GCoM at WUF12: Empowering cities in the fight against climate change

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) proudly participated in the 12th World Urban Forum (WUF12) held in Cairo from November 4-8, 2024. Hosted by UN-Habitat, this important event emphasized the critical role of cities in driving tangible climate action. GCoM's active engagement included a series of impactful sessions dedicated to actionable insights, successful case studies, and collaborative strategies that empower local governments across the globe to scale climate solutions.

Among the key highlights of GCoM's engagement at WUF12 were:

• The launch of the "Accelerating Next-Generation City Climate Action: Findings from the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference and Update to the Global Research and Action Agenda" report- co-developed by GCoM, UN-Habitat, and Melbourne Centre for Cities - from the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference in Montréal. Containing insights from urban practitioners, researchers, business leaders, and civil society, the report represents the latest milestone in the Innovate4Cities initiative towards accelerating city climate action.
• The GCoM City Climate Finance Gap Fund session "Fostering Climate Action at Local Level Learning from Ambitious Cities and Strong Partnerships," which explored how cities can turn climate plans into investment-ready projects, presenting real case studies and global partnerships driving climate action and urban resilience.
• "The European Mission on 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities by 2030 - progress, lessons learned and international outreach" session, which dived into lessons from the Urban Transitions Mission African cities, such as Quelimane and Walvis Bay, as well as from the EU Mission's national partners.
• A hands-on climate training that equipped attendees with tools to assess local climate risks and vulnerabilities, guided by experts from the European Commission's Joint Research Centre and UN-Habitat.
• The Academia Roundtable "In the eye of the storm: How research and data can help solve the climate-related urban housing crisis," which brought together scholars, policymakers, and city planners to discuss sustainable housing strategies and address data & research gaps.
• An event bringing local and national Indian leaders into conversation on climate-smart urban development with GCoM Co-Managing Director Piero Remmitti at the Indian Pavilion.
• And many more GCoM sessions and moments, which can be found here.

In addition to these sessions, GCoM hosted an interactive booth in Hall 4, offering a dynamic space for networking, workshops, and climate knowledge exchange. Sessions hosted by the GCoM EC support team, such as the "Bursting the Bubble" unscripted discussion, fostered an open dialogue on advancing city climate ambition, while the UTM Finance & Funding Helpdesk offered city representatives and climate practitioners tailored guidance on financing their sustainable projects. The booth also provided a space for GCoM's Regional and National Covenants to meet and hold their own events.

Through its active participation at WUF12, GCoM reaffirmed its commitment to supporting cities in leading the global response to climate change, fostering collaboration, innovation, and financing to build a sustainable urban future.