Mayors call for global leaders to partner with cities on climate as new poll shows Brazilians support city-led response

More than 70 mayors and city leaders from around the world will arrive in Rio de Janeiro this week for the annual Urban 20 Summit (U20).

The U20, co-hosted by Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and convened by C40 Cities and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), takes place 14-17 November, immediately before the G20 Summit in Rio. Cities at U20 will look to set a global agenda for ambitious, people-centred action to deliver the world's climate goals.

The summit comes at a time of great political uncertainty for the climate movement, following the election of Donald Trump, meaning it is more important than ever to put the voices of the world's 4.4 billion city residents at the heart of the G20 agenda and promote stronger and more productive international collaboration.

The climate emergency is an existential threat and one that can only be tackled with the support and leadership of cities. Two-thirds of the global population will live in cities by 2050, whilst cities also consume over 75% of the world's energy and generate 75% of related emissions.

City leaders will call on G20 countries to recognise that cities are critical allies in ensuring social inclusion, fighting poverty, fostering equality, whilst also addressing the climate crisis and the growing inequalities caused by its impacts. This can be achieved by scaling up public finance to urban climate action, especially targeting vulnerable, at-risk and low-income communities, as well as enabling cities to access direct lending at more affordable terms.

The U20 cities will also set the scene for closer cooperation with nation-states on the climate crisis, through networks and partnerships such as the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP), as they set their updated National Climate Plans ahead of COP30 in 2025 in order to keep within Paris Agreement 1.5C limits. National governments must utilise the key role cities have to deliver a just transition as the closest level of government to communities.

A 'U20 Communique to the G20' signed by mayors from across the world will be published after the summit and formally received by the G20 Chair, demonstrating the powerful unity and determination of cities across the globe to cooperate to solve the world's challenges, with both words and actions. This cooperation is a beacon of hope in a world increasingly divided with rising geopolitical tensions.

After hosting G20, Brazil will prepare to welcome the world to COP30 in 2025, marking ten years from the historic Paris Agreement, reached at COP21. Brazil stands on the frontline of the climate crisis and new polling from C40 Cities and ClearPath strategies reveals that Brazilians overwhelmingly support urgent climate action, with cities seen as leaders in addressing the climate crisis. A striking 95% of Brazilians are concerned about the deteriorating crisis, and 88% back their cities in taking decisive action, with 86% calling for increased investment. The survey of 800 adults from across Brazil, showed climate issues are as big a concern as economic issues.

Respondents were presented with a range of climate action cities could take, including clean air zones and green infrastructure, all of which enjoyed over 80% support. While climate remains a national priority, Brazilians look to cities for agile, community-driven solutions that prioritise local needs like heat mitigation and air quality improvement.

The U20 Summit comes at a crucial moment for global climate action, coinciding with COP29 in Baku where C40 mayors will continue to make their voices heard, using their platform to help drive the global collaboration we need to keep our planet and people safe.

Mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Eduardo Paes said: "Rio is proud to host our fellow mayors and city leaders for these vital discussions on the future of our planet.

"Cities are already at the forefront of the climate emergency and have the agility and innovation to take bold decisive climate action.

"Our common goal is now to ensure that this work is recognised on the national and international stage and receives the required financial support to keep improving the lives of our residents."

Mayor of Freetown and Co-Chair of C40 Cities, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE said: "As mayors of some of the greatest cities in the world, we are calling on global leaders gathering at G20 and COP29 to recognise that addressing the climate and inequality crises requires collaborating with us to scale up the ambitious action already happening in our cities."

"Cities are dynamic, innovative, agile and engaged in tackling the biggest threats facing our planet today. Without our active participation with national leaders, achieving national climate targets will be challenging.

"With national governments due to submit updated National Climate Plans ahead of COP30 in 2025, they must harness initiatives like CHAMP to integrate cities into the core of these plans to go further, faster, and fairer on climate action."

Antha Williams, who leads Bloomberg Philanthropies' Environment Program said: "For over a decade, Bloomberg Philanthropies has championed cities in their fight against climate change, beginning with Rio+20, where Mike Bloomberg and Mayor Paes led a delegation of mayors to elevate city climate leadership.

"Now, as we gather here at the U20 Summit in Rio, we're standing with mayors once again as they continue to lead on climate action and push the global climate agenda forward to build more resilient, inclusive, and healthy communities."

C40 Cities Executive Director, Mark Watts said: "Cities are where climate action happens at scale and speed 82% of C40 cities are reducing emissions faster than their respective national governments and have made the political commitment to go further.

"At the U20 Summit in Rio, mayors will push for their national leaders to back decisive steps on clean air, resilient infrastructure, and green jobs with sustained financial support.

"The results of the US election have brought renewed concern over the future of multilateral global climate action. However, the depth and breadth of collaboration between mayors will continue to fuel momentum to go further and faster on emissions cuts. As national leaders prepare for the G20 and COP cities must be central in shaping and delivering the climate policies that impact billions of lives."

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