At COP31: How do countries support cities on their journey towards climate neutrality?

On 12 November, COP31 will host the session “Accelerating Local Climate Transition: How do Countries Support Cities on their Journey towards Climate Neutrality?”, organised in partnership with Climate KIC.

Cities are at the forefront of climate action, but most of the investments, decisions and actions needed to reach climate neutrality lie beyond their direct control.

Across Europe, countries are developing different ways to support their cities: national platforms, capacity-building programmes, funding and stronger engagement of national authorities. The session will look at how these national support frameworks are evolving and what makes them effective.

Speakers from Austria, Italy, Sweden and Türkiye will discuss:

• the challenges cities cannot address alone, and where national authorities can take on a stronger enabling role;
• the added value of peer learning and capacity building at national level;
• how national platforms can strengthen collaboration between cities and public authorities;
• how multilevel and multi-stakeholder cooperation, as promoted by the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP), can speed up implementation.

Speakers

• Anna Lisa Boni, Deputy Mayor of Bologna, Italy (TBC)
• M. Cemil Arslan, Secretary General, Marmara Municipalities Union (INSA), Türkiye
• Nina Mostegl, Klimaneutrale Stadt Mission, Austria
• Olle Dierks, Viable Cities and CHAMP, Sweden

Moderation: Thomas Osdoba, Climate KIC

The session will end with an open discussion on which elements of national support (policies, funding, data, capacity building and coordination) are indispensable, and how they work together to create real value for cities. The key messages will feed into practical recommendations for governments that want to strengthen multilevel climate governance and work more closely with cities.

If you are attending COP31, join us on 12 November!