Climate Change
Global Issues
Climate Observer

The new integrated Covenant of Mayors on Climate and Energy was officially launched yesterday (Oct. 15) at the European Parliament in Brussels, with hundreds of cities representatives in attendance. Bringing together the objectives of the Covenant of Mayors and Mayors Adapt initiatives, the Covenant of Mayors on Climate and Energy will focus on three pillars: the 2030 horizon, the integration of mitigation and adaptation, and the international dimension.

The new Covenant was created as a follow-up to a recent consultation conducted by the Covenant of Mayors Office and the European Committee of the Regions, where 97% of cities surveyed called for a new target beyond 2020, and a majority supported the integration of mitigation and adaptation goals. Following this process, signatory cities now are invited to pledge support to the new EU 2030 target of at least 40% CO2 emissions reductions by 2030, a joint approach to addressing mitigation and adaptation, and the global extension of the initiative.

For the complete article, please see Climate Observer.


Kate Guy, University of Oxford/Center for Climate & Security

How might a single threat, even one deemed unlikely, spiral into an evolving global crisis which challenges the foundations of global security, economic stability and democratic governance, all in the matter of a few weeks?

Climate Diplomacy
Global Issues
Isabel Hilton, chinadialogue

The former lead climate negotiator for the UK and the EU, Peter Betts, welcomes the decision to move COP26 to 2021 and discusses what is needed from the postponed climate summit.

Climate Diplomacy
Finance
Europe
Frédéric Simon, EURACTIV

Paris and Berlin have added their names to a growing list of EU capitals asking for the European Green Deal to be placed at the heart of the EU’s post-pandemic recovery plan.

Sustainable Transformation
Global Issues
UN News

Greenhouse gas emissions are down and air quality has gone up, as governments react to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the head of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Inger Andersen, has cautioned against viewing this as a boon for the environment. In this First Person editorial from UN News, Ms. Andersen calls instead for a profound, systemic shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet.