Nairobi, 21 September 2021 - The co-hosts of the upcoming international Innovate4Cities (I4C) Conference, UN-Habitat and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), are delighted to announce the co-sponsorship of the event by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The global virtual I4C Conference covering Science and Innovation partnerships driving inclusive, resilient, and climate-neutral cities, runs from 11 to 15 October 2021 and is expected to attract over 1,000 city leaders, scientists, researchers, innovators, academics, youth and business leaders. The conference will advance progress towards meeting the gaps identified by the Global Research and Action Agenda on Cities and Climate Change Science, as well as newly identified knowledge gaps, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Arlene McCarthy, GCoM Acting Executive Director said: “Cities continue to be vital leaders on the frontlines of the fight against climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Innovate4Cities Conference will be a critical opportunity for cities to gather with fellow climate experts and scientists to accelerate innovative and groundbreaking solutions to the climate crisis and ensure a sustainable, resilient future for people around the globe. The IPCC’s co-sponsorship is an important opportunity to ensure that collaboration with the scientific community leads to ambitious climate action.”
The Conference sessions and outcomes will be knowledge-generating; prioritising exchange between practitioners and researchers and helping to strengthen the innovation mindset of the climate change community.
Maimunah Mohd Sharif, UN-Habitat Executive Director, said: “Cities and urban leadership are increasingly willing to make climate action their priority. We know that cities account for nearly three quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions and that urban infrastructure and the urban poor are the most vulnerable to climate change. Partnering with the IPCC on the delivery of the Innovate4Cities conference will ensure the right scientific foundation, provide additional evidence for local policies and plans and the tools for implementation of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures to meet the challenges.”
The IPCC’s co-sponsorship is an incredibly important contribution to the I4C conference as it ensures that the insights of climate scientists, researchers and the wider academic community are brought forward in an exchange of ideas and solutions with practitioners working in cities to deliver ambitious climate change goals and targets. This will strengthen links between the conference discussions and knowledge generation for the upcoming Special Report on Climate Change and Cities which is intended to be released in the IPCC’s 7th Assessment Cycle.
Debra Roberts, co-chair of Working Group II of the IPCC, said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the prevailing inequalities in our cities and towns. Climate change has and will continue to exacerbate the disasters and disruptions that magnify these inequalities. More than ever, we need collaboration between scientists, practitioners, policymakers and the business community that leads to knowledge and tangible action to reduce emissions and increase our resilience.”
The first international Cities and Climate Change Science Conference was held in Edmonton, Canada, from 5-7 March 2018, and was co-sponsored by the IPCC, during which 10 partners, led by UN-Habitat, brought together over 700 climate scientists, urban academics, policy makers and practitioners to inspire local climate action through science and practice. Refer to the proceedings document here.
Conference participant registration is currently open – please visit www.innovate4cities.org/2021 to find out more and reserve your virtual seat.
UN-Habitat works in over 90 countries supporting people in cities and human settlements for a better urban future. A significant part of its work relates to responding to natural and man-made crises and on building back in a greener, safer and in a more resilient and inclusive way. Working with governments and local partners, its high impact projects combine world-class expertise and local knowledge to deliver timely and targeted solutions. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development includes a dedicated Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) on cities, SDG 11, to make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. www.unhabitat.org
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM)
GCoM is the largest global alliance for city climate leadership, uniting a global coalition of over 10,500 cities and local governments and 100+ supporting partners. The cities and partners of GCoM share a long-term vision of supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and towards a resilient and low-emission society. Led today by UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael R. Bloomberg and European Commission Executive Vice President Frans Timmermans, the coalition comprises cities across 6 continents and 142 countries, representing over 900 million people or more than 10% of the global population. https://www.globalcovenantofmayors.org/
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the UN body for assessing the science related to climate change. It was established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) in 1988 to provide political leaders with periodic scientific assessments concerning climate change, its implications and risks, as well as to put forward adaptation and mitigation strategies. In the same year the UN General Assembly endorsed the action by the WMO and UNEP in jointly establishing the IPCC. It has 195 member states.
Thousands of people from all over the world contribute to the work of the IPCC. For the assessment reports, IPCC scientists volunteer their time to assess the thousands of scientific papers published each year to provide a comprehensive summary of what is known about the drivers of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and how adaptation and mitigation can reduce those risks.