Contact:
info@urban20.org
media@c40.org
communication@uclg.org

Global city leaders offer solutions to G20 ahead of heads of state meeting onclimate, economic and humanitarian crises●●●

More than 430 global and city leaders gathered in Ahmedabad this weekat the 6th Urban 20 Summit, ahead of G20 meetings later this year in India
A record number of 105 cities have endorsed this year’s U20 Communiqué,
which calls on national and city leaders to work together as “valuable andequal partners” to halve global emissions by 2030 and address inequalities,
while creating safe, resilient and just societies and promoting equitable,
affordable and inclusive development
U20 members highlight the urgent need to overhaul development financeto increase support for climate action in cities, especially for adaptation in
Global South cities facing the brunt of the climate crisis, and stress the keyrole local public service provision plays in sustainable development as a key
instrument for delivering social security and protections

AHMEDABAD, INDIA (8 July, 2023) — Mayors, governors and city leaders
representing some of the world’s largest economies today offered solutions to theGroup of 20 (G20) on ways to tackle our complex, intertwined climate, economic
and humanitarian crises.
They urged world leaders to take concrete actions to accelerate sustainable andjust development that leaves no-one behind, deliver social justice and address
structural inequalities. City leaders also called for an overhaul of financial
institutions so they disincentivise investment in fossil fuels, step up support forclimate adaptation and support cities in tackling the climate, economic andhumanitarian crises.
Cities are at the frontline of climate change, and have done groundbreaking workover the past years setting ambitious climate targets and delivering on robust
climate action plans. Moreover, cities have been working day in and day out2
protecting their communities through local public service provision, ensuring thesafeguarding of human rights and fostering of local democracy.
The gathering of city leaders at the Urban 20 (U20) Summit was hosted by
Kiritkumar J Parmar, the Mayor of Ahmedabad, supported by the Indian Ministryof Housing and Urban Affairs, and co-convened by C40 Cities and United Cities andLocal Governments (UCLG).
At the summit closing, Parmar, this year’s U20 Chair, presented a six-point
Communiqué addressed to the G20 heads of state to the Indian G20 Presidency
and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, represented at the event by the Hon.
Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Shri Hardeep Singh Puri and G20 Sherpa
Amitabh Kant. The Communiqué outlines U20’s vision for working collaboratively
with the G20 to inspire city-level solutions to global climate, economic andenvironmental issues. It was signed by 105 cities.
This year’s U20 Summit took place amid growing global momentum to reform theworld's financial system to make it fit for purpose for today's challenges. With half
the world's population living in cities – and often at the frontline of the climate crisis– mayors and city leaders came together to send a strong message thatmultilateral bank reform must help close the massive finance gap holding backurban climate action.
The U20 Communiqué represents the first time that mayors and city leaders fromaround the world have come together to put forward a joint position on the needto reform international financial institutions. A new U20 climate finance working
group will explore multilateral development bank (MDB) reforms that could help
to accelerate investment in urban climate finance, and deepen collaboration
between cities and the G20 Expert Group on Strengthening MultilateralDevelopment Banks. The Communiqué emphasises the strategic importance ofcity administrations in confronting the global climate crisis and accelerating
sustainable development for four billion urban residents, calling mayors and city
leaders a “crucial constituency” for today’s world leaders.
“We can deliver on social justice, inclusion, climate action, resilience towards
disasters and a good quality of life for all citizens,” the U20 Communiqué states,“only if cities and national governments work together as valuable and equal
partners.”
The U20 Communiqué highlighted six key areas of focus designed to shift urban
action “from intention to action” and called for the G20 to collaborate with city
leaders to:● Encourage environmentally responsible behaviours● Ensure water security● Accelerate climate finance23●●●Champion “local” culture and economyReinvent frameworks for urban governance and planning
Catalyse digital urban futures

Kiritkumar J Parmar, the Mayor of Ahmedabad and current U20 Chair, said:“World leaders rely on their cities to deliver good jobs, sustainable economic
development and bold climate targets. Mayors are already leading climate action
but need urgent support from world leaders to reform international financial
institutions and release billions in climate finance needed to achieve these sharedgoals.”
Hardeep Singh Puri, Union Minister for Housing & Urban Affairs and Petroleum& Natural Gas, said: “We can look back with pride on the wide-ranging
deliberations that have been undertaken over six months in this U20 cycle. I
congratulate the chair city of Ahmedabad for anchoring the process. Cities aregoing to be central to achieving various global goals related to sustainability,inclusivity and climate resilience. I note with pride that this year’s communiqué,with its underlying theme of moving from ‘intention to action,’ has been endorsed
by a record 105 cities. This is a proud moment for India’s G20 Presidency.
Participation of 90+ mayors and city leaders, 70+ organisations and 430+ delegates
demonstrates recognition of India’s key role in shaping the global future.”
Amitabh Kant, G20 Sherpa, said: “This year’s U20 cycle has broken several records,including having the maximum number of endorsements. Six white papers havebeen released focusing on the six priority areas. The cycle has encouraged people
participation and involved 105 smart cities’ movement, et cetera. I encouragemayors to be the leaders driving climate action and finance. This would enable
them to leave behind a rich legacy for the future generations to come. India as thisyear’s G20 Presidency is highlighting the need for a reinvigorated multilateralism
to make global governance more representative, effective, transparent andaccountable, especially financing from MDBs for climate finance. These areespecially relevant within the U20 and focus on these should be continued also in
the forthcoming Presidencies as for the first time, there are four Presidencies
leading the voice of the Global South, including Indonesia, India, Brasil and SouthAfrica.”
C40 Executive Director Mark Watts said: “Cities are engines of the global
economy and also the largest contributors of global emissions, placing them in a
powerful position to impact the climate agenda. The U20 Communiqué is inviting
world leaders to join hands with city leaders in an urgent call to action, and toreform international financial institutions so they allow cities to access climate
finance directly as they facilitate resilient, equitable and healthy cities.”
Emilia Saiz, Secretary General, UCLG, said: “Today, cities are at the forefront ofprotecting people's rights and the planet in the face of overlapping crises. Urban

3420 calls for these commitments to go hand in hand with a new way to finance andunderstand development. Putting care at the centre of local service provision andredefining the social contract will be critical for a sustainable future for all.”
Read the U20 Communiqué and signatories.

About Urban 20Urban 20 is a city diplomacy initiative that brings together cities from G20 member
states under a common framework to discuss global economic, climate anddevelopment issues. The cities form a common position and issuerecommendations for consideration by the G20 presidency and heads of state,enhancing the role of cities as global economic and political leaders. The U20
initiative is permanently convened by C40 Cities and United Cities and Local
Governments, under the leadership of a chair city that changes each year. Prior
U20 cycles were chaired by Buenos Aires and Paris (2018), Tokyo (2019), Riyadh(2020), Rome and Milan (2021) as well as Jakarta and West Java (2022).
About C40 Cities
C40 is a network of nearly 100 mayors of the world’s leading cities who are working
to deliver the urgent action needed right now to confront the climate crisis andcreate a future where everyone, everywhere can thrive. Mayors of C40 cities arecommitted to using a science-based and people-focused approach to help theworld limit global heating to 1.5°C and build healthy, equitable and resilient
communities. Through a Global Green New Deal, mayors are working alongside abroad coalition of representatives from labour, business, the youth climate
movement and civil society to go further and faster than ever before. The current
chair of C40 is Mayor of London Sadiq Khan; three-term Mayor of New York City
Michael R. Bloomberg serves as president of the board. C40’s work is madepossible by our three strategic funders: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’sInvestment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and Realdania.
To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit our website, or
follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)
UCLG is the largest world organisation of local and regional governments and theirassociations, representing and defending their interests on the world stage.
UCLG’s origins date back to the first ever International Congress of Cities held in
Ghent in 1913. Today, with more than 250,000 members, it serves 70% of the world’s
population and is present in all world regions. UCLG leads on the localisation of theglobal agendas through its Pact for the Future of Humanity and the achievement4

5of the common agenda through the facilitation of the Global Taskforce of Local
and Regional Governments, the official consultation mechanism through which
the constituency deliberates and unites Its voice before the United Nations andother international processes.
To learn more about the work of UCLG, please visit our website, or follow us on
Twitter, Telegram, Facebook and Linkedin.

5