The COP30 Local Leaders Forum will bring together mayors and governors in Rio to accelerate global climate action.

247 - The COP30 Presidency and Bloomberg Philanthropies announced, during London Climate Action Week, the holding of the COP30 Local Leaders Forum, which will take place in Rio de Janeiro between November 3rd and 5th. The information was released at a meeting that brought together UN Special Envoy Michael R. Bloomberg, COP30 CEO Ana Toni, and representatives of subnational governments from international coalitions. The Forum will mark a new stage in the climate agenda: the transition from negotiation to the delivery of concrete results, with cities and states at the center of climate action.

Organized jointly by the Brazilian government and Bloomberg Philanthropies, the event will bring together hundreds of mayors, governors, and subnational authorities from Brazil and various other countries to present effective local solutions and demonstrate how these leaders are driving the achievement of global climate goals. “Local leadership is essential for the success of global climate action,” stated Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago, president-designate of COP30. “We are inspired by the spirit of collective action—a collective effort where every voice and every level of governance contributes to a common goal.”

The Forum will take place on the eve of the COP30 World Leaders Summit in Belém, and will focus on demonstrating how bold local policies—such as expanding renewable energy, energy efficiency, and urban resilience—can simultaneously improve people's lives and address the climate emergency. The goal is to strengthen multi-level cooperation and unlock funding to support local governments in implementing climate commitments, with a focus on Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

According to Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and UN Special Envoy, "cities and states are leading the way" toward the goals of the Paris Agreement. "We are putting local action at the center of international efforts – and preparing the ground for further progress at COP30," he said.

The event will feature a broad agenda, including the C40 World Mayors Summit, which will celebrate the network's 20th anniversary and bring together mayors from around the world, led by Sadiq Khan (London) and Eduardo Paes (Rio de Janeiro). Also taking place will be the Global Summit of States and Regions, organized by the Under2 coalition, and the Local Leaders Awards Ceremony, which will recognize initiatives in areas such as adaptation, just energy transition, and health.

“The COP on the Amazon must also be the COP for Amazonian cities,” argued the Minister of Cities, Jader Filho. “There will only be climate justice if there is also urban justice. This means placing urban issues—housing, mobility, sanitation, risk reduction, and green infrastructure—at the center of climate action. But for this agenda to have a real impact, it is urgent to fully integrate it into climate negotiations and ensure adequate funding.”

Other highlights of the event include the CHAMP Coalition Political Dialogue, the America Is All In Exchange, with the participation of leaders from the United States, and a delegation that will travel to Belém with concrete proposals, formally representing the subnational agenda at COP30. For Raquel Lyra, governor of Pernambuco, "the Forum will be a crucial moment for subnational leaders to demonstrate their ability to promote positive change."

The initiative connects directly to Brazil's proposal for climate federalism. The country is the first to formally include local governments in its NDC, signaling a new model of climate governance. "Cities and regions are not secondary actors—they are direct implementers of the solutions," declared Katrin Stjernfeldt Jammeh, president of ICLEI and mayor of Malmö, Sweden.

The importance of integrating cities into formal negotiations was also emphasized by Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris: “A decade after the Paris Agreement, mayors are no longer supporting actors. They are now central players in the process.”

With an urban population representing 87% of Brazilians, the country has a unique responsibility and opportunity. “As host of COP30, Brazil can shape a conference that cannot fail,” said Philip Yang, COP30 Special Envoy for Urban Solutions. “Cities are the meeting point between climate, nature, and equity.”

The Local Leaders Forum originated at COP28 in Dubai, when more than 500 mayors and governors from 60 countries met at a summit coordinated by Bloomberg Philanthropies. Since then, the CHAMP Coalition has brought together more than 70 countries, responsible for 33% of the global population and 35% of emissions, in a commitment to subnational leadership in addressing the climate crisis. “The time for decisive action is now — and local leaders are ready to lead,” concluded Eduardo Paes.