Six months after the Conference of Parties 21 (COP21), the World Climate and Territories Summit took place on 1 and 2 July 2015 in Lyon, allowing all non-state actors to make their voices heard.
The summit was organised by the French government, with the idea that territories are on the frontline in the fight against climate change, due to their capacity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enforce adaptive measures to lessen the impact of climate disturbances. A collection of non-state actors, including local authorities; NGOs; social partners and young people gathered at the conference to highlight current climate issues.
The event was also attended by Luxembourg's Minister of the Environment and President of the 'Environment' Council of the European Union, Carole Dieschbourg, who stressed in her closing speech the important role of cities and towns in the fight against climate change.
"I welcome the signing of the delcaration on 'territorial action as the heart of the response to the climate challenge'," declared Dieschbourg. "I also welcome other the initiatives from cities and towns that have been presented here: cooperation between California and the state of Baden-Württembourg, the 'Covenant of Mayors' and, in Luxembourg, the 'Climate Pact' which will unite 94 of the 105 municipalities which make up our country. It is evident that cities and communes are going through a transition, as are businesses, borne of a general awareness of our societies."
Dieschbourg also outline the enormous technological potential in the field of renewable energy, congratulating the French Presidency of the Climate Conference for their 'Solution Agenda" initiative, stating "The solutions are already there. They just need to be known and shared." She also praised statemnets made by Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres, concerning the joint efforts from the territories in the agreement that will be signed in Paris.
However, the Minister also highlighted the challenges that the Parisian climate conference continues to face, declaring:
"I welcome the commitment made here by President Hollande. To live up to these challenges, we need a legally binding, sustainable and dynamic agreement, covering both mitigation and adaptation and ways of implementing them. In this respect, we need to promote a clear message and commitment."
The Minister went on to list certain measures to be put into place, such as the reporting and verification of measures aimed at reducing state emissions; regular revision of the agreement in order to increase its objectives; long-term goals; and financing for climate change.
Minister Dieschbourg concluded her first speech as President of the Environmental Council by emphasising the fact that 2015 will be a decisive year for achieving a more equitable, more sustainable and safer society due to the significant potential contribution from towns and cities.
Photo by Geoff Thompson (Luxembourg's Minister of the Environment and President of the 'Environment' Council of the European Union, Carole Dieschbourg)
