C40 mayors and city leaders today signed the following open letter directed at world leaders attending the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt
Dear reader,
We are mayors from some of the biggest, most influential cities around the world.
The cities we represent are different but many of the challenges we face are the same.
We write this at an unprecedented time in our history – as conflict, climate and high inflation threaten people’s lives and livelihoods.
We can only tackle these crises together with a shared plan of action.
We have that plan – the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals – a ‘To-Do List’ for the world.
This week, as world leaders gather at COP27 – we recommit ourselves to delivering them.
Because we know that without climate action at every level, we will never achieve the rest of the Goals and create a future where everyone can thrive on a healthy planet.
But we can’t do it alone. In order to halve emissions by 2030, we need to take urgent action.
The best way to protect people everywhere from rising prices, polluted air and extreme weather is to invest in cleaner, greener cities, not fossil fuels.
We are driving investment through science-based policies, but further support is needed from national governments, particularly to improve resilience to climate impacts.
We need national leaders to unlock the finance to support the critical work of city leaders.
We need climate justice because the effects of the climate crisis won’t impact all equally.
We need the private sector to work in partnership with us to mobilise resources, create good green jobs and invest in innovation.
And we need citizens everywhere to help make the Global Goals a reality in their communities.
TOGETHER – WITH YOUR SUPPORT – WE CAN GET THE WORLD’S TO-DO LIST DONE.
Signed on behalf of the C40 cities by:
- Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London and Chair of C40 Cities
- Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown
- Steve Adler, Mayor of Austin
- Yuriko Koike, Governor of Tokyo
- Md. Atiqul Islam, Mayor of Dhaka North
- Claudia López Hernández, Mayor of Bogotá
- Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles
- Elizabeth Sackey, Mayor of Accra
- Randall Williams, Executive Mayor of Tshwane
- Sophie Haestorp Andersen, Lord Mayor of Copenhagen