The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan will lead a delegation of city leaders to a critical climate summit at the Vatican on Thursday (May 16).
The co-chair of C40 Cities Mr Khan will address world leaders at the "Climate Crisis to Climate Resilience" meeting at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
Mr Khan is expected to discuss how cooperation across many religions may spur action to protect the environment and boost unity.
Mr Khan will also mention London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) in his speech,
He will also be the first London mayor to have a private audience with Pope Francis at the Vatican.
In 2019, Pope Francis declared a "global climate emergency" and urged further efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Pope Francis' Laudate Deum book in 2023 contained an urgent appeal to action.
“I am truly honoured to have been invited to participate in this key summit hosted by his Holiness Pope Francis, bringing together leading political, civic and religious leaders to tackle the biggest global threat we face today,” Mr Khan said.
“I am determined for London to continue to be a world leader in tackling the twin dangers of air pollution and the climate emergency, but the need for coordinated global action has never been so urgent.
“As Mayor of one of the most diverse cities in the world, where we celebrate the huge contributions of different religious communities, it will also be an honour to discuss how faith and cooperation between different faiths can be a force for so much good.”
The summit's main topics will be lowering climate risks, developing adaptation plans, and changing attitudes towards climate change. Mr Khan will discuss London’s advancements in these respects during his first two terms in office — and his future goals. Other international leaders attending will be California Governor Gavin Newsom, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, former Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change chair Hoesung Lee, and former Irish President Mary Robinson. The Boston, Paris, Rome, Athens, and Milan mayors will also be present.
So what is C40 Cities and what is its mission? Read on to find out.
What is C40 Cities?
C40 Cities is a network of global megacities committed to addressing climate change. It was founded in 2005 and currently comprises more than 90 of the world's greatest cities, representing over 700 million people and one-quarter of the global economy.
The "C" stands for "Climate" and "40" refers to the initial 40 cities that were part of the network when it was formed.
The group’s primary goal is to take measurable and decisive action to combat climate change and its impacts. Member cities collaborate on sharing knowledge, best practices, and innovative solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build sustainable, resilient urban environments.
C40 Cities focuses on various areas, including energy, transportation, waste management, urban planning, and more, to achieve its objectives and create a healthier, more sustainable future for urban populations worldwide.
Then-London Mayor Ken Livingstone in 2005 brought together delegates from 18 megacities to negotiate a deal on jointly cutting climate pollution, forming the “C20”. It expanded to 40 cities by 2006, hence the moniker C40.
Which cities are part of the C40?
- Addis Ababa
- Amsterdam
- Austin
- Amman
- Athens
- Barcelona
- Basel
- Bogata
- Boston
- Bangkok
- Berlin
- Buenos Aires
- Cape Town
- Copenhagen
- Changwon
- Curitiba
- Cairo
- Caracas
- Dar es Salaam
- Durban
- Dhaka
- Heidelberg
- Hong Kong
- Hanoi
- Ho Chi Minh
- Houston
- Istanbul
- Jaipur
- Jakarta
- Johannesburg
- Lagos
- Lima
- London
- Los Angeles
- Mexico City
- Mumbai
- Nairobi
- New Orleans
- New York
- New Delhi
- Oslo
- Portland
- Paris
- Quito
- Philadelphia
- Rome
- Rio de Janeiro
- Rotterdam
- Seoul
- Sydney
- Salvador
- San Francisco
- Santiago
- Seattle
- Shanghai
- Shenzhen
- Stockholm
- Tshwane
- Tokyo
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Vienna
- Washington DC
- Wuhan
- Yokohama
What is the C40 strategy?
Mayors of C40 cities are (as per the group’s website here) committed to using an inclusive, science-based, and collaborative approach to cut their fair share of emissions in half by 2030; help the world limit global heating to 1.5°C; and build healthy, equitable and resilient communities. C40 supports mayors to do this by:
- Raising climate ambition through 1.5°C climate action plan support, high-impact accelerators, and fostering innovation.
- Building equitable and thriving communities via global and regional programmes.
- Building a global movement through robust international advocacy and diplomacy.
- Scaling up climate action and sharing best practices across high-impact sectors.
- Facilitating access to finance for investment in green jobs and projects that improve resilience in cities.
