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Global leaders must act fast on climate change, social inclusion and sustainable economic growth, urged the mayors of 30 major cities from across the world.
The issues highlighted by the mayors and city governors of 2019 Urban 20 Tokyo Mayors Summit Communiqué on May 22 are represented in the United Nations-mandated sustainable development goals, the deadline of which is 2030.
“We acknowledge that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development provides a universal and comprehensive framework for addressing many of the planet’s most urgent priorities. We commit to identifying the links between our local sustainable development strategies and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly in three main areas: climate action; social inclusion and integration; and sustainable economic growth,” according to the communique.
The leaders who signed it represent 30 cities across all continents with 126 million people. The document was presented to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ahead of Group of Twenty (G20) Summit scheduled for June 28-29 in Osaka.
Urban 20, or U20, aims to tackle global challenges by leveraging the potential of cities as hubs of diversity and innovation. The leaders suggest cooperation between all levels of government to achieve the goals, according to the communique. It urged G20 leaders to ensure greenhouse gas emissions reduce substantially by ‘30 and reach net zero by 2050, ensure access of adequate housing to all populations.
“If we do not implement local policies, neither SDGs nor the Paris Agreement will be realised,” Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said.
G20 nations should work with city leaders to benefit both citizens and the planet, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo said.
“Our ambition could not be higher; to prevent catastrophic climate change, preserve biodiversity, distribute opportunities equitably and harnesses the power of innovation and technology for a better world for all,” she added.
The U20 Communique was signed by the leaders of: Amsterdam, Berlin, Brussels, Buenos Aires, Chicago, Christchurch, Durban, Hamburg, Helsinki, Houston, Jakarta, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Mexico City, Milan, Montreal, New York, Osaka City, Paris, Port Vila, Rio de Janeiro, Rome, Rotterdam, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Sydney, Tokyo and Tshwane.