Cities are at the forefront of increasing climate disasters and also the first responders to the crises associated with climate change.
A resilient world, where both people and nature can not just survive climate shocks and stresses, but thrive in spite of them, is at the heart of the Race to Resilience.
The next decade will decide the future of the planet and humanity. On top of increasing socio-economical and ecological inequalities, cities are facing two crises, the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of climate change, and must adapt and react to both simultaneously. A green and just recovery is essential, and this includes protecting our most vulnerable populations. The threats posed by climate change are increasing all over the world and cities are at the forefront of increasing loss and damages incurred by flooding, drought, extreme heat, sea-level rise, and more. A resilient world, where both people and nature can not just survive climate shocks and stresses, but thrive in spite of them, is at the heart of the Race to Resilience.
C40 Cities, CDP, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), Resilient Cities Network, United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) have come together to mobilize an unprecedented coalition of cities committed to prioritizing resilience and implementing inclusive and resilient climate action ahead of and beyond the COP26 in Glasgow.
This is the Cities Race to Resilience effort in support of the COP26 Roadmap of Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) Constituency to the UNFCCC.
The Race to Resilience campaign aims to catalyse a step-change in global ambition for climate resilience, aiming to strengthen the resilience of 4 billion people in vulnerable communities by the year 2030. Led by the High-Level Climate Champions for Climate Action – Nigel Topping and Gonzalo Muñoz – Race to Resilience is the sibling campaign to the global Race to Zero.
The Race to Zero is a global campaign run by the COP26 Presidency and High-Level Climate Champions to rally leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions and investors for a healthy, resilient, zero carbon transition that prevents future threats, creates decent jobs, and unlocks inclusive, sustainable growth. The objective is to build momentum around the shift to a decarbonized economy ahead of COP26, where governments must strengthen their contributions to the Paris Agreement. This will send governments a resounding signal that cities, regions, businesses and investors are united in meeting the Paris goals and creating a more inclusive and resilient economy.
Cities Race to Zero and Cities Race to Resilience bring together all those who share our vision for a better future based on a set of principles that address equity together with the environment, and who strive to build a coalition across business, labor unions, youth climate activists and civil society, to transform the world.
Building resilience is an essential element of global climate action, especially for communities most affected by the climate crisis. The aim of the Cities Race to Resilience is to place those voices front and center, and ensure that climate resilience goals are treated with the same if not greater urgency as our race to halve emissions by 2030.
– Nigel Topping, UK High Level Climate Action Champion.
