In 2015 under the COP21 Paris Climate Accord, Canada committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% below 2005 baseline levels by 2030. Cities across Canada are rising to this challenge and many have set their own emissions reduction targets, but measuring which activities contribute to GHG emissions is complex, time-consuming and often … read more

Opinion Piece by Warner Hoyer In addition to reaffirming their commitment to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions, world leaders who gathered for the UN Climate Action Summit this week also discussed how the public and private sectors can work together to tackle climate change. They should focus on the role of private finance, without which there will … read more

Opinion Piece by Emma Navarro and Nanda Jichkar  Cities are the world’s leading source of both economic growth and greenhouse-gas emissions, and those contributions will continue to grow as more of the world’s population moves into urban areas. Any successful global framework for addressing climate change thus must recognize both the threat cities pose and … read more

BARCELONA, Sept 23 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Close to 30 global initiatives to ramp up action on climate change were unveiled or expanded at the U.N. Climate Action Summit in New York, the United Nations said. Bringing together governments, businesses, development banks, cities and green groups, they cover everything from zero-carbon buildings to cleaning up … read more

By 2050, most people will live in cities. A new report lays out the ways to keep their emissions in check. BY ALEJANDRA BORUNDA By 2050, about 70 percent of the world’s population will go about their daily lives in cities. They’ll do all the things that make up a quotidian life: eating, traveling from home to … read more

The IPCC's 2018 Special Report warns of dramatic consequences by 2040 if global warming reaches 1.5°C. In response, citizens have made their voices louder than ever, and national governments in turn are beginning to mobilize. The constant threat of climate change, plus shifting energy needs and accelerating technological innovations, demands an unprecedented collective response at … read more

Tokyo, Japan. On the 8th of August, the Steering Committee of the “Covenant of Mayors Japan” had its formal debut. The Steering Committee is composed of ten members, including several mayors and representatives of relevant Japanese organisations: besides the mayors of the cities of Niseko, Tokorozawa, Kaga, Toyohashi, Kyoto, Yosano, and Goto, deputies from the … read more

This thematic block will look at the leading and vertically integrated role that National Governments, Cities and Sub-national governments can play in forging pathways to low-carbon & resilient urban settlements. By sharing eye-opening experiences on (i) concrete collaborative actions to achieve significant emissions reductions in urban areas and (ii) tangible solutions to improve climate resilience … read more