Enhancing the role of cities as global economic and political leaders
The U20 is an official G20 engagement group that brings together more than 50 cities worldwide to develop a collective position on key issues and inform G20 negotiations. Each year, the U20 publishes a Communiqué, outlining cities’ unique perspectives and recommendations on issues related to socioeconomic development and the climate crisis. This also includes specific calls for action aimed at achieving a just transition toward carbon-neutral, inclusive, and resilient communities. You can access previous U20/G20 Communiqués here.
The U20 informs G20 negotiations ahead of the annual G20 Leaders’ Summit, where the Communiqué is presented to the G20 Host’s Presidency and Heads of State. Through this process, the U20 elevates urban priorities within the global agenda and fosters stronger relationships between the G20 national governments and their U20 city teams.
The U20 is permanently convened by C40 Cities and the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), with leadership rotating annually among 1-2 Chair cities from the G20 host country. Since its creation, the U20 has been chaired by:
- Buenos Aires and Paris (2018)
- Tokyo (2019)
- Riyadh (2020)
- Milan and Rome (2021)
- Jakarta (2022)
- Ahmedabad (2023)
- Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (2024)
- Tshwane and Johannesburg (2025)
To learn more, contact citydiplomacy@c40.org.
