New York, USA – C40 mayors will arrive in New York this week ready to call on their fellow leaders to match cities’ ambitious climate action.
- Mayors from Freetown, Paris, Montréal, Chicago, and Phoenix to showcase how cities are stepping up on climate, whilst others step back
- On the agenda: green jobs, transforming ports into clean energy hubs, making cities more livable for all, and utilising city success to inspire stronger national climate commitments
- World’s largest city climate week sets the stage for November’s Local Leaders Forum in Rio and COP30 talks in Bélem
C40’s delegation for New York Climate Week brings together mayors on the frontline of the climate crisis, all of whom have won election and then, in many cases, re-election, on their pledges to improve the lives of their residents through implementing positive climate policies. The experiences of these mayors are not unique: around the world, 80% of people want their leaders to take stronger action to tackle the climate emergency (according to the 2024 UN People’s Climate Vote), indicating that climate action is not just about protecting people and the planet; it is also politically popular.
Whilst some significant national governments slow or even reverse their climate commitments, C40 Co-Chair Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr of Freetown, Mayor Anne Hidalgo of Paris, Mayor Valérie Plante of Montréal, Mayor Brandon Johnson of Chicago, and Mayor Kate Gallego of Phoenix will showcase how they are leading their cities through the climate emergency by cutting fossil fuel use, protecting communities from extreme weather, and investing in good green jobs and healthy cities.
C40 representatives will take part in a wide range of events across New York Climate Week, including the Climate Mayors Forum, where Mayor Gallego, as Climate Mayors Chair, will unite 40 US mayors to discuss how to continue to lead on climate action.
Mayor Aki-Sawyerr will also represent cities at the United Nations. At the invitation of the UN Secretary General, she will speak about how businesses, financial institutions, and city leaders can push countries to step up their commitments to reducing emissions (known as Nationally Determined Contributions or NDCs). The intention is for these discussions to provide a critical step towards COP30 by sharing best practices, reinforcing credible transition planning, and generating momentum to scale up ambitious net-zero action across sectors and regions. Nearly three-quarters of C40 cities are reducing emissions faster than their national governments.
The development of the green economy is another essential part of making a climate-positive future work for everyone. This will be highlighted in two new C40 reports published during New York Climate Week:
- C40 Cities, the Climate Migration Council, and the Mayors Migration Council have collaborated on a new report setting out the investment and training needed for cities to capitalise on the jobs boom created by the green transition.
- C40 and Arup have new research coming out that shows how transforming ports into clean energy hubs can bring significant benefits to city residents, by boosting economies, improving public health, and creating new, good green jobs.
The mayors’ work this week will also help set the agenda of city-led climate leadership, building momentum toward the World Mayors Summit in Rio and COP30 later this year. C40 mayors will be heading to Brazil to show how cities are delivering real, practical solutions to pressing global challenges, focusing on urgent delivery, not drawn-out negotiations.
C40 Co-chair and Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, said: “As mayors on the frontlines of the climate crisis, we are not only leading the world on climate action but also demonstrating that real change begins in cities. Every initiative we champion—from cleaner energy to inclusive urban planning—is about securing a greener, more equitable future for generations to come.”
“New York Climate Week is a crucial opportunity to showcase how cities in the Global South are developing practical solutions, and to ensure that the voices of our rapidly growing urban youth are at the heart of the international climate conversation.
“Our work here in New York is a vital step on the road to COP30, where we must see national leaders match our ambition and commitment.”
Mayor of Phoenix, Kate Gallego, said: “We are at a pivotal time in the climate movement – one with challenges, but also opportunities.
“Despite federal policy heading in reverse, mayors across the United States are resolved and delivering and taking action to create safer, healthier, and more affordable communities.
“As more and more Americans are impacted by climate change through extreme weather and rising costs, mayors are here to share a vision of climate action that drives economic prosperity, improved quality of life, and a safer future for our children. New York Climate Week is a chance for us to come together, share our successes, and chart a path forward with our national and global partners.
Deputy Mayor of London and C40 Board Member Mete Coban said: “I am incredibly proud to be attending New York Climate Week at a time when cities are demonstrating that real climate action delivers for everyone.
“In London, we are committed to an ambitious climate plan that is making a real difference to the lives of Londoners, including delivering cleaner air and waterways.
“Cities are playing a vital role in the green transition, and we must ensure it benefits everyone. Our work in New York is a crucial step in showing national leaders how city-led solutions can help to build a greener, fairer, and safer world for all.”
C40 Cities Executive Director, Mark Watts, said: “New York Climate Week is an essential moment for global climate action on the road to COP30.
“As we have seen in cities from Freetown to Chicago, urban leaders are not waiting for permission to act; they’re implementing tangible, science-based solutions that not only cut emissions and reduce reliance on fossil fuels but also create healthier, more equitable, and more prosperous communities.
“This momentum is what’s needed to spur national governments to step up their ambition and make meaningful commitments at COP30 in Brazil. The work C40 mayors are doing to create green jobs, transition to clean energy, and build livable cities is proof that climate action is not only possible but politically popular and economically smart.”