Ahead of the UN climate conference (COP27) that will take place in Sharm El Sheikh on 6 November, the European Committee of the Regions plenary debated on the role of subnational authorities at COP27 with the Vice-Chair of the ENVI committee at the European Parliament Bas Eickhout, the Mayor of Utrecht at ICLEI envoy at COP27 Sharon Dijksma and the Mayor of Chefchaouen and ICLEI regional chair for Africa and Mohamed Sefiani.
The CoR has renewed its calls for sub-national governments to have a stronger role in global climate negotiations and further recognition in the implementation of the Paris agreement. The CoR proposes a global system to collect and monitor cities' and regions' carbon emission reductions and calls on the Member States and the Council of the EU to unequivocally support the inclusion, within the COP27 conclusions, of the urgent need for multilevel cooperation action and for the full involvement of local and regional authorities in the implementation of the Paris agreement.
Speaking on behalf of the EA Group, Cllr József Kóbor said that COP 27 is an opportunity to put territories, cities and regions at the heart of the discussion
"We said it many times, the transition to climate neutrality will succeed only if everyone takes ownership of the transition, if citizens, and communities feel that their contribution matters.
In times of high and volatile energy prices, we clearly see the need to move more toward the local sources of energy and empower local authorities to close the emissions gap. We have to take this opportunity to renew our commitments and we need more Local Green Deal and placed-based climate contracts designed together with citizens and key stakeholders, he added.