3 June 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the world as we know it. Through it all, mayors and local officials are on the frontlines, making difficult decisions to fulfill their responsibilities to protect and provide for their communities, while looking to safeguard their cities for the future.

The Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM), representing over 10,000 cities and local governments, welcomes the European Commission’s bold Next Generation EU COVID-19 recovery plan as an example to governments around the world of how we can and must respond to the crisis while preparing and investing for a green future.

While cities have been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, they will be essential economic engines for restarting recovery ambitions. As national governments navigate the regional complexities of responding to and recovering from COVID-19, countries and cities must jointly seize this opportunity to build back a cleaner, more resilient, sustainable and fairer world for everyone.

Through local climate commitments, innovative financing models and a focus on sustainable infrastructure, GCoM cities in 139 countries have already committed to doing their part to solve the climate crisis and improve lives and livelihoods. The Global Covenant of Mayors stands ready to partner with the European Union and national governments worldwide to solve the global crises of this pandemic, economic downturn, and the climate emergency.

On behalf of over 10,000 cities worldwide, we call on all governments for a global green recovery, emphasizing the role of cities in the effort to grow back greener, healthier, more equitable, and more resilient for the next generation.