Record number of climate action pledges from cities

Over 2,000 new pledges have been entered into the UN’s Climate Action database in the build up to the COP21 climate summit in Paris which starts on the 30 November.

The Non-State Actor Zone for Climate Action (NAZCA) database is an online portal that accepts climate action pledges from all entities other than national governments.

The NAZCA accepts pledges from cities and metropolitan regions, as well as the private sector and other major institutions, has realised 6,652 pledges to date.

This includes 2,761 separate actions by 935 cities and 117 regions. Nearly 1,800 global companies and more than 400 major investors have also offered formal commitments.

Of the commitments by cities and regions, by far the largest number of actions has to do with reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions, which total 2,173 actions.

This is followed by promises to instigate new renewable energy projects, 860 actions, and promises to improve energy efficiency and access, 713 actions.

Other commitments revolve around strengthening resilience to climate change, 211 actions, and engaging in cleaner transport options, 54 actions.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has called the new figures the “biggest wave yet” of such actions.

“This constitutes the largest single release of such information to date and clearly demonstrates how leading cities, regions, companies and investors are acting to protect the climate and build resilience,” the UNFCCC said in a statement.

“It also adds crucial momentum to global efforts to reach an effective new, universal climate change agreement in Paris in December of this year.”