With the aim of expanding cooperation on the South-South axis and strengthening the action of local governments in favor of sustainable development, the leaders of ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability and the Mercocities Network reaffirmed their commitment to work together with the signing of the renewal of the Cooperation Agreement, during the XXI Summit of the Mercocities Network, last Thursday (24), in Santa Fe, Argentina.

The Executive Secretary of ICLEI for South America, Rodrigo Perpétuo, and the President of the Mercociudades Network and Mayor of the city of Santa Fe, José Corral, participated in the signing ceremony during the Mercociudades Council Meeting.

The organizations have been working together since 2011, when they first signed the Cooperation Agreement. Among the main objectives within the scope of the current document is cooperation to promote the Covenant of Mayors initiative, a global coalition of mayors and local authorities committed to ambitious and transparent climate action, in the Region starting next year. The organizations will work together to expand the number of participating cities and strengthen Latin American cities' initiatives for climate change mitigation and adaptation, and to ensure they publicly and transparently report their progress.

“City networks are essential for implementing this voluntary commitment of the Covenant of Mayors at the local level. That's why we are delighted to renew our cooperation with the Mercociudades Network in Santa Fe,” stated Rodrigo Perpétuo, Executive Secretary of ICLEI. “Together, we will be better equipped to support cities in their mitigation and adaptation efforts and will take a proactive role in the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy,” he concluded.

This year saw the announcement of the merger of the two main city-led climate and energy initiatives, the European Covenant of Mayors and the Compact of Mayors, to form the largest global initiative of cities and local governments for the climate, bringing together in one movement the commitments of more than 7,100 cities in 119 countries and six continents, and representing around 81% of the world's population.

Other points for joint action involve mutual support between networks for green finance initiatives, which aim to expand and qualify municipalities' access to financing for sustainability projects, and the dissemination and translation of commitments from major global sustainability agreements for local governments.

Launch of the Local Climate Action Guide

During the Mercocities Summit, a series of panels with experts and collaborators were held, divided into thematic units. ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability participated in the Thematic Unit on Environment and Sustainable Development, where it had the opportunity to present the Spanish version of the unpublished “Guide to Local Climate Action,” produced by ICLEI and the Sustainable Cities Program, with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.

The Local Action Guide for Climate Change is a publication designed to assist municipal public managers in implementing and/or reviewing actions related to climate change, enabling them to better prepare their cities to address its effects and impacts. The Guide presents content in clear and accessible language, highlighting the importance and benefits for cities to integrate climate considerations into municipal planning and strategic sectors for local development.

She offers a step-by-step guide to supporting local climate action and brings examples of cities and national governments that are advancing this climate agenda, such as the cities of Recife, Fortaleza, Belo Horizonte and Rio de Janeiro, Palmas, a municipality in São Paulo, the Intermunicipal Consortium Grande ABC and the State of Minas Gerais.

Declaration of faith

After three intense days of discussions and agreements related to the present and future of the region, the Mercocities Network Summit, held in Santa Fe, concluded with a Declaration expressing the commitment of those present to building more resilient cities. The declaration highlighted the need to work towards improving education, promoting culture, generating employment opportunities, building a sustainable urban environment, and implementing social inclusion policies. Read the Santa Fe Declaration in its entirety.

Resilience was the central theme of the conference, which was debated under the slogan “Building resilient societies within the framework of regional integration.” The final declaration stressed the need to “promote resilient societies from a broad perspective, one that addresses not only natural phenomena (earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, etc.), but also takes into account the stresses present in cities, such as unemployment, crime, drug trafficking, marginalization, lack of basic infrastructure, etc.”

The closing of the Summit, which was attended by representatives from more than 130 cities in South America, also marked the transfer of the presidency of the Mercocities Network from the Brazilian city of São Paulo to the Argentine city of Santa Fe, which will hold that position until November 2017, under the coordination of Mayor José Corral.

With information from the Mercociudades Network