Starting next Friday, the Mayor of Bogotá, Claudia López Hernández, will take part in the 28th Annual Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which is being held this year in Dubai, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, under the theme of "uniting, acting, and delivering."
In this global gathering, attended by heads of state, ministers, environmental experts, and representatives of non-governmental organizations from around the world, the leader of the country's capital will share the legacy of the vision of Care for People, Democracy, and the Planet that has guided her administration, positioning it on a global level. She will also discuss the achievements and policies implemented in the Colombian capital to address and mitigate Climate Change.
The thematic program of COP28 is focused on finding concrete solutions for closing gaps and achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Additionally, for the first time, the Local Climate Action Summit will take place, designed to include subnational climate leaders such as mayors, governors, business executives, heads of non-governmental organizations, and global experts.
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"We have the great opportunity, and pride, to share with the world the progress of Bogotá in issues that have been the heart of our Administration: the policy of care, the environment, sustainability, and sustainable mobility. These are the commitments we made in the city, and other countries are already starting to recognize them and are interested in learning and applying them," stated Mayor Claudia López.
The mayor's participation will begin with her speech at the opening ceremony of COP28, where she was invited as part of a delegation of 12 global mayors and governors to represent local governments in the development of the Summit. The objective of this space is to strengthen multi-level partnerships to accelerate and finance local climate projects for global climate progress.
Mayor López will also take part in the opening of the Local Climate Action Summit, which will feature the participation of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres; the President of COP28 and Special Envoy of the United Arab Emirates for Climate Change, Dr. Sultan al Jaber; and the United Nations Special Envoy for Climate Action and Solutions, Michael Bloomberg.
Another panel where the district mayor will be present is "Decarbonizing Our Planet, Improving Lives through Local Action." There, they will share the achievements of Bogotá that can inspire other cities, such as the Territorial Development Plan based on care, the Climate Action Plan, which has already achieved a 20% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, the framework for the consolidation of the Metropolitan Region, and the Multimodal and Sustainable Mobility Plan.
During this international agenda, Claudia López will participate in the 'Mayors Innovation Studio,' an event featuring 150 mayors from around the world, where she will share the main innovations developed in the Colombian capital, as well as the importance of multi-actor partnerships for the development of these projects. She will also join the panel on 'Investments in Walking and Bicycling,' which will explore effective policies and financing mechanisms to unlock the potential of active mobility on a global scale.
In addition to her role in these panels, the mayor will be part of the Steering Committee of the C40 Climate Leadership Group, in her capacity as vice president of this network for Latin America. This space will recognize the critical role that mayors play as local leaders in reducing emissions, addressing climate risks, and enhancing national efforts to progress on climate action more rapidly and efficiently.
During her agenda in Dubai, the mayor will hold bilateral meetings with the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, to assess potential future collaborations between the two cities. She will also meet with the Mayor of Copenhagen, Sophie Hæstorp Andersen, to exchange experiences in climate leadership.
Bogotá's climate leadership not only serves as an example at the local level but can also inspire and be replicated in other cities around the world, contributing to the mitigation of climate change and a more just and sustainable future for all.
