• Mayor Piia Elo, Turku, Finland

Regional Representatives

• President Fatimetou Abdel Malick, Nouakchott Region, Mauritania
• Minister-President Cem Özdemir, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
• Governor Eduardo Leite, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Through periodic meetings and diplomatic engagements throughout the year, the Subnational Advisory Council will strengthen collaboration between national and subnational governments in advancing climate action. The Council is co-facilitated by the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) and the Under2 Coalition, in close collaboration with C40 Cities and the World Resources Institute (WRI), which serves as the Secretariat of the CHAMP Coalition. 

The inaugural meeting was hosted during London Climate Action Week by GCoM Global Ambassador and former Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, in her new capacity as chair of the Subnational Advisory Council. 

Anne Hidalgo, chair of the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council, said:

“Cities and regions have long stood on the frontlines of the climate crisis, not only experiencing its impacts first, but leading some of the world’s most ambitious and transformative climate solutions. Every day, local and regional governments are protecting communities, strengthening resilience, and proving that bold climate action can improve people’s quality of life. The creation of the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council sends a powerful signal: national governments are formally recognizing that climate ambition cannot succeed without strong partnerships with local and regional governments. In Paris, we demonstrated that climate action and quality of life go hand in hand. The new Subnational Advisory Council will help ensure that the experience and leadership of cities and regions help shape global climate decisions at the highest level.” 

The inaugural meeting also brought together representatives from the national governments of Brazil and Germany, Co-chairs of the CHAMP Coalition. Ambassador Antonio Da Costa, representing the Government of Brazil, and Dr. Ulf Jaeckel, representing the Government of Germany, joined Subnational Advisory Council members during the London Climate Action Week gathering and underscored the importance of multilevel governance in accelerating climate implementation and delivering meaningful outcomes for people and communities.

Governor Eduardo Leite, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, said: 

“It is an honour for Rio Grande do Sul to join, alongside 11 other leaders from around the world, the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council. Our participation brings to this forum the experience of a state that faced the largest climate disaster in Brazil’s history and turned that challenge into an even stronger commitment to climate action. Through Plano Rio Grande, we are not only rebuilding communities, but building back better, strengthening resilience and preparing our territory for the impacts of a changing climate. At the same time, we are advancing structured mitigation and decarbonisation policies aligned with the goals of the Paris Agreement. We believe that subnational governments have a decisive role to play in turning global targets into tangible results for people. Serving on the Subnational Advisory Council is an opportunity to share experiences, learn from partners around the world, and strengthen the multilevel cooperation needed to address climate challenges.”

Ambassador Antonio Da Costa, Government of Brazil, said:

“This new Subnational Advisory Council marks an important step toward closer collaboration between national governments and subnational leaders. Cities, states and regions are essential to delivering climate action, where policy becomes concrete measures that protect people, strengthen resilience and improve lives. As host of COP30, Brazil has placed multilevel governance at the center of its climate vision and is already advancing this agenda through initiatives such as the Green and Resilient Cities and Brazil Mutirão programs. The Subnational Advisory Council will help connect global ambition with local implementation.”

Ulf Jaeckel, Government of Germany, said:

“Germany strongly believes that effective climate action depends on cooperation across all levels of government. Our experience has shown that cities, states, and regions are indispensable partners in turning national climate targets into practical solutions that benefit people and communities. The establishment of the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council reflects the growing recognition that multilevel governance is essential to delivering the Paris Agreement climate goals.” 

CHAMP Coalition New Steering Group

During the Local Climate Action Summit at London Climate Action Week, the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships for Climate Action launched the next phase of its work to accelerate and strengthen multilevel climate action. 

As part of this effort, CHAMP inaugurated its new Steering Group during the UNFCCC June Climate Meetings and introduced an Implementation Roadmap designed to translate political ambition into faster, more effective delivery of climate commitments on the ground. Building on the coalition’s commitment to strengthen national-local collaboration, the roadmap aims to support countries and subnational governments in advancing climate action through stronger coordination, shared accountability, and implementation at scale. 

The newly established Steering Group will provide strategic guidance to help drive CHAMP’s next phase of work and reinforce collaboration across levels of government to accelerate climate ambition and delivery. The CHAMP Steering Group is composed of nine members representing coalition Co-chairs and endorsers: Brazil, Germany, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, European Union, Kenya, Philippines and Sweden. 

CHAMP Steering Group members include:

• Ambassador Antônio Francisco Da Costa e Silva Neto, Co-chair and Ambassador and Chief International Advisor, Brazilian Ministry of Cities
• Dr. Ulf Jaeckel, Co-chair and Head of the International Adaptation to Climate Change Division, German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
• Mr. Mauricio Galván Gómez, Coordinator of the Climate Change Mitigation Group, Directorate of Climate Change and Risk Management, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Colombia
• Ms. Gabriela C. Márquez, Director of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dominican Republic
• Mr. Abas Mohammed, CEO, Environment and Climate Change Policy, Strategy Analysis and Mainstreaming, Ministry of Planning and Development, Ethiopia
• Ms. Laurence Graff, Advisor, Directorate-General for Climate Action (DG CLIMA), European Commission
• Assistant Secretary Noralene Uy, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Planning, International Affairs and Climate Change, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines
• Mr. Olle Dierks,  Head of Large-Scale Investments and Chairman of Team Sweden Smart Cities, Sweden

The launch of the Steering Group reinforces CHAMP’s ambition to move beyond commitments and strengthen the mechanisms needed to accelerate implementation, ensuring climate action is coordinated across all levels of government and delivers tangible benefits for communities. 

NOTES TO EDITORS

About the CHAMP Coalition

Launched at COP28, the CHAMP Coalition strengthens collaboration between national and subnational governments on climate policy and finance. Recognizing that cities and regions play a critical role in implementing national climate commitments, the coalition bridges national ambition and city-level delivery and has grown to 78 endorsers, reflecting rising global momentum for multilevel climate governance. Together, CHAMP and its endorsing members represent 36% of the world’s population, 69% of global GDP, and 40% of global emissions, underscoring the coalition’s significant global footprint and its potential to drive meaningful climate action at scale.

The World Resources Institute serves as the Secretariat of CHAMP. For more information visit: https://www.champ-climate.org/ or contact secretariat@champ-climate.org.

About GCoM

GCoM is the largest global alliance for city climate leadership, uniting a global coalition of over 14,000 cities and local governments and 100+ supporting partners. The cities and partners of GCoM share a long-term vision of supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and towards a resilient and low-emission society. GCoM serves cities and local governments by mobilizing and supporting ambitious, measurable, planned climate and energy action in their communities by working with city/regional networks, national governments, and other partners to achieve our vision. Led today by UN Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael R. Bloomberg and European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, the coalition comprises cities across 6 continents and 150 countries, representing over 1 billion people or more than 13 percent of the global population.

To learn more about GCoM, please visit our website, or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. 

About C40 Cities

C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities working to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis and create a future where everyone, everywhere, can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities are committed to using a science-based and people-focused approach to limit global heating in line with the Paris Agreement and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. We work alongside a broad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate movement and civil society to support mayors to halve emissions by 2030 and help phase out fossil use while increasing urban climate resilience and equity. 

The current co-chairs of C40 are Mayor Sadiq Khan of London, United Kingdom, and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown, Sierra Leone; three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board. C40’s work is made possible by our two strategic funders: Bloomberg Philanthropies and Realdania. 

To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit our website or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. 

About the Under2 Coalition

The Under2 Coalition is the largest global network of states and regions committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest. Today, the coalition represents nearly 200 individual states, regions, provinces and subnational governments – a total of more than 270 actors, totalling more than 50% of global GDP. Climate Group acts as the Under2 Coalition’s secretariat, supporting and advancing collective action.  

To learn more about the Under2 Coalition, please visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.