- Urban 20 leaders are outlining their vision for worldwide efforts to “recover together, recover stronger” from the pandemic and economic strife
- In the Urban 20 Summit communiqué, mayors and governors call for more investment in health systems and housing as a cornerstone to a global, inclusive and equitable recovery that boosts social protection and cohesion
- U20 cities urge G20 leaders and others to support equitable access to the job market and a renewable energy transition that puts equal access to sustainable mobility at its centre
Mayors and governors representing some of the world’s largest economies today appealed to the Group of 20 to take concrete actions to accelerate a sustainable economic and social recovery for all by:
- Investing in health and housing as a cornerstone to an economic and social recovery for all,
- Fostering a sustainable energy transition and equal access to sustainable mobility, and
- Providing education and training on the future of work to facilitate equitable access to the job market.
These actions will help to address the climate crisis, foster social cohesion and address equality, the mayors and government declared in a communiqué signed by representatives from 44 cities. The city leaders outlined their vision to work collaboratively with G20 leaders at the Urban 20 Summit in Jakarta, Indonesia.
At the event, under the leadership of 2022 U20 co-chairs Jakarta and West Java, U20 mayors and governors exchanged best practices and discussed solutions to achieve a sustainable economic and social recovery for all. The gathering, held in hybrid format, brought together urban leaders from all continents with mayors and officials of 96 cities joining in-person and mayors of 31 cities joining virtually. The high-level meeting concluded with the signed U20 communiqué, to be presented to current G20 President Joko Widodo of Indonesia.
Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan said: “City leaders have a similar view and reached a consensus that cities play a tremendous role in development. Cities are facing numerous challenges, but they are the centre of innovation and an economic engine at the national level. Therefore, the nexus of economy, ecology and social equality needs to be the underlying principle in all development sectors. This is what we emphasise in the 2022 U20 Communiqué, in particular by raising the topic of post-pandemic cities.”
C40 Cities Executive Director Mark Watts said: “This Urban 20 Summit has made clear: Mayors and governors around the world are stepping up as climate leaders. They are driving environmental and socio-economic progress during the pandemic while addressing acute energy and cost-of-living crises. The context in which Urban 20 cities met this year could not have been more challenging, and their call for global action could not be clearer. I applaud, in particular, the call for more direct investment in a sustainable energy and mobility transition that protects people from rising prices and rapidly reduces emissions.”
United Cities and Local Governments Secretary General Emilia Saiz said: “Protecting the planet is intertwined with caring for people of this generation but also of future ones. A mentality change needs to happen at all levels in the way we understand progress, quality of life and the role that we all have in society. These changes need to be grounded in realities at the local level in local public service provision and community building. The inputs of cities to G20 are of paramount importance and Urban 20 needs to remain a bastion of international solidarity and peace building.”
In the communiqué, mayors and governors propose specific actions to promote affordable housing, boost a renewable energy-based transition that promotes equal access to sustainable mobility, invest in mental health programmes and pandemic resilience, and ensure equitable access to the job market by investing in education and long-life training on the future of work.
U20 mayors and governors call on G20 leaders to remain focused on delivering, collaboratively, on the Paris Agreement, New Urban Agenda and 2030 Agenda while supporting efforts to “localise” the Global Goals.
U20 leaders also express their unity in calling for the swift cessation of the war in Ukraine, and condemn all violations of international humanitarian law and abuses of human rights.
In light of the G20 meeting in Bali, set to be held on 15-16 November, U20 cities appeal to G20 heads of state and government to promote world peace and global development and to work with cities towards a mutually desirable post-pandemic future that is more equitable, more sustainable and more resilient and benefits all, irrespective of background, gender or socio-economic circumstance. In particular, U20 cities call for action in 3 key areas:
Investing in health and housing as a cornerstone to an economic and social recovery for all
- Revamp health systems to enhance resilience to future pandemics and crises.
- Increase public investments to raise awareness, combat stigma and expand mental health treatment.
- Collaborate with cities to address structural inequalities and invest in social justice and territorial cohesion.
- Increase healthy, affordable, accessible and sustainable housing by recognising the right to housing and improving access.
- Encourage regulations that promote harmonious land use and facilitate more compact, integrated, mixed-use and transit-oriented districts.
Fostering a sustainable energy transition and equal access to sustainable mobility
- Commit to the full and rapid global phase-out of fossil fuels, publish clear and binding energy transition roadmaps in line with a 1.5°C trajectory and create enabling national frameworks to support and accelerate the renewable energy transition, with the goal of reaching net-zero in the 2040s or sooner.
- Drive multinational and national public investments to finance the energy transition at the local level
- Address the systemic, technological and financial barriers and constraints of renewable energy and energy efficiency for residential, commercial and industrial users to help amplify demand for the energy transition.
- Prioritise measures and investments that increase the share of urban journeys made by public transport, walking and cycling and reduce private car use.
Providing education and training on the future of work to give all people equitable access to the job market
- Ensure that employment opportunities and policy are equitable and accessible to all across all sectors, taking into account the most vulnerable and under-represented workers.
- Elevate the welfare of workers across all dimensions and ensure that the socio-economic recovery benefits and protects the rights of all workers.
- Bolster just and sustainable jobs through investment, workforce development, training and just transition policies.
- Urge for policies to unleash the potential of MSMEs as major employment generators.
- Work with national governments to bridge the disparity of digital infrastructure and innovation between and within cities and countries and to adapt human rights in the digital age by fostering digital rights and access to data.
U20 communiqué signatories include: Ambon, Amsterdam, Balikpapan, Banjarmasin, Barcelona, Batam, Berlin, Buenos Aires, Glasgow, Helsinki, Istanbul, Izmir, Jakarta, Jambi, Jayapura, Johannesburg, Lisbon, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Makassar, Medan, Mexico City, Milan, Monterrey, Montreal, Mumbai, New York City, Osaka, Padang, Palembang, Palu, Paris, Rome, Rotterdam, São Paulo, Seoul, Surabaya, Surakarta, Sydney, Tokyo, Tshwane, West Java Province, Yogyakarta.