C40 Cities Inclusive Climate Action: An Overview
Introduction and Overview
- Objective: The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group aims to connect over 90 leading global cities committed to addressing climate change, serving more than 700 million urban citizens whose economies contribute significantly to global GDP (25%). The 'Deadline 2020' report underscores the pivotal role of major cities in delivering the Paris Agreement's objectives to mitigate climate change.
Key Challenges
- Inequality in Impact: Climate change disproportionately affects different social groups, with some communities more vulnerable due to factors like poverty, inequality, and lack of resources. For instance, the bottom income bracket, women, the elderly, children, and people with disabilities often struggle with limited coping capacities.
The Inclusive Climate Action (ICA) Program
- Purpose: To ensure climate actions are designed and delivered in an inclusive and equitable manner, addressing the needs of all city communities without undermining economic prosperity. Each ICA response is tailored to local contexts but also fosters global sharing of best practices.
Community Engagement
- Definition: Engaging the community involves understanding and addressing the needs and concerns of all stakeholders affected by local plans, policies, or actions. This builds mutual trust and ensures the success of climate initiatives.
Benefits of Inclusive Engagement
- Equitable Outcomes: By ensuring everyone's voice is heard, inclusive climate actions can lead to fairer distribution of climate benefits and reduced vulnerability among marginalized groups. Traditional exclusion from climate discussions exacerbates existing vulnerabilities.
Inclusive Community Engagement Playbook
- Resource: Developed to guide cities in engaging their communities, especially hard-to-reach groups like women, minorities, children, the elderly, informal workers, and migrants. It emphasizes the importance of understanding diverse social and economic backgrounds.
Conclusion
The C40 Cities initiative underscores the necessity of inclusive climate action to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of climate change on various communities. By fostering an inclusive engagement process, cities can better address the root causes of climate risk and ensure that climate actions benefit all segments of society, promoting equity and sustainability.
