Climate Action 2010-2011

Regional Focus
Metrobus is the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system in Mexico City. Its main objective is to improve mobility to prioritise public passenger transport by replacing current
buses with a new higher capacity service that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. At the moment, there are two lines and by 2012 it is scheduled that the Metrobus
System will have five transport corridors.
At the Copenhagen Summit (COP15), there were
high expectations but little agreement and few are
optimistic about securing an international agreement
this time round, at the Cancun Summit (COP16). Thus,
cities must continue in the fight against climate change,
regardless of whether an agreement is reached.
Local leadership and commitment to
the planet
Cities have a relevant role in combating the
phenomenon of climate change due to their importance
in terms of population, economics, and GHG emissions.
It is estimated that cities emit 75 per cent of global
GHG emissions. As such, mayors have an important
responsibility to make policy and investment decisions
aimed at reducing emissions. These include decisions
about public transportation and many aspects of energy
efficiency, such as street lighting. We can establish
incentives for sustainable buildings and issue standards to
be applied when managing solid waste and the operation
of sanitary landfills.
We are investing a significant part of our budgets in
executing climate action strategies and plans. Mexico
City will invest over US$2 billion in its climate
programme between 2006 to 2012. These progressive
actions place cities in a prominent position in combating
global warming, even though mayors are not at the COP
negotiating table.
Cities must be acknowledged for the role they play in
implementing actions to reduce GHG emissions. At the
same time, city governments must attend to community
needs when there are emergencies such as floods, fires, or
natural catastrophes, many of which can be attributed to
the effects of climate change.
The World Mayors Summit on
Climate & Mexico City Pact
In this context, we have called mayors in all regions of the
world to attend the World Mayors Summit on Climate
(WMSC), to be held in Mexico City on November 21
2010. The purpose is to make an appeal to international
authorities to recognise the strategic and fundamental
role that local governments play in the fight against
global warming. As such, we will call for greater access
to cooperation, financing, technology and decision
mechanisms. We aim to achieve a greater transfer of
resources, as well as specific commitments from cities
around the world.
The WMSC is organised by the Mexico City
government, the World Mayors Council on Climate
Change, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability,
and by United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).
Collectively, these organisations bring together thousands
of cities, authorities, and local governments from around
the world.
The WMSC supports a set of previous efforts
undertaken by cities and local authorities, such as the
signing of the World Mayors and Local Governments
Climate Protection Agreement (2007), the Local
Government Climate Change Action Plan (2007), the
publication of the Copenhagen World Climate Catalogue
of City Commitments to Combat Climate Change (2009),
Copenhagen Climate Communiqué (2009), the Dunkirk
2010 Call on Climate Action (2010), the Bonn Declaration
of Mayors Adaptation Forum (2010), and the C40 Large
Cities Climate Summits, among many other efforts.
Our intention is to step up the level of commitment
made by cities on the issue of sustainability. We also strive
to work together with the UN Framework Convention
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