Tag: Rio de Janeiro

The great Italian writer Italo Calvino once wrote “You take delight not in a city's seven or seventy wonders, but in the answer it gives to a question of yours.” Indeed, throughout human history, people have looked to cities for answers – to questions of economics, trade, public health, culture and education. This week, as national leaders begin to consider how they will deliver on the deal agreed at the international climate negotiations in Paris, they should turn to cities once again for answers.

An op-ed by Eduardo Paes, C40 Chair and Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, and Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles

Today, C40 Chair and Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes announced his city’s full compliance with the Compact of Mayors, making it the first city in the world to reach the Compact compliance milestone.

Since the inauguration of his pontificate, in 2013, Pope Francis has been an example of inspiring and courageous leadership, combining strategic vision and practical action to help the Church overcome its major challenges. As a global leader, the Holy Father lives up to the tradition of great Popes that in singular and difficult moments of humanity’s history, convened the population to a more coordinated and thorough action. Francis has just bequeathed to all of us and to future generations what may become the great legacy of his pontificate, the encyclical "Laudato si, on the care of common home."

Latin American cities have enormous potential to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions – C40 research indicates that together they could cut emissions by 2,500 MtCO₂ by 2030, or the equivalent of taking 526 million cars off the road. Fortunately, many Latin American cities are already taking bold climate action, creating and implementing sustainable solutions to enhance the quality of life of urban citizens across the continent. We are proud to present some of the region’s most notable accomplishments here.

Today C40 held its first-ever Latin American Mayors Forum, hosted by Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri and attended by more than 15 mayors and vice-mayors from the region. During the Forum, it was announced that 20 Latin American mayors have joined the Compact of Mayors, and 20 global C40 cities have committed to pursuing clean buses. These two major declarations signify the bold actions cities around the world are taking in the global fight against climate change.