Science demands action

Cities and national governments working together

On the third day of Climate Week NYC, mayors and leaders attended the UN Secretary-General's Solutions Dialogue.

"The science demands action. The law commands it. The economics compel it. And people are calling for it.

C40 Co-Chair and Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, implored national governments and financial institutions to match cities' climate ambition by:

• Unlocking direct finance
• Strengthening local climate resilience
• Co-designing national plans with mayors
• Prioritising urban action in multilateral banks.

Showcasing Freetown's tree-planting campaign, which created 2,800 green jobs and trained youth in digital monitoring, she called for global action: cities are delivering, now it's time for the world to back them.

City-led climate action

London's Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban, appeared on the Reuters Live Morning Show. He spoke about what London is doing to address the climate crisis and why city-led climate action is more important than ever.

Risk, Resilience, Results

At this high-level UNGA side event, Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr made a compelling case for centering local leadership in addressing the climate-health crisis. Speaking to donors, policymakers, and grassroots leaders, she emphasised that cities like Freetown are already innovating, from youth-led climate initiatives to large-scale community-driven tree-planting campaigns.

"Delays in financial allocations to councils are constraining our ability to respond effectively to local needs" - Mayor Aki-Sawyerr

Her core message was that local action must be matched by national support and global solidarity. She called for the devolution of power, timely and direct financing for cities, and an equitable climate health agenda at the upcoming 7th African Union European Union Summit in November.

Deputy Mayor of London, Mete Coban, meets with Reverend Al Sharpton, internationally renowned civil rights leader, founder, and President of the National Action Network (NAN).

Endless possibilities

US mayors gathered at the Climate Mayors Leadership Forum, with the Mayor of Phoenix, Kate Gallego, and the Mayor of Chicago, Brandon Johnson, discussing energy costs, housing, and how to reframe the climate emergency not only as a threat but also as a chance for possibility.