Session Description: Urbanization and climate change are interlinked. Cities lead climate action but are also major greenhouse gas emitters. Today, only 27% of NDCs highlight urban priorities. This One UN event will discuss boosting urban content in NDCs for more effective multi-level action and governance on the road to NDC 3.0.

Urbanization and climate change are intertwined global megatrends, which gives cities the triple role of being the culprit, victim but also the solution to the climate crisis. 

The culprit, because urbanization has contributed to cities being major centres of emissions. The victim, because cities are also vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including floods, heatwaves and landslides. 

The solution, because the upcoming revision of NDCs in 2025 presents a critical opportunity to leverage local action for global goals. Cities are increasingly recognized as key agents for implementing climate solutions; yet in current NDCs only 27% highlight urban priorities. 

Coordinated efforts between local and national governments can close the gap towards achieving the Paris Agreement. This can also accelerate local climate action, reduce emissions from cities and advance sustainable urban development, while bolstering resilience in a just and equitable way that centres around the needs of climate vulnerable urban communities. 

This event will discuss how we can work together to strengthen urban content of revised NDCs and build on local climate action to achieve global goals. It answers three questions:

• How can cities and subnational governments be mainstreamed and urban needs and actions prioritized in NDCs?

• What  have UN agencies and partners done to support enhanced multi-level governance in practice? 
• What gaps remain, and how can the UN system contribute to strengthening urban content and multi level action for NDCs?

Agenda Overview:

Moderator:

• Lea Ranalder, UN-Habitat

Opening Remarks

• Speakers:
  • Anaclaudia Rossbach, Executive Director, UN-Habitat, Brazil
  • Tatiana Molcean, Executive Secretary, UNECE, Moldova

Focus Area 1: How can urban priorities and actions be mainstreamed in the revised NDCs?

• Speakers:
  • Dang Quoc Kanh, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam
  • Benjamin Abalos Jr., Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Philippines
  • Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone
  • Guilherme Simões, National Secretary for Peripheries, Ministry of Cities, Brazil

Focus Area 2: What has already been done? How have UN agencies and their partners been supporting enhanced multi-level governance in practice?

• Speakers:
  • Ruth Coutto, Deputy Director of Climate Change Division, UNEP
  • Loretta Hieber Girardet, Chief of the Risk Knowledge, Monitoring and Capacity-Development Branch, UNDRR, Geneva
  • Debolina Kundu, Director of National Institute for Urban Affairs, under India's Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, India

Focus Area 3: Which gaps need to be addressed to strengthen urban content and multi-level action for the NDCs? How can the UN system contribute?

• Speakers:
  • Masatsugu Asakawa, President, Asian Development Bank, Lead of the urban MDB working group, Japan
  • Priscilla Negreiros, Senior Manager, Cities Climate Finance Alliance (CCFLA), Brazil
  • Sangmin Nam, Director, Environment and Development, ESCAP, Republic of Korea
  • Catherine Diam-Valla, NDC Policy Advisor, UNDP Climate Strategies and Policy

Closing Remarks

• Speaker:
  • Prof. Celeste Saulo, WMO Secretary-General