- Lack of progress on shifting from ‘negotiation to implementation’ a missed opportunity
- Agreement on just transition and voluntary actions on fossil fuels welcomed
The final mutirão decision of the COP30 negotiations falls short on several of its original goals. Despite a positive agenda put forward by President Lula, this COP has ultimately missed the opportunity to meaningfully innovate itself, shift to implementation and deliver enough for those on the frontlines of the climate crisis – including over half the world’s population living in cities.
Securing consensus amongst 194 nationals was a tumultuous task in Belém. In the current political environment, that should be applauded. Agreement to develop a just transition mechanism is a significant achievement, and the prominence of debate on the transition away from fossil fuels shows that the Paris Agreement is still essential to multilateral climate cooperation. Nevertheless, it is also clear that the original vision of COP30 – to move from negotiation to implementation – has fallen short.
The final agreement does not advance the transition away from fossil fuels as the world needs. It also does not go far enough in providing cities and other forms of local government with a meaningful space for dialogue and collaboration with national governments. This innovation, focused on partnerships and action, is critically needed to drive faster, fairer climate action.
Whilst C40 mayors will continue delivering inclusive climate action regardless, this lack of a formal space for the implementers within the COP process hampers national ambition and multilateral progress. The COP30 vision for implementation was right, the opportunity was there, the target was missed.
Regardless of this disappointment, cities will not be slowing down. C40’s network of mayors will continue to deliver ambitious, inclusive climate action that is saving lives and protecting the people and places we love every day. This determination to deliver was outlined by over 14,000 cities, states and regions in the COP30 Local Leaders Forum Statement, which was presented to President Lula in Belém.
On a positive note, we did see progress on a few critical issues.
C40 strongly welcomes the most important outcome of COP30’s negotiations: the agreement on a just transition mechanism – the so-called Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) – and stands ready to contribute to it. Cities are already showing what a just transition looks like in practice and prioritising action that works for people – cleaner air, good green jobs, healthier streets, and safer homes.
And as COP30 took place, a positive signal emerged from the G20 Leaders Declaration, which recognised the importance of multilevel collaboration for attracting necessary financing for just energy transitions. G20 and COP outcomes show the world inching closer to a plan for a whole-of-society just transition that works with cities, communities and all levels of government to put people first – but fossil fuels must be put squarely in the frame.
With no progress on fossil fuels in the negotiated final text, C40 Cities was encouraged to see the strong leadership of Colombia with its Belém Declaration on a Just Transition away from Fossil Fuels. We stand ready to collaborate on the delivery of its goals as our cities are already collectively committing to halving fossil fuel use by 2030. We will bring this ambition and leadership to the collaborative effort Colombia and over 80 other nations have voluntarily committed to in Belém.
C40 also welcomes the declaration on information integrity. This is a significant step in efforts to disarm disinformation, and we hope to see this included on future COP agendas.
Last but not least, COP30 positioned the Action Agenda as a unified engine for implementation of the Paris Agreement, with its revamped architecture gathering over 480 voluntary multi-sector initiatives and over 100 plans agreed to accelerate and scale up climate solutions going forward to deliver on the previously agreed Global Stocktake goals.
C40 and its mayors came to COP with a determination to show that cities are delivering at the pace required to meet the urgency of the climate crisis. Our Yearly Offer of Action is an offer to COPs on how implementation can be achieved – showing the climate actions mayors across the world are taking next year, not in 5 or 10 years. This is the leadership and the ambition that we will continue to bring to international cooperation and climate multilateralism.
Cities will remain unbowed. C40 mayors and other local leaders will continue to deliver inclusive climate action and provide the leadership that billions of people on the frontlines of the climate crisis demand.
Mark Watts, Executive Director of C40 Cities, said:
While there is rightly relief that the Paris Agreement has survived President Trump pulling the USA out for a second time, COP30 exposed the limitations of a system that is based on negotiation between nation-states.
This has got to be the moment to change things and bring in the implementers. Cities are going to get on with the green transition anyway, but our efforts – and those of the national governments – would be so much more powerful if they were willing to further open the door to partnership and focus COPs on action rather than negotiation.