Daring Cities Sessions

Climate Emergency

Report Launch: A Territorial Approach to the SDGs in Bonn, Germany

The city of Bonn and the OECD will launch the report “A Territorial Approach to the Sustainable Development Goals in Bonn, Germany”. Bonn has embraced the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs as a framework to design, plan and implement the strategic goals of the city’s 2030 Sustainability Strategy to support its commitment towards areas like a low-carbon economy and international development cooperation. The Strategy seeks to address the main challenges faced by the city in terms of shifting to clean forms of transport and energy, expanding and maintaining green spaces and providing affordable housings. This commitment has accelerated with the 2019 City Council Statement declaring a Climate Emergency.

TEDxDaringCities: Daring to Go Climate Neutral – Session 2

The session will open with a special address showcasing the unparalleled vision of the Government of Dominica to become the world’s first Climate Resilient nation. Mami Mizutori, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Disaster Risk Reduction and Head of the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), will provide a response to the special address, further contextualizing the bold leadership of the Government of Dominica in the framework of global climate resilience and disaster risk reduction, and highlighting what other governments can learn from this example. A panel of daring urban leaders who are each pursuing the ambitious goal of climate neutrality will then present and discuss the leading work their cities are undertaking to realize this ambitious target. In showcasing their work, the panelists will also aim to inspire fellow urban leaders to join them in the commitment to climate neutrality, and highlight that while the task of achieving such a target may be daunting, it is both possible and urgently needed. The COUNTDOWN global initiative will then illustrate what a healthy, abundant, zero-emission future can look like, presenting both stirring examples of real progress underway around the world, as well as powerful reasons why this post-crisis moment is the time to act. Chilean High Level Climate Action Champion Gonzalo Muñoz will then address the criticality of ambitious climate action, and together with the Mayor of the City of Glasgow, discuss the key role of cities, towns and regions in not only setting ambitious climate targets, but in implementing and accelerating bold climate action worldwide.

TEDxDaringCities: Embedding Climate Neutrality Ambition Throughout Sustainable Development

Achieving climate neutrality is one of the most ambitious goals that a government can undertake, yet it is one of the most critically needed to help the world stay below the 1.5 degree Celsius threshold. Those Daring Cities pursuing a target of climate neutrality must look beyond normal climate action planning measures, and integrate this approach and ambition into all aspects of their work. Cities, towns and regions from around the world which are already successfully pursuing daring approaches to achieve their ambitious climate targets will showcase their achievements. Panellists will discuss the importance of integrating these approaches and sectors into their climate action, and how it has helped them advance toward achieving their bold climate targets. Experiences and lessons learned will be shared in order to help inspire and enable other cities, towns and regions to replicate these innovative approaches and empowered to commit to more ambitious climate targets themselves.

TEDxDaringCities: Daring To Go Climate Neutral – Session 1

A panel of daring urban leaders who are each pursuing the ambitious goal of climate neutrality will present and discuss the leading work their cities and regions are undertaking to realize this target, aiming to inspire fellow urban leaders to join them in the commitment to climate neutrality, and highlight that while such targets may be daunting, they are both possible and urgently needed. The COUNTDOWN global initiative will then illustrate what a healthy, abundant, zero-emission future can look like, presenting both stirring examples of real progress underway around the world, as well as powerful reasons why this post-crisis moment is the time to act. UK High Level Climate Action Champion Nigel Topping will address the criticality of ambitious climate action, and together with Apolitical CEO Robyn Scott, discuss the key role of cities, towns and regions in not only setting ambitious climate targets, but in implementing and accelerating bold climate action worldwide.

Daring Cities 2020 Opening, Session 2

ICLEI Secretary General will introduce the concept of multilevel dialogues on Know-Act-Lead as the Daring Cities approach. A panel of local leaders together with executives of Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the UN Environment, the UN Habitat will then discuss the critical importance of knowing more, acting better, and daring to lead in tackling the climate crisis. The second panel will kick-off with the keynote address by Aromar Revi focusing on the importance of current and upcoming reports and processes under the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to ensure effective synergies between sustainable urban development and  climate emergency. Dr. Xiamoeng will be invited to comment on the mechanisms to enhance the capacity of the research community to respond such challenges. Representatives of civil society will then highlight how innovative models and approaches of citizen engagement can support political leaders and administrations to adopt and deliver ambitious commitments in addressing climate  emergency. The Opening Plenary will be concluded by Daring Cities host Ashok Sridharan.

Daring Cities 2020 Opening: Session 1

Ashok Sridharan, Mayor of Bonn and President of ICLEI will welcome participants to Daring Cities 2020 and highlight the need and intention for such a virtual forum. Special addresses from António Guterres, the United Nations Secretary-General, along with H.E. Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) and Norbert Barthle, Parliamentary Secretary of State, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) as representatives of the federal government of Germany and Patricia Espinosa, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, will further contextualize the criticality of this moment for decisive multilevel action in response to the climate emergency. An interactive dialogue among local and regional leaders will address efforts and specific challenges being faced by all levels of government. They will emphasize the critical role that towns, cities, and regions play in regards to the climate emergency, both in being on the frontlines, as well as being active parts and co-creators of the innovative solutions needed. They will also pay special attention to the need to embrace different contexts, conditions and multilevel governance structures in tackling the climate crisis. ICLEI Secretary General Gino Van Begin will present an overview of the 3-weeks of global mobilization through the intense agenda of Daring Cities Forum which includes 4 Plenaries, 90+ Deep-dive sessions, 10+ Side events. The session will conclude with a closing address from Armin Laschet, Minister-President of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.