Mayors and tackling climate change

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In 2007, 50% of the world population was already urban. By 2050, 75% of the total population will be living in cities. Mayors have taken the lead in creating networks, such as C40, ICLEI, Covenant of Mayors and the EU Committee of Regions to promote collaboration and implementation of various initiatives that mitigate carbon emissions and create better urban living and jobs. They have implemented successful climate reduction solutions to transportation, buildings, renewable energy and waste in a very short period of time, demonstrating that they understand the urgency to act immediately and that they have the capacity to do it. The UN climate change conference in Durban opens the 28th of November. Mayors’ networks have developed voluntary agreements between cities that work as important tools to move the global agenda of carbon reduction forward, without bureaucracy and political proscratination. National governments should realize that cities hold the majority of the population and should, accordingly receive more support from central governments –such as investment capital and fiscal incentives to accelerate the current work of the mayors networks and to achieve the results needed if we are to stick to the 2 degrees target. Kaj Embrén, Sustainable Business Coach, +46-70-398 22 11, kaj@embren.com.