Research

From Tackling the Energy Crisis to Implementing the European Green Deal: Seizing the Power of Multilevel Governance through Building Retrofits

Delivering the European Green Deal and the 2030 climate and energy targets is not a matter of compliance with a specific piece of legislation but an opportunity to ensure that Europe addresses many challenges at the same time, showcasing leadership towards greater climate ambition that leaves no one behind. This is especially important, taking into … read more

Exploring Urban Climate Finance in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)

Following a white paper launch at COP28 in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Global Covenant of Mayors and the UNESCO Chair on Urban Resilience at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU.Resilience) have delivered an update to their findings on the urban climate finance … read more

Draft for consultation of Integrity Matters: Greenhouse gas (GHG) Target Setting Guidance for Cities, States, and Regions

Capitalizing on the launch of Integrity Matters for CIties, States, and Regions (IM4CSTARs) at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, the Expert Group convened by GCoM and World Resources Institute (WRI) has published a working draft of Integrity Matters: GHG Target Setting Guidance for Cities, States, and Regions - aiming to present a high-integrity, fair-share approach … read more

City climate ambition could reduce the gap between national commitments and a 1.5oC pathway globally by up to 40%, new GCoM research suggests

Updated projections from the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCoM) in partnership with Arup indicate that – based on current near-term targets and current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) – cities committed to climate action could achieve up to 40% of the global emissions reduction gap between NDCs and a 1.5°C pathway by 2030. This potential – … read more

Accelerating Next-Generation City Climate Action: Findings from the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference and Update to the Global Research and Action Agenda on Cities and Climate Change Science (GRAA)

GCoM, UN-Habitat, and Melbourne Centre for Cities launch flagship report, “Accelerating Next-Generation City Climate Action:  Findings from the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference and Update to the Global Research and Action Agenda on Cities and Climate Change Science (GRAA)” Following the 2024 Innovate4Cities Conference (I4C24) - co-hosted by the Global Covenant of Mayors and UN-Habitat in Montréal, … read more

Addressing Rampant Climate Disinformation

Climate disinformation and misinformation have turned into major challenges for city officials engaged in climate action by undermining trust in institutions and leaders. Falsehoods and lies undermine public support for action, discredit efforts for change, create confusion, and sow mistrust for climate solutions. The aim of disinformation is to erode public support for change at … read more

GCoM & Arup Launch the Climate Innovation Readiness Navigator for Cities and Local Governments for Accelerated Urban Climate Action

Achieving a net-zero, resilient, and just urban future within a 1.5°C global temperature increase requires rapid and transformative climate action. The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), in partnership with Arup, has developed the ‘Climate Innovation Readiness Navigator for Cities and Local Governments’ (CIRN) to help cities assess and enhance their readiness … read more

Unlocking Urban Energy Access and Poverty: A New Toolkit for Local Governments

Around 685 million people lacked access to electricity in 2022, according to The Energy Progress Report - and a further 2 billion people were still unable to cook cleanly and safely. Cities and local governments recognize the urgency and benefits of addressing energy access and poverty (EAP) but often face significant barriers. Responding to this … read more
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