From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis
We're now locked out of the official Bella Center as are most if not all NGOs. Yesterday we were able to press the need for cities to be considered as "government" and not as non-governmental. The fact that cities are responsible for a significant portion of GHGs and therefore are in a position to enable significant reductions has not yet sunk in to the powers-that-be. Meanwhile those of us here representing cities want municipal governments to be recognized in the preamble of the text to be written. Of course, we can't be sure that anything will be written. Whatever happens today or tomorrow, we here with the National League of Cities want to work together with all cities across the globe to aggressively reduce GHGs.
This and other related posts are at http://www.citiesspeak.org/
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Copenhagen Update #12 - The Reasons Why
From James Brooks, International Programs Director of the National League of Cities (Crossposted from NLC's blog)
Why are representatives from tens of thousands of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) willing to wait in the freezing cold and snow just to get into meetings at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen? The answer can be summed up in two words — leadership and solutions.
The UN may be an organization of nation states, but this climate summit has drawn thousands of grass roots organizations that work everyday to solve basic issues connected with climate change such as access to water, sustainable urban habitat, energy generation and expanded mass transportation options.
The Lord Mayor of Copenhagen took note that local government leaders, especially a large group of global big city mayors, arrived many days before the delegations of heads of state. “Local government,” she said, “arrived early with climate change solutions.” In effect, cities have been willing to act, to be ambitious, and to exercise leadership.
In the hallways of COP-15 you can see and hear dozens of worldwide celebrities and luminaries on big screen monitors while you walk to exhibits from private sector companies and NGOs. More interesting however are the briefings, lectures, workshops and personal conversations with literally thousands of municipal officials, city planners, and specialists in land use, water systems, technology application and health care, as well as scientists, authors, entrepreneurs, NGO staffers, and bankers.
At the local and grass roots levels, there is an enormous level of comity, respect, information sharing and trust. These are the characteristics that appear to be lacking among the leaders and delegations from national governments. What you see at the center of COP 15 are thousands of solutions being tried by local actors. Alas, among less than 200 national government delegations there is a level of mistrust that is a barrier to organized and coordinated global action on climate change solutions.
City governments and grass roots organizations have taken on the climate change solutions and have demonstrated genuine leadership. The call to national governments, as expressed by Senator John Kerry, is to have the courage to take the risks to implement the solutions.
Why are representatives from tens of thousands of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) willing to wait in the freezing cold and snow just to get into meetings at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen? The answer can be summed up in two words — leadership and solutions.
The UN may be an organization of nation states, but this climate summit has drawn thousands of grass roots organizations that work everyday to solve basic issues connected with climate change such as access to water, sustainable urban habitat, energy generation and expanded mass transportation options.
The Lord Mayor of Copenhagen took note that local government leaders, especially a large group of global big city mayors, arrived many days before the delegations of heads of state. “Local government,” she said, “arrived early with climate change solutions.” In effect, cities have been willing to act, to be ambitious, and to exercise leadership.
In the hallways of COP-15 you can see and hear dozens of worldwide celebrities and luminaries on big screen monitors while you walk to exhibits from private sector companies and NGOs. More interesting however are the briefings, lectures, workshops and personal conversations with literally thousands of municipal officials, city planners, and specialists in land use, water systems, technology application and health care, as well as scientists, authors, entrepreneurs, NGO staffers, and bankers.
At the local and grass roots levels, there is an enormous level of comity, respect, information sharing and trust. These are the characteristics that appear to be lacking among the leaders and delegations from national governments. What you see at the center of COP 15 are thousands of solutions being tried by local actors. Alas, among less than 200 national government delegations there is a level of mistrust that is a barrier to organized and coordinated global action on climate change solutions.
City governments and grass roots organizations have taken on the climate change solutions and have demonstrated genuine leadership. The call to national governments, as expressed by Senator John Kerry, is to have the courage to take the risks to implement the solutions.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Copenhagen Update #11 – Contrasts between the US and EU
From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis Now reporting from a meeting sponsored from the Committee of the Regions of the European Union (EU). The EU recognizes cities officially in negotiations and planning. In the US, city roles are subsumed under states and the implementation power of cities is not as well recognized. Because money follows governmental structure, implementation funding for such things as energy efficiency in buildings is in the hands of state government. That's why yesterday's meeting sponsored by ICLEI with the US State Dept was so important to raise the profile of cities. Note the cities' role in initiating energy efficiency programs. Europe really gets this and the European investment Bank recognizes this with city level funding.
Copenhagen Update #10 – With Sierra Exec Director Carl Pope
From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta DavisCarl Pope praised the efforts of cities.
Copenhagen Update #9 – Working Towards National/Local Partnerships
From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis
At a negotiation session with the State Department advocating for partnerships between the federal government and cities and towns on climate. We are the folks who are following through on adaptation and mitigation. We want to be at the table as this action goes forward. We are focused and committed and we'd like to be formally recognized in the agreement and in the language. Ten minutes later...I just testified, representing 19,000 cities and towns. Members of the National League of Cities, Conference of Mayors and Counties, and ICLEI delivered a unified message, asking the US State Department to work in coordination with us. We are critical partners. We've been doing this work for years.
Copenhagen Update #8 – Cities, States, and the White House
From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis
Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI ) is now hosting a session with Mayor Bloomberg and ICLEI president Mayor Patrick Henry Hayes of North Little Rock. This is a panel with Wisconsin Governor Doyle. We’re listening in to hear also from President Obama's climate advisor Nancy Sutley, White House Counsel on Environmental Quality who also served in California state government. She's talking about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). In attendance is Washington Governor Christine Gregoire.
Copenhagen Update #7 – Knowledge and Wealth are Created by Cities
From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis
Sierra Club President Carl Pope addressed local officials and praised the efforts of cities.
“Knowledge and wealth are created by cities,” said Carl.
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