Bloomberg Philanthropies, COP28, and World Resources Institute Host High-Level Political Dialogue to Accelerate Multilevel Climate Action and Deliver Ambitious NDCs

Dialogue Brought Together Dr. Yousef Al-Shawarbeh, Mayor of Amman, Jordan; Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone; Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco; along with other Mayors, Governors and Ministers on the Sidelines of Climate Week NYC and The 79th UN General Assembly

Bloomberg Philanthropies Announces Support for COP29 Urban Climate Ministerial, Building on COP28’s Local Climate Action Summit Where 500+ Subnational Leaders from 60 Countries United to Accelerate Urban Climate Action

New York, NY – Today, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the COP28 Presidency, and World Resources Institute (WRI) co-hosted the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) High-Level Political Dialogue, focused on advancing national and subnational climate action and charting a bold path toward achieving more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in 2025, ahead of COP30. Held during Climate Week NYC and the 79th UN General Assembly, the Dialogue united global mayors, governors, and ministers to strengthen collaboration between national and subnational governments, assess progress, and showcase groundbreaking efforts to advance multilevel partnerships.

The Dialogue marks the next major step following the launch of the CHAMP pledge at COP28, an initiative designed to turbocharge collaboration between national and subnational governments. Cities have the potential to reduce their emissions up to 90% with the right support, yet only 27% of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) include strong urban content. CHAMP is a commitment by the 73 countries to work closely with cities, regions, and local leaders to shape and implement ambitious climate strategies. 

Since its launch at COP28, CHAMP has made significant progress in fostering collaboration between national and subnational leaders to drive climate action. To date, 73 countries, representing 58% of global GDP and 36% of global emissions, have pledged their commitment to CHAMP, including Finland, which recently joined. 

Committed nations are taking considerable steps to partner with cities, states, and regions to implement CHAMP.  Following an extensive consultation with local leaders, Colombia has launched a comprehensive consultation process to integrate subnational action and ambition in their upcoming NDC. Brazil has launched a new Green Resilient Cities program, offering technical assistance to mayors across the country to develop plans aligned with the national NDC. Meanwhile, Morocco is working with local and regional governments on strengthening municipal services (including water, energy, and waste) and building resilience to climate impacts, in line with national climate plans. 

Several major announcements were made during the Dialogue, including significant contributions from Bloomberg Philanthropies, COP28, and WRI. Bloomberg Philanthropies announced its support for the third Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change and Urbanization at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Co-hosted by the COP29 Presidency, UN-Habitat, and the UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29, the ministerial will unite leaders from government and sectors to accelerate partnerships, unlock climate financing, and highlight cities’ critical role in supercharging global climate action. Building on the successes of previous ministerial meetings and Local Climate Action Summit (LCAS) at COP28—where over 500 mayors, governors, and other local leaders from over 60 countries came together to bridge global climate goals with local realities—this third meeting will maintain momentum for urban climate action.

Recently released analysis from WRI showed the stark differences in exposure to multiple hazards at 1.5°C versus 3°C of warming for cities. If global temperatures rise by nearly 3°C, many cities could experience extended heatwaves lasting for weeks, sharp increases in energy demand due to air conditioning, and a growing threat of insect-borne diseases—all happening at the same time. People in low-income cities are expected to be the hardest hit. WRI also previewed advanced findings from a soon-to-be-released publication with recommendations for national governments on enhancing NDCs by better incorporating subnational entities. This guide, set to launch at COP29, offers step-by-step practical guidance for national governments on how to collaborate more effectively with cities, states, and regions during the NDC revision process.

Dialogue participants included: Antha Williams, who leads the Environment Programs at Bloomberg Philanthropies; John Podesta, Senior Advisor to President Biden for International Climate Policy; Adalberto Maluf Filho, National Secretary for Urban Environment and Environmental Quality, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil; H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28; Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29; Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary at UNFCCC; and Ani Dasgupta, President & CEO of World Resources Institute, who moderated the dialogue. Representatives from global city networks like C40 Cities and the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM), were also in attendance, representing over 13,000 mayors worldwide, ensuring that cities remain a central force driving climate action on the global stage. 

“Bloomberg Philanthropies is proud to bring together local and national leaders on the road to COP. This event is not just a gathering; it is a call to action for leaders at all levels to turbocharge global climate progress,” said Antha Williams, who leads the Environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies. “We’re committed to supporting the Urbanization and Climate Change Ministerial in Baku, where leaders will drive real solutions to make cities more sustainable and resilient.”

“The CHAMP initiative demonstrates the essential role that subnational actors play in the climate fight,” said John Podesta, Senior Advisor to President Biden for International Climate Policy. “It is crucial that we continue to work together by putting CHAMP principles into practice to reach our climate goals.” 

“The High-Level Political Dialogue is a key step on the road to driving ambitious and innovative climate action that empowers local governments and cities,” said H.E. Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28. “We must continue to take stock of progress, while ensuring national and local leaders continue to strengthen their collaboration and scale up their efforts under the CHAMP pledge. Together, we can forge the necessary connections to empower and advance the urban climate agenda through CHAMP and the NDC revision process, setting a new standard for inclusive climate action across all sectors of society.”

“Today’s dialogue is a powerful example of how collaboration across sectors and borders can ignite collective ambition for a sustainable future,” said Nigar Arpadarai, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP29. “We are eager to build on this momentum and continue uniting local, national, and global leaders at the COP29 Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change and Urbanization, driving impactful change and empowering cities to take bold action toward a climate-resilient future.”

“There is no path to achieve our global climate goals without bringing local governments into our NDCs,” said Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of World Resources Institute. “Now, more than ever, all levels of government must come together to reduce emissions and protect the millions of lives in urban communities from climate impacts. This Dialogue shows the ambition is there.”

“Tackling global challenges requires collective action. We need to form partnerships and build coalitions like CHAMP to equip local leaders with the resources and capacity they need to create meaningful, lasting impact,” said Anacláudia Rossbach, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of UN-Habitat. “These partnerships help ensure that key moments, such as the Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change and Urbanization, which UN-Habitat will co-host at COP29, drive ambitious action to strengthen the efforts of local governments and cities in addressing the complex urban challenges we face.”

“Mobilizing action at every level is vital in our fight against climate change. The challenge ahead of us is immense and cannot be tackled in isolation. The power of partnerships—uniting governments, businesses, and communities—is not just preferable, but essential for driving the change needed to protect our planet. Initiatives like the Coalition for High Ambition and Multilevel Partnerships (CHAMP) provide the mechanisms and environment to elevate our climate ambition and drive multi-level action. The recently announced partnership between the UAE and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to support 20 developing economies in achieving their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) is a testament to this principle and marks a critical step towards ensuring no nation is left behind in the global pursuit of a just energy transition and a climate-positive future,” H.E. Dr Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment said. 

“As a long-standing advocate for multi-level governance, Germany is available as a reliable partner in the implementation of CHAMP to foster local climate action and improve national climate commitments in order to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement,” said Heike Henn, Director, Climate, Energy, Environment, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Germany. 

“Combatting climate change requires collaboration across all levels of government. It is essential that local, state, and national leaders work together to accelerate our progress towards meaningful climate solutions,” said Ravinder Bhalla, Mayor of Hoboken, United States.“⁤⁤Initiatives like CHAMP highlight the critical role that cities like Hoboken play in this fight, ensuring that local voices help shape future national commitments. ⁤⁤Together, we can empower our cities to become more sustainable and resilient, for future generations.”

“National governments must prioritize city actions in their climate commitments to unlock the full potential of urban climate solutions. CHAMP is a powerful framework to ensure that the next round of NDCs in 2025 reflects not only the ambitions of national leaders but also the critical contributions of cities like Freetown,” said Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Freetown. “Today’s dialogue is a critical step in bridging that gap, ensuring that climate commitments move beyond words and into impactful, lasting change.” 

“Mayors are delivering on the frontline of the climate crisis,” said Mark Watts, C40 Cities Executive Director. “They are taking decisive actions to reduce the demand for fossil fuels and deliver a just transition. CHAMP helps them achieve this by ensuring mayors are heard by national governments when they develop their climate action investment plans and commitments. National governments need cities to deliver now. Today’s high-level dialogue must help ensure words are backed up by action.”

“Cities are on the front lines of the climate crisis, and we must use this pivotal moment to galvanize urgent and transformative action,” said Gregor Robertson, Global Ambassador for Global Covenant of Mayors and Special Envoy for Cities in CHAMP. “By leveraging the expertise and unwavering commitment of leaders worldwide, we can drive immediate solutions for sustainable, more resilient urban environments. I am eager to see and lead the transformative outcomes we can achieve.”

The Dialogue saw participation from a diverse group of leaders and experts, including Dr. Amna Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, United Arab Emirates; Francis Asenso-Boakye, Minister for Roads and Highways of Ghana; Halil Hasar, Director of the Climate Change Presidency, Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change of Türkiye; Heike Henn, Director of Climate, Energy, Environment, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany; N. Charles Hamilton, Climate Change Advisor to the Prime Minister of The Bahamas; Juri Seilenthal, Director General of the Trade Policy and International Economic Organisations Department of Estonia; Kerstin Stendahl, Special Envoy on Environment Security, Finland; H.E. Kevin Magron, Ambassador on Climate Change and Lead Negotiator for COP, France; Lejone Mpotjoana, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Relations, Lesotho; Ravinder Bhalla, Mayor of Hoboken, United States; Roger Baro, Minister of Environment, Water, and Sanitation of Burkina Faso; Kim Tae-heum, Governor of South Chungcheong, South Korea; Minna Arve, Mayor of Turku, Finland; Mohamed Sefiani, Mayor of Chefchaouen, Morocco; Taeyoung Yeom, Member of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, South Korea; Dr. Yousef Alshawarbeh, Mayor of Amman, Jordan; and Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone. 

The CHAMP High-Level Political Dialogue is a formal requirement of the CHAMP pledge, where country endorsers commit to meet with subnational leaders at a global forum on multilevel climate action. The Dialogue, held in the lead-up to both COP29 and COP30, serves as a platform to share best practices, lessons learned, and showcase CHAMP implementation in action—setting it apart from other multilevel partnership meetings. Notably, this was the first meeting to include Finland, one of the most recent countries to pledge their commitment to CHAMP, further broadening the global coalition working to accelerate multilevel climate action. 

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About Bloomberg Philanthropies:
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2023, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.

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COP28 UAE:  

Notes to Editors

• At the historic COP28, countries came together to deliver the UAE Consensus – the most ambitious and comprehensive set of negotiated outcomes to come out of the UNFCCC process since COP21.
• The UAE Consensus includes an unprecedented reference to transitioning away from all fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner in this critical decade, to enable the world to reach net zero emissions by 2050, in keeping with the science.
• The UAE Consensus calls for peaking emissions by 2025 and aligning with 1.5°C pathways; urging emission reductions aiming for 43 percent by 2030 and 60 percent by 2035; submitting ambitious, economy-wide NDCs by 2025; delivering National Adaptation Plans by 2025 and implementing by 2030; operationalizing and funding Loss and Damage; significantly scaling up adaptation finance; recognizing the role of credit rating agencies and the need for concessional and grant finance.
• The UAE Consensus also saw the adoption of the Emirates Framework for Global Climate Resilience, Just Transition Work Program and Mitigation Work Program, alongside the institutionalization of the Youth Climate Champion.
• Alongside the UAE Consensus, historic levels of funding were raised during COP28, with $85 billion mobilized for climate action.

About World Resources Institute:
WRI is a trusted partner for change. Using research-based approaches, we work globally and in focus countries to meet people’s essential needs; to protect and restore nature; and to stabilize the climate and build resilient communities. We aim to fundamentally transform the way the world produces and uses food and energy and designs its cities to create a better future for all. Founded in 1982, WRI has nearly 2,000 staff around the world, with country offices in Brazil, China, Colombia, India, Indonesia, Mexico and the United States and regional offices in Africa and Europe. Learn more about WRI.org and on X @WorldResources.

Media contact:
Tini Tran (tini.tran@wri.org)