"Highlighting the importance of urban climate leadership and how cities are preparing to deliver a 1.5-degree Celsius pathway."

Cities are central to meeting some ambitious targets such as the Paris Agreement, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a result, an increasing number of cities are developing climate action plans and tracking their own locally determined contributions to these national and global goals. These plans lay out a strategy, including specific measures, to reduce GHG emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change and their co-benefits, as well as identify the funding, institutional arrangements, and human resources required for implementation. By becoming climate-smart and resilient, cities can avoid locking in development that encourages emissions and leaves the population vulnerable, while at the same time improving quality of life, safety, and competitiveness.

C40’s Climate Action Planning Framework has been developed and rolled out to support cities in developing climate action plans that are aligned with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. The objective of this session is to highlight the importance of urban climate leadership and how cities are preparing to deliver a 1.5-degree Celsius pathway. A panel discussion between C40’s climate action planning advisors from the cities of Sao Paulo in Brazil and Dakar in Senegal and World Bank Task Team Leaders explore the challenges and opportunities for implementing these plans in order to achieve low-carbon and climate-resilient development patterns.