The Paris Agreement, approved unanimously this Saturday, the 12th, strives to limit global warming to less than 2°C, with the aim of reaching the 1.5°C target. Through this agreement, local and subnational governments are recognised as essential actors for implementing transformative actions in urban environments.

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability welcomes the historic commitments by 195 countries to curb the current and future trajectory of global greenhouse gas emissions. While the agreed national contributions provide a strong foundation for action, they are not yet sufficient to keep global warming below the 2°C limit. National governments need to set more robust climate commitments.

The Paris Agreement answers ICLEI's call for nations to review their commitments every five years to keep greenhouse gas emissions well below 2°C. This accountability process will particularly protect the most vulnerable populations and small island nations suffering the impacts of climate change that they did not cause. ICLEI supports less developed and developing countries in reaching their maximum emission potential within the context of shared but differentiated responsibility.

Under the agreement, no clear proposal has yet been put forward to bring the fossil fuel era to an end, although various urban development models already envisage a gradual transition based on renewable energy. ICLEI hopes that nations will urgently signal to industry and the private sector that the era of fossil fuel dependency is coming to an end.

As the focal point for Local and Municipal Governments (LGMA) at the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) for 25 years, and a facilitator of the Local Climate Pathway since 2007, ICLEI has successfully advanced the recognition of local and subnational action and calls for more support for their contributions to the implementation of the Agreement.

ICLEI Secretary General, Gino Van Begin, stated: “The Paris Agreement affirms the commitment of all levels of government and this integration will reinforce the power of the global coalition that will build a secure and resilient climate future for communities worldwide.”

The technical and financial support undertaken through the Paris Agreement will empower local and subnational governments to act with ambition, speed and focus on climate issues. The immediate allocation of necessary resources for transformative local and subnational plans will accelerate the implementation of pre-2020 actions. The Lima-Paris Action Agenda (LPAA) can be a supporting mechanism for this purpose.

Countries must urgently mobilise the necessary sum of US$1.4 trillion per year to support the implementation of national commitments in developing countries and allocate US$35 billion to adaptation. Furthermore, countries must also establish a robust framework for loss and damage that prioritises the needs of the most vulnerable cities and regions. ICLEI hopes that the Warsaw International Mechanism will fill this gap by providing public and private financing mechanisms.

ICLEI will continue to mobilise political commitments for tackling climate change in various cities around the world, supporting transformative action plans that integrate climate issues into all dimensions of urban sustainability and seeking the necessary financing for projects that complement and accelerate the commitments of the Paris Agreement.