In October 2008, EUROCITIES launched its ‘Climate Change Declaration’, signed by leading politicians of over 50 major European cities at an event held in collaboration with the French Presidency of the EU in Lyon. The declaration testifies to the cities’ commitment towards ensuring that action is undertaken at the local level against climate change. Cities are best placed to speak with their citizens on global matters such as climate change, and to show how changes made at the local level in all areas of public life, from waste management, to public transport, to cultural events, among others, can contribute to facing this global challenge.
Specifically, the Declaration outlines cities’ commitment to implement a strategy to fight against climate change, by:
- Adapting global objectives, defined by international negotiation and the scientific community, to the level of urban territories and through the combination of city efforts.
- Implementing a climate plan in each of our territories, in order to reach a local objective that is consistent with the overall European and international objectives.
- Regularly measuring and reporting reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases in order to assess the efficiency of the climate plan’s actions.
Download the EUROCITIES Climate Change Declaration