Today, C40 Chair-Elect, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo launched “Cap sur la COP22,” a public exhibition that showcases actions cities, citizens and local businesses take every day to combat climate change. In the large photograph installations along the Seine river, “Cap sur la COP22” highlights the accomplishments a number of C40 cities have achieved since the Paris Agreement and the challenges that lie ahead.
C40 Executive Director Mark Watts weighed in on the public showcase:
“I applaud Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo for bringing this important and vibrant public exhibition to the citizens of Paris. Mayors and their citizens need to build a shared vision for their cities that supports the agenda necessary to meet the 1.5 degrees target of the Paris Agreement. This exhibit will help forge an understanding that local climate action increases the health, wellbeing and economic opportunities of urban citizens. It’s about having clean air to breathe; more green space, bike lanes and pedestrian zones; greater resilience to withstand extreme weather events; and energy efficiencies that bring cost savings that can be channeled to meet other societal needs.”
As a C40 city, Paris continues to lead the way on fighting climate change with Mayor Hidalgo at the helm. Just this past August, Mayor Hidalgo was unanimously elected to succeed Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes as C40 Chair for her continued commitment to taking action against climate change. The Chair ceremonial handover will happen during the 2016 C40 Mayors Summit, taking place in Mexico City from November 30th to December 2nd.
Read the press release here.