Day two of London Climate Action Week saw city leaders focus on how we build the infrastructure, energy systems and resilience needed for a growing urban world whilst also delivering on climate goals.
We can finally turn the page on fossil fuels – and write a future powered by renewables and rooted in climate justice. This is our moment of choice. Our moment of truth. Our moment of opportunity.
United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres
Setting a new standard for urban data centres
Today, the Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Nick Reece and the Mayor of Phoenix, Kate Gallego, launched the Global Urban Data Centres Pact, bringing together city leaders from across the world to set out a shared vision for how data centres should be developed in urban areas.
Cities are facing new challenges around energy demand, water consumption and land use. Across the C40 network alone, there are more than 1,700 data centres, with many more planned as artificial intelligence drives rapid growth.
This first-of-its-kind Pact establishes a set of principles to ensure data centres support urban sustainability goals. It calls for facilities to:
- Be integrated into city planning
- Prioritise renewable energy
- Minimise pressure on water resources
- Engage transparently with local communities
The mayors of Melbourne and Phoenix led the call at London Climate Action Week for a model that supports innovation, while protecting communities, strengthening local economies and advancing climate goals.
Delivering the Yearly Offer of Action
Today, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres , joined C40 Co-Chairs Sadiq Khan and Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr and other mayors to discuss how we maintain momentum on climate implementation in an increasingly uncertain world.
With geopolitical tensions rising, leaders highlighted the critical role cities, states and regions play in turning climate commitment into real action and reaffirmed that essential delivery is happening on the ground.
C40 Co-Chairs Mayor Sadiq Khan and Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr presented and shared updates on the Yearly Offer of Action, a shared commitment by local leaders to accelerate climate implementation over the next 12 months and demonstrate measurable progress ahead of COP31 in November.
Climate progress is measured not only by the commitments we make, but by the actions we deliver. Subnational governments are demonstrating how climate ambition can be translated into tangible results for people and communities. This kind of collective yearly implementation across all levels of government is essential to bolstering climate action and achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Simon Stiell
Medellín is the newest city to commit to the Yearly Offer of Action.
Over the next 12 months, the city has committed to restoring its rivers, streams and watersheds through climate-resilient urban planning.
The city is combining ecosystem restoration, nature-based solutions and community engagement to reclaim its waterways and protect residents from flooding and climate risks.
By embedding green infrastructure and sustainable drainage into priority areas, Medellín is reshaping public spaces for communities most exposed to extreme rainfall.
Delivering the transition away from fossil fuels
At the Local Climate Action Summit, mayors joined business leaders and experts to explore how cities are accelerating the transition away from fossil fuels while improving the quality of life for residents.
At a session on affordable and reliable energy, leaders discussed how clean energy can ease the cost of living and create new economic opportunities. The mayors of Copenhagen, Athens and Melbourne shared how their cities are advancing the transition while delivering benefits for residents and businesses.
During the conversation, C40’s Managing Director of Climate Solutions and Networks, Cassie Sutherland , announced the launch of a new guide for how cities around the world can develop local roadmaps to take action on transitioning away from fossil fuels.
In a session on electric futures, the mayors of Curitiba Eduardo Pimentel Slaviero and Phoenix Kate Gallego joined Uber and The Climate Pledge to discuss how cities and businesses can work together to accelerate transport electrification.
From scaling renewable energy to explaining electric mobility, cities shared how they are lowering emissions, delivering cleaner air and ending reliance on fossil fuels.
Building more resilient cities
As climate impacts intensify around the world, mayors shared how they are protecting communities from extreme heat, water scarcity and other growing climate risks.
At the Local Climate Action Summit, city leaders explored how resilience can be built through emergency preparedness, long-term planning and people-centred design.
The Mayor of Medellin joined experts from Mars , Community Jameel and Ramboll to discuss how nature-based solutions and strong partnerships can help protect cities while creating greener and healthier neighbourhoods.
Problems are opportunities. In 2016, we had an air quality crisis. We changed concrete roads, added trees and absorbent areas. Extending our green corridors helped us reduce temperatures by 2-4 degrees.
Federico Gutiérrez, Mayor of Medellín
The Mayor of Milan joined Novo Nordisk and the Z Zurich Foundation to explore how resilience and health can be improved by walkable neighbourhoods, public spaces and urban design.
With the help of C40’s Green and Thriving Neighbourhoods programme, cities are creating environments that improve quality of life for residents.
Resilience is more than responding to climate impacts; it’s about designing cities that are healthier, safer and better prepared for the future.
Breathe Cities grows to 16 cities around the world
Today, Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a further $45 million to expand clean air efforts through Breathe Cities – an initiative delivered by Bloomberg Philanthropies, C40 Cities and Clean Air Fund.
New funding builds on early successes where mayors have deployed nearly 1,200 air quality sensors, implemented 25 local clean air policies and reduced harmful pollution
With Addis Ababa and Madrid joining the network, Breathe Cities has grown to 16 cities around the world – spanning five continents as demand rises for data-driven solutions to cut pollution and protect public health.
Twenty years on from C40’s founding, the work we are doing with Bloomberg Philanthropies has never been more urgent or necessary. Together, we have helped cities build the infrastructure, the coalitions, and the political will to deliver cleaner air and healthier lives for millions of people. Breathe Cities is a clear example of what our partnership can achieve. Today’s investment is proof that local leadership, backed by the right global support, can drive change at a scale that matters.
Mark Watts, Executive Director, C40 Cities