C 498/32
EN
Official Journal of the European Union
30.12.2022
Moving from the recognition of the role of LRAs to effective implementation of multilevel action 13. acknowledges that, whilst not succeeding in capturing the urgency and scale of the actions needed, the Glasgow Climate Pact did succeed in kicking off the second phase of the Paris Agreement, bringing to a close all outstanding items in the Paris Rulebook (7); remains nonetheless deeply concerned that the currently submitted Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) put the world on track for a 2,5 oC temperature rise;
14. reiterates the calls set out in the final report of the Conference on the Future of Europe for quicker implementation of the green transition; remains concerned about affordability of energy for consumers and business, in particular amidst the current crisis; stresses the need to safeguard the most vulnerable groups and territories, from any unwanted negative impacts of the energy transition, recalling the findings of the European Commission 2022 Foresight Report;
15. highlights how the scale of action needed requires integrated, multilevel policies and cross-sectoral solutions; stresses therefore the need for formal recognition of the role of LRAs in tackling climate change; underlines that effective and systematic participation of LRAs, both at the preparation stage and during the negotiations, should be facilitated;
16. emphasises the role of the CoR as the institutional representative of more than one million local and regional leaders and network of networks; underlines its unique position as a driver for the implementation of climate actions at local and its readiness to cooperate and partner with European institutions and Parties of the Paris Agreement to further multilevel cooperation on the way to COP27 and beyond;
17. stresses the importance of the Under2 Coalition as the first global climate agreement for subnational governments, which was launched in the run-up to the Paris Agreement; highlights the updated and more ambitious Under2 Coalition targets set out in the 2021 Memorandum of Understanding, with a commitment to take action to achieve the 1,5 oC target and net zero emissions by 2050 or earlier; encourages CoR members to sign this agreement too, and past Under2 Coalition signatories to sign the more ambitious 2021 Memorandum of Understanding;
18. highlights the crucial role of the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency in bringing together LRAs’ voices globally and in continuously reinforcing a worldwide network of subnational governments willing to fight climate change; encourages all Parties to the UNFCCC to cooperate with the LGMA Constituency and all non-state actors to contribute constructively to the process leading up to COP 27 and to establish stronger collaboration with the UNFCCC Friends of Multilevel Action;
Keeping the mitigation ambition and fostering capacity by scaling up research and innovation 19. recalls that around 10 000 LRAs across Europe have made ambitious commitments to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and tackle climate change by participating in initiatives such as the Covenant of Mayors, developing strategies and climate action such as Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plans (SECAPs) or other local climate action plans driven by regional initiatives; highlights that 75 % of the over 11 000 Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) signatories have set more ambitious GHG reduction targets (8) than their respective national governments, and more than 50 % are accelerating the rate at which they aim to reduce their emissions, building up critical political resilience against national level backsliding;
20. underlines how LRAs’ commitment and action complements and underpins efforts undertaken both in international processes and at national level, and how LRAs’ action is necessary to meet national and international targets; reiterates the need for the formal inclusion of Regionally and Locally Determined Contributions (RLDCs), to complement the NDCs and to formally acknowledge, monitor and encourage the reduction of GHG emissions by subnational governments globally;
(7) (8)
While the Paris Agreement has provided the framework for international action, the Paris Rulebook set this Agreement in motion by laying out the tools and processes to enable its full, fair, and effective implementation.
Source: 2021 Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) Impact Report.