MAYORS OF AHMEDABAD AND CLUJ-NAPOCA JOIN BOARD OF THE GLOBAL COVENANT OF MAYORS FOR CLIMATE & ENERGY

The Largest Global Alliance for City Climate Leadership Appoints Mayors Pratibhaben Jain And Emil Boc to its Board Of Mayors And Leaders to Accelerate Multilevel Climate Solutions

Paris, France (25 July 2024) – Today, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM) welcomed two new mayors to its Board of Mayors and Leaders: Mayor Pratibhaben Jain of Ahmedabad City, India; and Mayor Emil Boc of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. As part of the largest global alliance of mayors for climate–representing more than 13,000 cities and local governments and 1.2 billion people–Mayors Jain and Boc will work alongside co-chairs Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg LP, and Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission Executive Vice President for the European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight. Together, they will elevate global climate ambition by championing and supporting local climate action. Representing South Asia and the European Union & Western Europe, both Mayors will represent their regions on the global stage, catalyzing city climate action to help national governments meet the highest ambitions of the Paris Agreement.

“Mayors Jain and Boc are committed to tackling the climate crisis with innovative and data-driven solutions. Their leadership on the board will help cities accelerate their progress cutting emissions, improving public health, and saving more lives,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions and founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies. 

“All around the world, mayors are championing unique local solutions to global challenges,” said Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission Executive Vice President for the European Green Deal, Interinstitutional Relations and Foresight. “We are pleased to welcome Mayors Jain and Boc to this dynamic group of climate local leaders to continue mobilizing transformative efforts in their regions and beyond.”

As Mayor of Ahmedabad City since September 2023, Mayor Jain has demonstrated her unwavering commitment to advancing sustainable urban solutions and enhancing climate resilience in the city. Focused on both adaptation and mitigation, Jain has led efforts to improve air and water quality, expand green and resilient urban infrastructure, and accelerate the growth of renewables. In line with these priorities, Jain played a pivotal role in the development of Ahmedabad’s first-of-its-kind Climate Resilient City Action Plan (CRCAP), which aims for net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070, and advocated for a 70 percent allocation of the total city government budget to climate projects. 

Under Mayor Boc’s leadership, the city of Cluj-Napoca has set ambitious climate targets. During his tenure as Mayor from 2004 to 2008 and 2012 to present, Boc has emphasized integrating robust climate action into urban planning to promote climate resilience, decarbonization, and equitable energy access. As the second largest city in Romania, Cluj-Napoca is one of 112 EU cities aiming to achieve climate neutrality 2030 as part of the EU Climate Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. In addition to his role as mayor, Boc served as Prime Minister of Romania from 2008 to 2012 and President of the Democratic Liberal Party from 2005 to 2012. He currently serves as National Ambassador of the Covenant of Mayors in Romania, President of the Commission for Territorial Cohesion Policy and EU Budget (COTER), co-rapporteur on the Future of Cohesion Policy, and President of the Romanian Municipalities Association (AMR). Boc’s extensive experience in regional development and navigating complex policy environments makes him well-suited to support GCoM’s mission and foster multilevel climate action on the global stage.

“GCoM has long supported Ahmedabad City in tracking and achieving our climate goals,” said Pratibhaben Jain, Mayor of Ahmedabad City, India. “Ahmedabad city pioneers in taking several climate initiatives and we are thankful to GCOM, ICLEI, and C40 for supporting Ahmedabad in its climate journey. Now, I look forward to the opportunity to give back to the GCoM network: by encouraging other mayors and city leaders in the region to join the coalition and help the South Asia region – one of the most climate vulnerable regions in the world – to activate national and multilateral support and meet our highest climate ambitions.”

“It is an honor to join the Board of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy,” said Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, Romania. “I look forward to working with this ambitious group of local leaders to drive forward ambition at the local, national, and global levels, and achieve our shared vision of a more sustainable and resilient future.”

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About the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM)

GCoM is the largest global alliance for city climate leadership, uniting a global coalition of over 13,000 cities and local governments and 100+ supporting partners. The cities and partners of GCoM share a long-term vision of supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and towards a resilient and low-emission society. GCoM serves cities and local governments by mobilizing and supporting ambitious, measurable, planned climate and energy action in their communities by working with city/regional networks, national governments, and other partners to achieve our vision. The coalition comprises cities across 6 continents and 146 countries, representing over 1 billion people or more than 13 percent of the global population.

To learn more about GCoM, please visit our website, or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.