Beginning today, all C40 member cities are invited to report their climate data through our reporting partner CDP. The annual reporting cycle is designed to help cities report their data in a transparent way, and better track the impact of their climate actions.
Reporting is also an important requirement for compliance with the Compact of Mayors. Within one year of committing to the Compact, a city must identify their climate risks, compile a city-wide greenhouse gas emission inventory according to the Global Protocol for Community-Scale Greenhouse Gas Emission Inventories (GPC), and report their data. CDP is an official reporting platform for the Compact.
Hazards infographic shows all the current and future hazards reported by C40 cities in 2015
In 2015, 92% of C40 cities disclosed their climate-related data using CDP’s online platform1 and other cities are beginning to follow our lead.
“By reporting their climate data cities are playing an essential role in informing and shaping C40’s activities in our member cities, and enhancing our ability to make real impact through our networks and initiatives,” said Seth Schultz, C40’s Director of Research, Measurement and Planning. “We encourage all C40 cities to take part in this year’s reporting cycle, and we urge more cities to join the 60 C40 cities that have committed to the Compact of Mayors. Through the Compact cities are tracking their progress and accelerating more ambitious, collaborative, and sustainable local climate action.”
Cities have until the end of April to submit their data, which will then be used to provide insight and analysis to help cities track their performance and identify new areas for action. In the wake of the COP21 negotiations, participation in the reporting process is more important than ever – cities will play a large part in delivering ambitious climate action in the years before the Paris Agreement kicks in. Reporting can help show the collective impact of this local climate action, and further underscores the critical role cities play in tackling climate change.
Emissions infographic shows the emissions of all the C40 cities that already have a GPC inventory
[1] CDP’s Online Response System (ORS) is composed of a series of sections. Each section asks questions about an aspect of the city’s climate actions including greenhouse gas emissions, risks and opportunities from climate change, strategies for mitigating emissions and for adapting to changes in the climate.