The international climate summit, held in Copenhagen, has just opened. More than 700 representatives from municipalities throughout the world will the next three days discuss climate change and sustainable energy. The purpose is to send a united message to the UN climate negotiations in December (COP15).
The Summit is organized by Local Government Denmark in co-operation with a number of partners, including LGAction, a European climate project with finance from the EU programme "Intelligent Energy Europe" and co-ordinated by ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability.
– Municipalities play a crucial role in solving climate problems, and many of the climate projects and initiatives, we expect to be implemented throughout the world, need a local commitment. The united voice of local and regional authorities needs to be heard, says Henning Jensen, Chairman of the International Committee of Local Government Denmark and Mayor of the Danish town Næstved.
It is the municipalities throughout the world that have the responsibility for many of the challenges that climate change implies. Concerning reduction of green house emissions, it means:
Some municipalities have to protect low-lying areas against floods, improve the sewerage systems and secure buildings against extreme weather.
At the 23 workshops of the Climate Summit, the participants will discuss all the challenges that climate change implies. At the same time, the participants will discuss the experience that cities, municipalities and regions throughout the world have done so far in combating climate change.
– The Summit is a unique opportunity for local decisions-makers to present results and initiatives for reduction of green house emissions and adaptation to the changes we already see today. At the same time, they can get new knowledge and discuss our commitment within climate and environment issues, says Henning Jensen.
More than 700 politicians, civil servants, ambassadors and international organisations from some 70 countries take part in the Local Government Climate Change Leadership Summit.
The participants comes from as different countries as Mexico, Australia, Brazil, Indonesia, Korea, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Benin, Cameroun, Grenada, the US, Russia and all European countries.
The list of prominent politicians at the Summit includes Afghan Minister of Urban Development Mohammed Yousaf Pashtun, Mayor of Paris Bertrand Delanoë and Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen and Minister of Development Ulla Tørnæs.
The participants at the Summit will adopt a declaration with the views of municipalities to the climate deal which is expected at the UN negotiations in December.
– The declaration will be an international footprint of local governments on the deal expected by heads of governments in December. With the declaration the local decisions-makers will present the conditions that we need to do an efficient job in combating climate changes, concludes Henning Jensen.
Scientists have foreseen that droughts are likely to become more common
with climate change. Photo: European Commission.