Global Perspectives for Local Climate Action: Side Event at the COP21

The German federal government is pursuing the goal of a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) relative to 1990 by the year 2020. The importance of local climate action to reaching these climate goals has been clearly recognised. Strategic individual projects like the "Climate Dialogue: Process optimisation, mobilisation, and communication in local climate action (KSD)" thus also support exchange and networking on the “guidance and implementation level”. However, in order for climate actors to benefit from each other’s’ experiences, a dialogue must also take place on the international level. Alongside various urban actors’ networks, the BMUB is therefore also conducting regular events for international exchange on municipal climate action.

The highlight of 2015 in this regard was the “International Conference on Climate Action: Local Governments Driving Transformation (ICCA2015)". The conference was held on 1-2 October in Hannover by the BMUB, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment (NMU), and the German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu). As the principle contractor of the climate dialogue, adelphi was responsible for coordinating the ICCA2015. The unique conference was deliberately positioned between the UN Sustainable Development Summit (September 2015 in New York) where the Sustainable Development Goals were adopted, and the UN Climate Change Conference COP21 (November/December 2015 in Paris).

The side event, organised and moderated by adelphi, integrated the results of the ICCA2015 into the discussion on the Paris UN Climate Change Conference (COP21 /CMP11). The focus was placed on the statements contained in the “Hanover Declaration: Local Governments Driving Transformation”, the closing document resulting from the ICCA2015. The side event also highlighted German activities on municipal climate action worldwide and in that way promoted international networking and learning processes among urban actors.