Post-2015 Agenda and Habitat III

Local governments have played a crucial role in most countries that have made progress in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Even though the post-2015 review process for the MDGs is essentially an intergovernmental process, it is also open to other stakeholders, hence to local and regional governments. UCLG tooks active part in the debate on the post-2015 development agenda through its participation in the Group for post-2015 mobilisation and strategic planning that brings together United Nations agencies, civil society organisations and local authorities. Mr Kadir Topbas, Mayor of Istanbul and President of UCLG, is also member of the High-level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

The new Susutainable Development Goals are 17 and they cover all the development fields. Read more on: Sustainable Development knowledge platform.

The most part of these goals concerns local and regional governments as shown in the UCLG publication: SDG, what local governments need to know. The new challenge is to create conditions of localisation of the SDGs (roadmap).

Also, the third UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development – Habitat III  was held in October 2016. It gathered cities, governments, civil society, the private sector and academic institutions in order to define a New World Urban Agenda. UCLG has been participating in the preparatory process of the Conference and has made a declaration during the 2nd World Assembly of Local and Regional Governments to Habitat III.

The Mediterranean Commission provides a specific Mediterranean contribution in each of these frameworks to support UCLG’s recommendations.

 

Paris Climate Conference – COP21

Local and regional authorities have progressively taken on these issues. Nowadays, they are major actors in policies, strategies, legislations and cooperation mechanisms across their own territories.

They are structured at global level to contribute actively to achieving those international and national objectives, as well as to establish their expectations and their own climate commitments through declarations during important world meetings.

Read the main declaration of local and regional authorities:

• Nantes Declaration, World Mayors Summit on Climate Change, September 2013
• Joint statement of non actor’s representatives, United Nations Climate Summit, September 2014
• Appel de Bordeaux, (France), janvier 2015
• Lyon Declaration, World Summit Climate & Territories, July 2015
• Paris City Hall Declaration, World Mayors Summit on Climate, 4th December in the margin of the 21th Conferences of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
• Nantes Declaration, Climate Change, 26-28 September 2016

 In the Mediterranean 

• Climat Meeting of local and regional elected representatives in the Mediterranean, on 11th December 2014 in Marseille

In order to contribute to the current process, the Mediterranean Commission has organised in partnership with the Intermediterranean Commission of the CPMR, in Marseille on 11th December 2014, a Climat Meeting of local and regional elected representatives in the Mediterranean. At the end of the meeting, the elected representatives have taken on commitments in the  Declaration on Climate by Local and Regional Authorities in the Mediterranean.

Read the proceedings : Climat Meeting – Proceedings

•  MEDCOP21, on 4- 5 June 2015 in Marseille

Laurent Fabius, French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development has received the 27 proposals from the MEDCOP, the Mediterranean Forum on Climate organised by the PACA Region: the positive Mediterranean agenda.

At the MEDCOP21, the Mediterranean Commission has organised in pertnership with Cités Unies France, a round table « from MEDCOP21 to COP21 : as seen by local authorities». You can read the conclusions here: BILAN MEDCOP21 TR 2 (in French) or view the video.

«The consequences of the climate change have hugh human and economic costs. It is a priority to invest massively in energy transition and agricultural development.  Climat Meeting of local and regional elected representatives in the Mediterranean, on 11th December 2014 was our contribution to the COP21, we strongly hope that our messages and proposals will be heard and considered. » Mohamed Boudra, President of the Political Council of the UCLG Mediterranean Commission and President of the Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate Region.

Read the MEDCOP21 Finale Declaration. (in French)

 

• MEDCOP22, on 18-19 July 2016 in Tanger

On July 18-19, 2016, the leaders of Mediterranean territories met in Tangier to trigger positive dynamics to preserve this region and be a proposition force so that COP 22, which will be held on November 7-18 in Marrakech, can reach concrete and ambitious commitments. This important rendezvous testifies to the concrete commitment of the Mediterranean to adapt practices or mitigate impacts already being felt in this climate hub with major changes (reduction of biodiversity, coastal retreat, increased water stress…)

 

During the COP22, Mediterranean Commission of UCLG was one of voices of local and regional authorities on local finances and “green” investments at the Climate Summit of Local and Regional Leaders held in Marrakech on Novembee 14th 2016.

Read Mr. Boudra’s speech : intervention_cop22-en

 

 

 

 

Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development

Within the context of the Barcelona Convention, the UNEP/MAP prepared in 2005 the first Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development (MSSD) suggesting a framework that could be used by countries in the region to formulate their own strategies.  The MSSD is currently under review insofar as the situation has greatly changed and also to ensure its coherence with future Sustainable Development Objectives.

On the Blue Plan’s initiative, the Mediterranean Commission takes active part in the 2014-2015 review process as member of the consultation group in order to give the point of view of local and regional authorities on the future strategy. This local perspective will give the “MSSD 2.0” a more operational dimension and will facilitate its ownership by local actors.

The Mediterranean Commission has organised a discussion between the Plan Bleu and the elected representatives of the Political Council, on 11thDecembre. Thus, The Plan Bleu has collected recommendations the future Strategy (in French): Consultation Conseil Politique sur SMDD

The Mediterranean Strategy for Sustainable Development is available HERE