ICCA2019
Using the potential of cities for ambitious climate action
ICCA2019 has sent a strong signal to the world: it is possible to implement ambitious climate action and comply with the goals of the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Climate-proof and sustainable cities are key to achieving this. Their potential must be unlocked through collaboration between all levels of government.
The International Conference on Climate Action – ICCA2019 convened in Heidelberg on 22 and 23 May 2019. It was hosted by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety together with the Federal State of Baden-Württemberg and the City of Heidelberg in a true multi-level spirit. During the conference, more than 1,000 participants from 80 countries held intense discussions about collaborative climate action.
The ambitious programme highlighted necessary levers for tailored climate adaptation and protection and focused on financing and governance at local level. Conference attendees were offered the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of plenary sessions, interactive workshops and sector-themed sessions on, among others, mobility, planning and building, energy transition, and production and consumption.
Download the Partnership Declaration on Collaborative Climate Action endorsed at ICCA2019
A significant outcome of ICCA2019 is the Partnership Declaration on Collaborative Climate Action. In the declaration, states, cities, municipalities, federal states, regions and networks commit to more cooperation, communication and support in the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and set out priority actions to achieve this. The declaration was adopted during the high-level round table by representatives of all three levels of government and their networks.
Endorsers of the declaration work towards accelerating and scaling up climate action through enhanced communication, coordination and cooperation across all levels of government, sectors and borders.
The endorsers
- commit to prioritising the fostering of collaborative climate action across government levels within their respective jurisdiction;
- take stock of existing strategies and mechanisms for collaborative climate action in urban areas, disseminate insights and identify knowledge gaps;
- develop toolkits and guidelines, exchange good practices and experiences online and offline;
- foster peer-to-peer exchange and mutual learning in local and regional workshops;
- jointly advocate for Collaborative Climate Action to motivate potential partners to engage.
The success of ICCA2019 has also manifested itself in the Heidelberg Outcomes. This compilation of practical recommendations outlines forms of collaboration for more ambitious climate action and sustainable development, e.g. the removal of obstacles to financing local projects or citizen participation in implementing municipal climate action programmes. Furthermore, work was carried out on initiatives which will enable cities and municipalities to take ambitious climate action and promote the development of sustainable infrastructures.
Above all, it became clear how crucial it is to have the right framework conditions that allow cities and municipalities to exercise their roles as players in climate action and sustainable development. These framework conditions range from expertise on financial resources through to regulations. The conference participants agreed that these conditions needed to be improved quickly.
