Cities have key roles to play in fighting climate change

The fight against climate change, which has long been deemed a necessity, has become an emergency to which we must respond, here and now. We must change our lifestyles and the way we think, and call into question our habits and assumptions.

Either we permit ourselves to be drawn deeper into the vicious circle leading to environmental, political and social disaster, or, together, we can choose a different route — one that allows us to set out shared alternatives to that dire fate and make them a reality, one that gives us another world while restoring our world.

Paris and Montreal share a common desire to position our cities as key players in the battle against climate change. Indeed, cities are a major part of the problem, but more important, they’re also a vital part of the solution. Targets set by states cannot be met without the participation of cities, and the crucial role of local governments must be recognized. States must give cities the means to fulfil their ambitions by reforming governance and mobilizing financial resources.

Several hundred mayors from all over the world came together in Paris, sending a strong message of solidarity. It is our duty to get involved and to mobilize for the sake of our climate. We will bring to the heart of the negotiations concrete solutions that communities in all countries are implementing every day at the local level. Our communities represent more than 650 million citizens: that’s 650 million women, men and children who are taking action and expecting us to do the same.

The mobilization of local elected officials is historic, and it hinges on power being vested at the local level to deal with a global challenge. It is by sharing our ideas and practices that we will make a concrete contribution to the fight against global warming. This contribution is based on tangible commitments in areas as varied as the energy efficiency of buildings, the adoption of renewable energy sources and transportation policy. It calls for new tools that will carry decisive weight with world economic leaders.

It is by assuming their identity as peripheral powers, therefore, close to citizens and firmly rooted across a territory, that cities, under the umbrella of the United Nations, are now called upon to play a central role in a worldwide ecological transition.

Cities are not waiting for the solution to be given to them. They’re forging ahead and making it possible. Denis Coderre, mayor of Montreal; and Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris