Cornerstone I: Exchange

Exchange consists of two key components:

Daring Cities 2023 Dialogues ● 12 - 13 June 2023, Bonn, Germany

Multi-perspective, multilevel in-person exchange  in parallel with the UNFCCC Bonn Talks

In June 2023 parallel to the UNFCCC Bonn Talks, ICLEI and the City of Bonn brought local and regional government leaders at the forefront of just and equitable climate emergency response together with national government representatives and other key stakeholders present at the Bonn Talks. 

This unique opportunity provided participants the chance to revitalize partnerships and discuss how to effectively collaborate and deliver a multilevel climate emergency response that is both just and equitable. 

These in-person dialogues brought new life to Daring Cities in a post-pandemic world, taking advantage of this moment to connect face to face, and inspire the virtual forum which will follow leading up to COP28.

Learn about the outcomes of the Daring Cities 2023 Dialogues here.

Daring Cities 2023 Virtual Forum ● July - September, online

Curated workshops and knowledge exchange on adaptable solutions for local and regional governments

From July to September, connect with fellow  leaders, practitioners, researchers, and experts on our virtual journey to tackle the multi-faceted challenges of a just and equitable climate emergency response.

Continuing on from the Daring Cities 2023 Dialogues, the Virtual Forum will provide a free, globally accessible program of solution-oriented sessions on regionally and sectorally relevant issues related to just transition and the climate emergency.

The outcomes of the forum will elevate the message from the Daring Cities 2023 dialogues and together will become the platform for dissemination in Cornerstone II: Disseminate and into Cornerstone III: Advocate at COP28 in Dubai.

Find the schedule here.

Daring Cities 2023 – Cornerstones & Program

Since 2021, Daring Cities has been structured around three cornerstones – Exchange, Disseminate, and Advocate – in order to guide and empower urban leaders already responding ambitiously to the climate emergency within their jurisdictions. For cornerstone I – Exchange – we have an in-person and a virtual part: the Daring Cities 2023 Dialogues and the Virtual Forum. Check out the program below! For the live broadcasting options during the Daring Cities 2023 Dialogues please scroll to the bottom of the page. 

To learn more about the Daring Cities Cornerstones click here.

Cornerstone I: Outcomes

(you can find the PDF version of the Outcomes here)

Justice and equity should be at the core of the response to the climate emergency

1. In order to have a just and equitable future, we must address existing and historic injustices. 

2. At the center of future climate emergency responses should be ensuring the ability of all individuals to lead flourishing lives in a globally sustainable world. 

3. Not only are children and youth among the most vulnerable groups to climate change, but they are also often not included in the discussions, or when included, not heard. We need long-term solutions that empower and meaningfully engage young people in addressing the climate.

4. The inclusion and engagement of communities and voices disproportionately affected by climate change should be a key priority in climate emergency response. This should be paired with a robust assessment of climate risks and vulnerabilities with emphasis on those disproportionately affected communities, to show what the specific needs are and identify appropriate approaches for climate action. 

5. Local communities must be included from the start in order for adaptation, mitigation and municipal food plans to be successful. 

6. Strategies that address gender, ethnicity and age, especially policies addressing climate resilience, improve plans and policies.  

7. We need to find the political will to include women and gender considerations in climate action. Women are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the climate emergency, so they should be engaged in the discussions early on, with informed considerations of local and cultural context. 

8. Combatting the climate emergency is an opportunity to address energy poverty around the world. We have an opportunity to ensure that the energy transition will be just and equitable, and suitable to the needs of communities. 

9. Climate action is about more than technical and implementation action – we must also engage our communities with effective communications that meet them where they are and provide a contextualized, compelling narrative for the better world we are creating together.

Cities are already providing innovative climate solutions on the ground

10. The climate emergency is asking for innovative solutions to create a pathway towards a just and equitable transition, such as using nature-based solutions that recognize interconnectedness of ecosystems, people, and climate, and can create vital partnerships, jobs and education opportunities.

11. Data collection and data sourcing needs to involve innovative techniques that include community participation. Data should not only be available, but also of good quality, easily accessible, understandable, contextualized and practical for sensible policy-making. 

12. Climate finance is a vital part for the just and equitable transition. Local governments have a hard time understanding, mapping, and accessing climate finance, so it is critical to build capacity to access climate finance within local and regional governments. In particular, Small Island Developing States have national debt that makes designing financial instruments challenging and time consuming, but it is worth pushing through those barriers to ensure that the most vulnerable needs are met.

13. Digitalization can aid the response to the climate emergency through a radical transformation of our financial systems. Digitalization allows for transparency, efficiency, and speed to move capital; all vital for a swift climate emergency response.  

14. Sustainable housing – both in a social and environmental sense – should be included in the discussion around a just and equitable climate transition. Cities should look to improve affordable housing stock as an opportunity for decarbonization.

Multilevel action is the new normal in the global climate agenda

15. The global stocktake process needs to be localized, and towns, cities, and regions should have a voice in the process. Multilevel governance needs to be part of the implementation and evaluation of the collective progress towards Paris Agreement goals. 

16. We urgently need horizontal and vertical collaboration at a greater scale worldwide to deliver just and equitable climate emergency response in our communities.

17. Through the Marrakech Partnership and the Sharm el Sheikh Adaptation Agenda, the UNFCCC has prioritized and strengthened the collaboration of non-party stakeholders in the climate agenda. Cities, towns, regions and other subnationals play a vital role in these partnerships, and continued support, professionalization and alignment should be provided by the UN and parties to ensure that the partnerships provide meaningful feedback into the climate agenda. 

18. Radical collaboration and trust-based partnerships are essential to address the complex challenges and to amplify impact. Complex challenges, such as climate change, need dynamic solutions. 

19. Exchange between communities is necessary to develop innovative approaches. South-south knowledge exchange – similar emerging and developing economies learning from each other – can chart a new pathway, moving away from a purely Eurocentric model, towards achieving the 1.5 degree scenario.