"A spotlight on states and regions contributions to the Global Stocktake" - "getting it done" takes place this Thursday at COP27 in Charm El Sheikh, Egypt; a summit that, beyond the mitigation and emissions reductions focus of COP26, will be very much geared towards adaptation and resilience. This joint sub-national event, organised by Regions4 with the support of the Under2 Coalition and the Scottish Government, will reflect on the ambitions and actions of state and regional actors to drive change and be part of the solution. It will bring together sub-national groups and networks to raise the joint voice of regional governments and states within the UNFCCC processes.
Two important documents will be presented. The first one, the "Declaration of Regional Governments for COP27", where almost forty regions from all over the world have collected their main recommendations and commitments towards a resilient future. The second, the "RegionsAdapt 2021-2022 Progress Report", the first global initiative for regional governments to plan, take concrete actions, cooperate and report on their progress in terms of climate adaptation. It involves more than 70 regions on five continents and impacts around 300 million people.
The relevance of the event lies precisely in the key role of regions in adapting to climate change. The Egyptian Presidency of COP27 has set out an ambitious vision for this COP, which places human needs at the centre of global efforts to address climate change. States, regions and governorates are at the frontline of the crisis and have therefore become natural leaders in enacting practical actions to address it. Their direct connection to citizens and their ability to mobilise and engage with all local actors is crucial in the fight against climate change. National governments will only be able to achieve their climate goals (including those affecting all SDGs and, in particular, biodiversity) if all levels of government are involved.
