Michael R. Bloomberg and European Commissioner Pierre Moscovici Announce Historic Partnership Between the Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors
Partnership Brings Together Coalitions Dedicated to Building on Local City Climate Action and Highlights the Significance of City Level Commitments During Climate Summit for Local Leaders
PARIS, FRANCE, DECEMBER 4, 2015— Today, during COP21 and in conjunction with the Climate Summit for Local Leaders, Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, founder of Bloomberg LP and former mayor of New York City, and European Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs and Former Finance Minister of France Pierre Moscovici, announced that the Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors will formally partner to promote and support voluntary city action to combat climate change. The partnership between the Compact of Mayors, a global coalition of nearly 400 mayors committed to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, enhance resilience to climate change and track their progress transparently, and the Covenant of Mayors, the European Union’s initiative of several thousand local governments assuming the responsibility of tackling climate change in their territories, will open a new chapter to demonstrate the global impact of local city action.
The Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors partnership is founded on the shared goal of supporting cities around the world to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. The core principles of the partnership will be to recognize local governments as key contributors to a global climate solution, work with city networks as critical partners to support participating cities, capture city climate action plans from registration to implementation, and emphasize importance of reducing GHG emissions and fostering local climate resilience. In partnership, the Covenant of Mayors and the Compact of Mayors will work with cities around the world to ensure robust solution agendas, focusing on sectors like transportation and buildings where cities have the greatest control. The partnership will enable the Compact and the Covenant to streamline reporting systems that are working to help cities measure their work.
“The Compact of Mayors reflects the strong commitment of cities to reduce carbon emissions and the crucial role they play in confronting climate change. Collaboration between cities is fueling their progress, and that’s why we’re joining forces with the Covenant of Mayors,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change. “By combining the resources of two growing coalitions, this partnership will help demonstrate the impact of city climate action at a critical moment – and help pave the way for bolder action by cities and by national governments around the world.”
“Today, the Covenant of Mayors and the Compact of Mayors join together as complementary initiatives, sharing a long-term vision of promoting and supporting voluntary city action to combat climate change,” said European Commissioner Pierre Moscovici. “As the international community comes together for COP21, I want to underline the tremendous role cities have played in the lead-up to this vitally important event. Cities, as signatories to the Covenant of Mayors or the Compact of Mayors, are acting in very significant ways to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. We want to tell those cities that we are more than ever at their side in this effort.”
Both the Compact of Mayors and the Covenant of Mayors were present at the Climate Summit for Local Leaders today. Hosted by Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of the City of Paris, and Michael R. Bloomberg, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change—in partnership with the global networks of cities and local governments—the Climate Summit for Local Leaders was the largest global convening of mayors, governors and local leaders focused on climate change. The Summit helped to ensure that the voices of local leaders were heard, and city efforts were recognized.
For more information, please visit the Compact of Mayors website, and the Covenant of Mayors website. To see the terms of the partnership click here.
About the Compact of Mayors
The Compact of Mayors is a global coalition of mayors and city officials pledging to reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, enhance resilience to climate change, and to track their progress transparently. The Compact was launched in September of 2014 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and his Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change, Michael R. Bloomberg. The Compact was activated under the leadership of the global city networks—C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)—and with support from UN-Habitat, the UN’s lead agency on urban issues. In the lead-up to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris, the unity and ambition among cities through the Compact of Mayors will inspire world leaders to follow suit and forge a global climate deal in Paris.
About The Covenant of Mayors
The Covenant of Mayors is the world’s biggest urban climate and energy initiative, involving 6600 cities and regions in 57 countries. Covenant Signatories, cities and regions alike, share a long-term vision of decarbonised and resilient territories providing sustainable and affordable energy to all. They voluntary commit to contributing to this vision by meeting objectives of mitigation, adaptation and access to energy which are define at regional or national levels. They produce Climate & Energy Action Plans that are subject to monitoring processes. Covenant signatories are encouraged to work together, cities with regions and states and then with national governments. Most major city networks are at present involved in the Covenant, UCLG(CCRE), Eurocities, ICLEI, Energy Cities, Climate Alliance… In 2016, all city and region networks will be invited to participate.
Contacts
Compact of Mayors
Lee Cochran
M: 917-664-7989
Covenant of Mayors
Alix Bolle
T: +32 2 504 78 60
European Commission
Nicole Bockstaller
nicole.bockstaller@ec.europa.eu
M: +32 498 95 25 89
&
Anna-Kaisa Itkonen
anna-kaisa.itkonen@ec.europa.eu
M: +32 460 76 43 28