[Title] COMMUNIQUÉ, U20 2024, RIO SAO PAULO

COMMUNIQUÉ, U20 2024, RIO SAO PAULO

We, the leaders of the cities united in the Urban 20,

Acknowledge that the global context is rapidly evolving, with democracy, the rule of law, safety and well-being under threat and the interconnectedness of international peace and security, sustainable development, and human rights increasingly evident.

Recall that, in this era of complex global challenges, the principle of leaving no one and no

place behind is central to cities' agendas, providing essential guidance for institutions and

stakeholders at all levels.

Reiterate that it is only through coordinated and multi-stakeholder efforts and partnerships

and enabling multilevel governance frameworks and partnerships, both globally and locally,

that we can navigate the challenges ahead with integrity and justice at the forefront.

Reaffirm our shared belief in democratic principles and free societies, universal human rights, social progress, and respect for multilateralism and the rule of law. We commit to providing opportunities and pursuing shared prosperity and seek to strengthen international rules and norms for the benefit of all.

The challenges our communities and our planet face extend beyond national or jurisdictional borders and, as such, require both local and cross-border solutions and multilevel collaboration, paired with dedicated direct funding and a role for cities in global diplomatic fora. Our world is increasingly urban, with 56% of the world's population living in cities (a figure expected to rise to nearly 70% by 2050)*1*, and cities act as hubs of economic power at the centreof unlocking economic opportunities, growth, sustainable development and more ambitious and inclusive climate action. We hence call on G20 governments to put the requirements and needs of cities at the centre of improved global governance, to drive action on sustainability, equity, and resilience, and in particular, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on climate.

There are over 50 active conflicts taking place across the globe. Whether regional, national or transnational, these conflicts have a direct impact on cities and their populations, including by hampering prosperity, increasing inflation, increasing social vulnerability, causing human displacement, and affecting food and energy security. They force municipalities to divert resources, ultimately impacting the lives of local communities.

Against this backdrop, we call on all G20 leaders to take decisive action to uphold international law and the multilateral system as a means to safeguard and build long-lasting peace. This includes defending all the Purposes and Principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, strongly condemning any breach of international law and the UN Charter in those conflicts and calling for compliance with all UN resolutions, while adhering to the principles of international humanitarian law.

Rising inequalities, worsening social exclusion, and discrimination due to age, gender, race, religion, disability, or socio-economic circumstances pose significant threats to economies and social cohesion worldwide,*2* particularly in vulnerable regions. Moreover, urgent, coordinated and inclusive action at all government levels is required to mitigate new sources of social inequalities arising from climate change, the energy transition and the digital populations resulting from such rising inequalities, exacerbated social exclusion and forced human mobility – both within and between borders.

The impacts of climate change we will face even at 1.5°C of warming are already locked in and cannot be avoided. With only five and a half years remaining in this 'Decade of Action' to 2030, it is imperative to accelerate our collective efforts in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Crucially, following the landmark agreement reached at COP28 – to transition away from fossil fuels, triple renewable energy capacity globally and double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements by 2030, as G20 governments had previously agreed during the 2023 New Delhi summit – cities and local governments will continue to be leading actors and crucial partners to national governments in a worldwide effort to accelerate a just and clean energy transition.

With current levels of global warming, we call for accelerated action from G20 governments to reduce emissions and implement adaptation measures to enhance resilience, while mobilizing multiple and distinct sources of funding to close the urban climate finance gap, in addition to the streams that must be dedicated to covering basic public services. Healthy biodiversity and ecosystem services can also help mitigate climate impacts, build resilience and enhance the quality of human well-being in cities. Global commitment to ensuring that all of these issues are adequately financed is critical.

As cities face global challenges at a local scale to improve conditions for vulnerable populations and protect the planet, we echo the G20 Presidency's prioritization of reformingglobal governance, and call for a renewed multilateral system that recognizes larly, we call on G20 governments to ensure the meaningful engagement of cities ocities' role as crucial political actors and the closest level of government to the communities they serve. Particuf all sizes in intergovernmental processes – as called for by the UN Secretary General's Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments – to move to a more networked, efficient and inclusive model that can respond to the demands of cities, and provide them with better access to international finance. Cities require more and faster access to capital within a renewed global financial architecture in order to deliver the services and infrastructure on which our communities depend for their socioeconomic security and the protection of our most vulnerable population.

Guided by the Rio Declaration and Agenda 21, and with the 2030 Agenda and Our Common Agenda as framework for accelerated action, we commend the adoption of the Pact for the Future at the UN Summit of the Future, and in particular welcome the mandate for the UN Secretary-General to provide recommendations on how engagement with cities and other subnational authorities could enhance global governance and cooperation.

At this crucial moment for the future of our communities, our planet, and our governance models, the leaders of national, regional and local governments have an important role and opportunity to work together to address global challenges – through multilevel cooperation, political dialogue in appropriate platforms, and commitment to strengthening a culture of peace, timely humanitarian response and respect for democracy and human rights.

In light of the above, we, the leaders of U20 Cities,

Commend

the Brazilian presidency of the G20 in launching the Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty and the Global Mobilization against Climate Change as a strong step forward in acknowledging the importance of fostering global solutions to these global issues;

Commend

G20 Brazil in launching the Bioeconomy Initiative and structuring 22 of the 28 working groups to address climate change mitigation as a cross-cutting issue;

Commit

to actively collaborating with national governments and our peer city governments, including through city networks and multilevel partnership initiatives such as the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP), recognising that it is only through effective multilevel collaboration that we can deliver the accelerated and inclusive action we need to address our common challenges; and

Call upon

the G20 to recognize the distinctive role of local governments as part of the public sphere and effectively work with cities of all sizes and support the central role they play – including with dedicated direct funding – in addressing the three priority issues stated by the 2024 G20 presidency for:

I Social inclusion and fight against hunger and poverty

01 [INEQUALITIES] Address inequalities and their multidimensional root causes to develop a new social contract that is people-centred, rights-driven and aimed at realising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), leaving no one and no place behind. Start by guaranteeing the rights, needs and aspirations of the historically marginalized communities, including the poorest and most vulnerable, ensuring gender equality, and facilitating citizen participation in decision-making.

02 [LOCAL PUBLIC SERVICE PROVISION] Guarantee effective local public services such as water and sanitation, housing, energy, healthcare, public security and education, which are vital social safety nets that contribute to the localization of the SDGs as a cornerstone to addressing inequalities. Whilst water and sanitation, housing, energy, healthcare, and education are mandated in most Constitutions, legislative frameworks must be reimagined to expedite universal access to basic civic service delivery that can respond to migratory and changing demographic needs.

03 [HUNGER AND NUTRITION] Guarantee equal access to food and nutrition for all, highlighting the essential role that cities play in contributing to zero hunger through local public service provision with national minimum standards for nutritional value including restrictions on hyper-transformed foods and recognizing the interconnection between hunger, poverty and inequalities, including how hunger aggravates unequal access to education, health, and economic opportunities. Prioritize nutritional interventions during early childhood, including by improving and scaling up school meal programmes to ensure that every child has the opportunity to receive a healthy, nutritious school meal in line with the aims of the School Meals Coalition overseen by the UN World Food Programme, while also addressing the challenges associated with the ageing population and issues related to income andsubsistence among elderly individuals. Recognise school meal programmes as a leading force to achieve concrete objectives at the urban level and shape the relationship with food for the new citizens, directly impacting the social, environmental and economic implications of urban food systems. School meal programmes are first and foremost policies that can guarantee all children access to healthy food, thus tackling nutrition inefficiencies and promoting healthy diets.

04 [FOOD SYSTEMS & FOOD WASTE] Develop robust targets that promote and improve access to sustainable and climate-resilient food systems that are essential to overcome hunger, reduce emissions and biodiversity loss, and provide support to city leaders through various resources to improve how food is produced, procured and consumed within urban boundaries. Support city governments in their efforts to develop innovative urban food policies to achieve a balanced diet compatible with local ecosystems, reflective of the culture, geography, and demography of residents. Mobilise collective efforts across businesses, cities of all sizes, and national governments that unlock the potential of food systems as one of the main solutions for people, nature, and climate, especially for vulnerable food producers and local communities. It is key to reduce food waste and improve urban waste management to minimize methane emissions, help to reduce polluted water and air, boost public health, reduce the spread of disease, provide food & water security and economic opportunity, and restore soil health.

05 [HEALTH AND CARE] Acknowledge that health and care go beyond medical care and are supported by a backbone of strong and well-funded local public services that support universal healthcare. Foster the acknowledgement of health as a public good, including by encouraging equitable access to technology, fostering capacity building and knowledge exchange, highlighting the importance of mental health and incorporating the role that the living environment of cities plays in healthcare. Tackling the climate and air pollution crises is essential to avoiding harm, and cities can lead the way in reducing urbanair pollution with measures that get strong public support from residents, also thanks to dedicated awareness-raising campaigns fighting disinformation. Recognise the value of a disproportionately women-led care economy as a contributor to individual and collective well-being and as a critical element in the transition to an equitable green economy and the reduction of gender inequalities. Support cities in putting forward an equality-driven agenda that guarantees human rights for all, empowers local communities, and puts care and the well-being of people, gender equality and the planet as the highest priorities.

06 [HOUSING] Ensure access to adequate, safe, resilient, sustainable and affordable housing, pursuing a right-to-housing approach, in the context of rising cost of living and increasing social inequalities. National housing policies and projects, including new housing, regeneration, living public spaces, and housing infrastructure, must count on the collaboration with adequately resourced local and regional governments and local communities for inclusive, participatory urban planning processes to guarantee access to shelter. To remediate spatial segregation, there is a need to create inclusive development plans and inclusionary housing along major arterials adjacent to economic nodes and prioritize infrastructure investment and access to public services in historically disadvantaged areas.

07 [HUMAN MOBILITY] Recognise that human mobility is a phenomenon driven among other factors by conflict, growing inequalities and climate change – especially towards, within, and from cities – while acknowledging that the long-term integration of migrants is a valuable force promoting urban growth, cultural and socioeconomic opportunities and innovation, and the implementation of a green and just transition in cities. National governments should commit to supporting local public service provision as a key tool that plays a role in the social and economic inclusion of migrants in cities – including welcoming and labour orientation, access to housing and healthcare, and education and language training.

08 [ACCESSIBILITY] Recognise and actively promote the right to accessibility as a public good and for all persons with disabilities, by guaranteeing inclusive access to employment, health, education, housing, and digital infrastructure and services, and promoting dignity, autonomy and independent living, while ensuring equitable participation.

09 [GOOD GREEN AND SUSTAINABLE JOBS] Invest in cities as green and sustainable jobs and skills hubs, recognising this investment as an essential element of the just and inclusive transition. Commit to addressing the green skills shortage, including through devolution of skills competencies to enable cities to shape local green workforces. Collaborate with cities, unions, and employers in social dialogue to ensure jobs and training opportunities are accessible to workers, in particular those in the energy industry, informal workers, women, youth, migrants, those facing poverty, marginalised and underserved communities, and those in vulnerable situations. Invest in reskilling, implement local labour-market policies and gear educational syllabuses to support the green, just and inclusive transition, while taking action to mitigate the impact of mega-trends including digital transformation and new technologies, such as AI, on the future of work. Partner with the private sector to ensure good green and sustainable jobs growth across all industries and sectors of the economy, while supporting local supply chains, improving labour standards, and respecting human rights.

10 [SOCIAL PROTECTION] Support the global, national, and local implementation of universal social protection measures, which are essential for safeguarding workers and communities during economic and energy transitions and for building resilience to the increasing impacts of conflict, growing social inequalities and climate-related disasters. These measures must be suitable to the needs of both formal and informal workers.

11 [DIGITALIZATION] Ensure an equitable and sustainable digital transformation that is people-centred and human rights-based. Start by fostering accessible digital public infrastructure and ensuring access to internet connectivity, open data, digital literacy and capacity building, while promoting an inclusive, accountable, cyber-secure and transparent use of artificial intelligence, balancing both its benefits and shortfalls and fostering security of and in the use of information and communication technologies while being aware of the risks and dangers of AI.

12 [CULTURE] Recognize the role of culture and cultural factors – such as creativity, heritage, diversity and the transmission of knowledge and the establishment of a culture goal in the next global agenda for sustainable development – as essential to deliver a new, inclusive, people-centred, peaceful, and climate-resilient development paradigm.

13 [EDUCATION] Invest in education and educational systems in order to realize social inclusion and fight inequality, including by employing digitalised education technology as a means to promote equal access to opportunities, critical thinking and digital literacy. Together with different stakeholders, cities of all sizes must be supported to maximize opportunities for young people by connecting vocational education policy, economic policy and youth policy, including by involving young people in decision-making on issues that impact them, such as climate change, sustainable development, food systems sustainability, misinformation, citizen participation, and peace and community building, including through local youth climate councils, while ensuring their access to good green and sustainable jobs.

14 [ENHANCE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL] Ensure that citizens have a greater say in decisions that impact their daily lives at the local scale, and enhance participation mechanisms through digitalisation. Promote local democratic good practices by generating spaces to exchange and learn good practices in local democracy among global cities to ensure that innovative policies are disseminated worldwide.

15 [INNOVATION] Create an enabling policy environment that facilitates the emergence of innovative solutions to contribute to sustainable development, and thriving, livable and resilient cities.

II Sustainable development and just energy transition

01 [RALLY BEHIND 1.5C] Push the world to take urgent, decisive action to get back on track to limit the average global temperature increase to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. Following the Global Stocktake, significantly more ambitious climate targets are needed ahead of the COP30 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) update in order to get on track for 1.5°C. Recognise the critical role of cities as innovative policy-makers including for a just transition and support with policy, financing, and collaboration the urban, participatory and inclusive climate action on the ground that reduces emissions and inequalities at the needed rate.

02 [CIRCULAR ECONOMY] Acknowledge that international organisations and national and local governments need to work together towards an inclusive, innovative and sustainable economy, requiring inclusive, strategic choices and a conversion of our energy systems, but also a different way of producing and consuming to move towards zero waste. Enact policies that enable cities to realize energy and economic circularity and take advantage of the economic opportunities arising from this circularity, including job creation, bolstered innovation, greater efficiency and growth potential, while creating a socially just and ecologically sustainable society, recognising residents as active actors in this process

03 [ADAPTATION FINANCE] Scale up investment and mobilise financial flows for city-led adaptation initiatives in all countries and especially in the Global South, including targeted support for quality and sustainable adaptation infrastructure projects in frontline and vulnerable communities that build urban resilience to extreme heat, desertification, droughts, water stress and distribution inequality, aridity, water hazards and floods. In this regard, we urge developed countries to fulfill their commitment to at least double their collective provision of adaptation finance from

2019 levels by 2025, in the context of achieving scaled-up financial resources.

04 [JUST TRANSITION FINANCE] Catalyse investment in local climate action by collectively mobilising public investment to reach a minimum of $800 billion annually by 2030 for urban mitigation and adaptation climate projects (based on 2021 data), as a critical step to stimulate private investment, and by improving local governments' access to financing. This includes allocating at least 40% of concessional funding to local climate actions that prioritise low-income communities, deprived neighbourhoods, workers and other people in vulnerable situations, in line with any relevant regional or national fiscal policies. Altogether, this will enable effective and inclusive climate action, workforce development, and social protection – thereby enhancing the lives of all urban residents, and ensuring that climate action mitigates the unintended negative impacts, addresses injustices and benefits everyone during the green, just, inclusive and low-carbon transition.

05 [CLEAN & RESILIENT ENERGY SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES] Develop national policies and institutions that enable cities to simultaneously reduce emissions while strengthening resilience, in particular by transitioning towards decentralised, decarbonised, diversified and democratised energy systems that are resilient to climate impacts and ensure that everyone has consistent access to renewable, reliable and affordable energy. These actions could include: investing in distributed renewable energy generation in cities, supporting market-based approaches for shifting from fossil fuels to renewables such as Power Purchase Agreements, advancing regional interconnectivity to improve the reliability of energy systems and enhance the deployment of clean and renewable energy, or launching community energy schemes. Support the implementation of established clean energy technologies such as solar and wind as a priority, by working with cities to identify and overcome context-specific barriers to large-scale deployment. At the same time explore the implementation and scale-up of additional renewable technologies such as green hydrogen production, if their carbon benefit and efficiency is proven. Search for suitable, less expensive solutions that avoid negative impacts on local communities, women, minorities and those in vulnerable situations.

06 [CLEAN BUILDINGS AND CONSTRUCTION] Help cities accelerate the decarbonisation of buildings and the construction sector by a) creating enabling frameworks for new buildings to operate at net zero carbon by decarbonizing and reducing heating and cooling (including hot water supply) and cooking demand in buildings to eliminate polluting fossil gas use, b) supporting the implementation of retrofitting interventions on public buildings, c) urging private stakeholders to work towards the same objectives, in particular concerning the retrofitting of private buildings and the shift towards clean and resource-efficient design, material and construction choices in any construction works, and d) investing in a diverse and sustainable clean construction workforce with decent jobs and working conditions.

07 [FOSSIL FUEL PHASE-OUT] Accelerate progress towards phasing out fossil fuels, including by tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 as well as accelerating other zero and low-emission technologies, as agreed at COP28, and by ending all fossil fuel subsidies and investments in fossil fuels, in line with the principles of a just transition and with targeted support for those affected by the energy transition. This aims to deliver a just and inclusive energy transition that gets us on track to halve emissions globally by 2030 and achieve net zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.

08 [GREEN AND BLUE SPACES] Prioritise providing greener and more inclusive public spaces, including by significantly increasing the area and quality of green and blue spaces in cities, enhancing ecological connectivity between such spaces, and improving access for citizens to maximise the benefits that can be gained from them. Actions could include biodiversity-inclusive urban planning, capacity development, ecosystem restoration efforts, and conducting natural capital or ecosystem assessments for improved information for decision-making.

09 [WATER] Provide support for cities to establish comprehensive early warning systems in all high-risk, low-income areas, and develop robust emergency response plans to mitigate impacts for millions of people around the world from water-related climate hazards and issues associated with water sanitation, such as lack of safe and accessible drinking water, decreased water quality, droughts, floodings and water conflict. Also promote the creation of non-emergency plans focused on improving water management with concrete examples (e.g. permeable soil, facade repairs). Implement coordination measures and institute clear governance mechanisms, such as resource sharing and waste monitoring, that promote sustainable urban and regional water management and equitable access for all residents to safe and affordable drinking water as well as adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene. Share access to technologies to enhance water quality and provide water reuse, sustainable groundwater and rainwater capture.

10 [RENATURALIZATION OF CITIES] Provide dedicated financial support to accelerate ongoing efforts to renaturalize cities, protect nature, foster biodiversity, and integrate nature-based solutions into urban environments, as an effective means to combat climate change by capturing and storing carbon, reducing the urban heat island effect, improving water management, and enhancing the resilience and livability of cities of all sizes. Green areas are key to promoting sustainable lifestyles by encouraging walking and cycling, thus lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

11 [CLEAN MOBILITY] Accelerate the global mode shift to clean and collective mobility and prioritise investment in and access to public transport and active mobility in cities, moving to electric and zero emission public and private transport while reducing dependency on cars and private vehicles as key solutions for driving down emissions while improving public health. Commit to creating an enabling policy environment to facilitate the emergence of innovative solutions to decarbonise urban transport systems.

12 [CLIMATE BUDGETING] Support the implementation of climate budgeting at all levels of government, as a method of strengthening multilevel governance and accountability for climate action and aligning public finance flows with national and local climate targets. Building on existing governance systems, climate budgeting involves mainstreaming climate commitments and considerations within decision-making on policies, actions and budgets, including by integrating climate targets into the financial budget process and assigning responsibility for implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting across the government. This whole-of-government approach is flexible in scope and scale, and G20 governments should support and collaborate with local governments in implementing climate budgeting, and evaluate how climate budgeting can be an effective and widespread mechanism to mainstream climate action in national administrations.

III　Reform of global governance institutions

01 [DEMOCRATIZING GLOBAL GOVERNANCE] Work towards an equitable multilateral system that is more effective in achieving its purposes, more networked and more inclusive, and committed to acknowledging the indispensable role of all levels of government – particularly of cities – and addressing structural inequalities in current global decision-making processes. Strengthen multilateralism by democratizing existing institutions, creating space for a just representation of all countries of the world, and therefore strengthening the voice of developing countries in international decision-making bodies as a means to promote both inclusion and effectiveness.

02 [REDEFINING MULTILATERALISM] As a means to progress towards a more inclusive, networked and effective multilateral system, institutionalise mechanisms representing all regions and formalise the role that cities can play in contributing to global decision-making, both in UN intergovernmental bodies and processes and in other relevant multilateral fora and processes. This should include building on the Pact for the Future, which requests the UN Secretary-General to provide recommendations on how engagement with local and regional authorities can advance the 2030 Agenda, and working to implement the recommendations of the UN Secretary-General's Advisory Group on Local and Regional Governments, which is calling for a separate, special and formal status for local and regional governments' organized constituency before the main UN policy-making bodies.

03 [MULTILEVEL GOVERNANCE] Support multilevel action and engage cities and local governments as partners in planning and decision-making over sustainable development strategies, national urban strategies and long-term economic policies, as well as climate mitigation, adaptation, just transition and resiliency plans. Formally adopt policies and initiatives, such as the Integrated National Financing Frameworks for Sustainable Development (INFFs), which promote joint national and local strategizing to align sustainable development plans and strategies. Establish multilevel just transition mechanisms (such as commissions) that include cities as key partners, and ensure that the next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) address the need for a just transition and include enhanced strategies for an urban just transition. Endorse the pledge of the Coalition for High Ambition Multi-level Partnerships (CHAMP) and put in place the necessary nationally relevant processes to consult and collaborate with subnational governments in the revision process of the NDCs due ahead of COP30, and their implementation plans, to deliver the climate action critically needed in this decade, that collaboration between levels of governments can unlock, to stay on track with the Paris Agreement.

04 [GLOBAL FINANCIAL ARCHITECTURE AND MDBs REFORM] Ensure global financial architecture reforms, and the core priorities of Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs), Subnational Development Banks and other relevant global financial institutions, address the urban sustainable finance gap and make them more fit for purpose to adequately address international development and challenges in a manner that is more responsive to the needs of cities and regions in all countries of the world. MDBs and other relevant financial institutions must work in and with cities through corporate, climate, and country strategies and dedicated urban climate and development programmes, and must scale up direct and intermediated urban climate and development finance flows, including through concessional finance and the new Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.

05 [FAIR TAXATION] Promote a more equitable, transparent and progressive international system of taxation considering the impacts that international taxation agreements can have on local systems, and the potential to gather financial resources to fund quality public services and a just transition through tax systems.

06 [INCLUSIVE INVESTMENT FdUNDS AND GRANTS] Optimize cities' access to and operation of international transformative investment funds, including by simplifying and harmonizing application procedures, as part of the national frameworks, strategies and possibilities. Facilitate direct access to funds or access through financial intermediaries via subnational, national and regional entities, networks, national associations of local governments and subnational development banks. Implement dedicated access modalities including small grant funding for local communities to support more effective multilevel governance in resource distribution. Include cities in the governance structures of investment funds as active observers and recognized stakeholders, to ensure a country-wide and context-fitting localization of the funds.

07 [ENABLING NATIONAL POLICY ENVIRONMENT] Promote an enabling national framework and policy environment to strengthen fiscal autonomy and the local fiscal space, to increase cities' access to finance. Ensure stable and predictable intergovernmental fiscal transfers and national equalization mechanisms, encouraging innovative ways for cities to raise own-source revenues through land-value capture and making the most of untapped revenue streams including the potential of property taxation. It is essential to promote civic engagement with participatory budgeting, transparency and sound fiscal management to rebuild trust with citizens. By improving local governments' fiscal health, creditworthiness and capacity to generate subnational revenues and to mobilize and attract public and private funds, G20 countries can tackle the urban investment gap.

08 [SCALING UP LOCAL CAPACITIES AND FINANCE] Promote local autonomy by providing resources to local governments, progressing on fiscal decentralization and applying the subsidiarity principle as a basis to achieve sustainable development and a just energy transition. Provide more varied and frequent opportunities for engagement between cities, national associations of local governments, MDBs, and other finance institutions, with a focus on strengthening a global pipeline of urban projects and scaling finance for investable urban projects of quality public services and sustainable infrastructure. National governments should support cities in developing robust pipelines of projects, especially through project preparation facilities and technical assistance. National governments should also play a role in aggregating viable projects across municipal boundaries to help attract investment. Promote decentralized cooperation as a form of international development cooperation, strongly adjusted to local needs and contexts.

09 [CITIES GUARANTEE FUNDS] Support the creation and operationalization of City Guarantee Funds or Facilities at the global and regional levels, such as a Green Cities Guarantee Fund (GCGF) or the EFSD+ Guarantee Facility for Sustainable Cities, that offer financial support and enable cities to access direct or indirect lending from public and private financial institutions, while reducing dependency of city borrowing from national debt, de-risking climate investments and protecting lending entities from losses.

ENDORSEMENTS

This Communique is endorsed by
U20 Cities
Ahmedabad
Amsterdam
Barcelona
Buenos Aires
Durban (eThekwini)
Helsinki
Istanbul
Jakarta
Johannesburg
Lisbon
London
Los Angeles
Madrid
Milan
Montreal
New York City
Osaka
Paris
Rio de Janeiro
Rome
Rotterdam
São Paulo
Seoul
Sydney
Tokyo
Tshwane

Observer Cities
Abidjan
Brampton
Copenhagen
Freetown
Montevideo
Singapore
Toronto

Guest Cities
Amman
Aracaju
Cape Town
Contagem
Curitiba
Despeñaderos
Glasgow
Guadalajara
João Pessoa
Manaus
Mendoza
Menjez
Mykolaiv
Nairobi
Nanasana
Neuquen
Niterói
Oslo
Phoenix
Porto Alegre
Rio Branco
Salvador
Santa Fe
Teresópolis

{*1* 2018 Revision of World Urbanization Prospects (latest to date), Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations, Population Division - https://population.un.org/wup/Publications/Files/WUP2018-Report.pdf }
{*2* World Social Situation 2016, Leaving no one Behind: The Imperative of Inclusive Development. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs https://www.un-ilibrary.org/content/books/9789210577106 }